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The main point of this video was to show how the lives of Amish teens are changed drastically when between the ages of 16 and 21 they are faced with a whole new lifestyle. This then leads them to face a very difficult decision. During the ages of 16 and 21, Amish teens are 'let lose' or able to live the life that English children live. They can move out, get their license, wear normal clothes and party on a regular basis. Then after this is over with they must make their decision, they can either continue to live the life of an English person and basically be free, or they can join the church and give their lives to God and the Amish ways.
When these kids were allowed to be free they seemed to chose the wrong road, many following the path of drugs and alcohol. They weren't just messing around with common drugs either, they were actualy getting into more dangerous drugs like crystal meth, and in some cases even gettin involved with drug dealers and police. There were definitely elements of structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic internationalism present in this video. Structural functionalism was present in their everyday behavior. Their society is so stable in their own world because of how they work things out. They marry, grow beards and work for the rest of their lives for God.
This all helps their own society function. They coming their lives to the church and they are all content with that. They stick to the same traditions because they have always worked. Elements of conflict theory were shown when the kids actually rebelled rather than just experiance being able to wear normal clothes and watch T.
V. I don't really think the point of letting them do this is so they turn to drugs and alcohol, but they all did. The point is so they can experience how English teens live and can be free. Not all English kids use drugs and drink. In the movie it was stated that more than half the people who join the church later chose to leave. I dont think that is how it's supposed to be.
Another example was shown when the Amish parent stated that these kids aren't used to having spending money in their pockets, so now that they do they buy cars, and drugs and alcohol become accessable to them. He said it's hard to teach them to be different than other kids when there's so much peer pressure. I think the peer pressure is a big issue and factor on why they become so wild. He also said, 'The outside world is the Devil's playground'. An element of symbolic internationalism would be how the church expects these kids to make the right choice and come give their lives to the Amish church, and really most of these kids just party and be free while they can. One boy said he didn't feel it was necessary to join the church now, because he could do water he wants now, then later come back to the church because they " ll always welcome him back with open arms.
What interested me most about this video was how when allowed to be free, these kids didn't hold back. I figured that they would be intimidated by all the new things being shoved in their faces, but they weren't they were more wild than most English kids. They tried drugs, drank alcohol and moved out some at young ages. It seemed like they would rather stay with what they were familiar with and not have to work so hard just to be free. This wasn't the case at all. Another thing that interested me in this video was that one boy said going to the mall was like a dream.
it seems so simple to us, things like make-up and driving, but to them it realy is something they only dream about. Another boy said Amish kids have the biggest most wild parties and hundreds of kids from different stae's come. It's amazing how their parties can get so big and they really do seem way more out of control than any party I've ever been to. The whole video was based on the science of sociology. It showed how when allowed to, these teens strayed from their comfort zone, and later ended up realizing that that was really what they needed and all they'd ever known. This is proven when the girl stated that if she could do it all over again she wouldnt party or drink alcohol.
She later joined the church afterall only to later leave again. This movie is really just studying a different culture and how they react.
Free research essays on topics related to: conflict theory, one boy, drugs and alcohol, peer pressure, structural functionalism
Research essay sample on Drugs And Alcohol Structural Functionalism
