Leader of Student Engagement

‘Adolescence’ and our Young Men

As our students and young people navigate the often-turbulent waters of adolescence, it's easy to feel like the challenges and triumphs are unique to us. Netflix's new show, ‘Adolescence (MA)’ offers a compelling and, at times, raw glimpse into the lives of several teenagers grappling with everything from friendships and first loves, to identity and the pressures of growing up.

In a recent article, ‘Real Schools’ founder Adam Voigt makes the point about our young boys' social media interactions that: “It’s a diet rich in online highlight reels. The toxic 'alpha male' role models. The relentless race to be seen, liked, and followed. A warped scoreboard where emotional restraint equals weakness, empathy equals softness, and status is everything.

In the show ‘Adolescence’, that diet doesn’t just produce wounded kids – it produces dangerous ones. The plot twists might be fictional, but the conditions that shape them are all too real. And just like one Big Mac can’t be blamed for a heart attack, no single TikTok video can be held responsible for the way some boys eventually explode. But the diet matters.”

It’s timely that this show has been the topic of many conversations between parents, and the eSafety Commissioner offers several resources to support parents and families on the exact topics and issues that this show confronts. The article ‘An unfair fight – how algorithms are shaping our adolescents’ examines what algorithms and recommender systems are and offers some practical strategies to empower parents, carers and educators to help build critical thinking, challenge harmful narratives, and create open conversations with young people.

Resources are available via the eSafety Commission website and can be found via:

Parents Advice for Parents and carers to help kids stay safe online

Students eSafety for Young People online

Mark Coster
Leader of Student Engagement