Moral panic and mixed feelings with ‘Adolescence’: “I think it’s unfair that some parents are watching it with a sense of guilt”
The four-part Netflix series “Adolescence” has opened up a global conversation about toxic masculinity and the disconnect between teens and adults.
The four-part, British series “Adolescence” on Netflix follows the story of a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering a classmate. The show has sparked conversations worldwide about toxic masculinity, the behavior of youths in today’s world, and the impact of social media.
It also explores the disconnect between adults and teenagers, especially regarding technology and how it’s used by today’s generation of adolescents, highlighting how it complicates parenting.
“Adolescence” - a reflection of deep societal issues
Dr. Maritza Urteaga Castro-Pozo, a scholar at Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), explained that she sees the series as a reflection of even deeper issues in our society, including moral panic and digital culture. She argues that youth are no longer influenced by just family or schoolmates as in the past, but by online communities now as well.
As a parent #Adolescence on @netflix scared the shit out of me and made me reevaluate everything in how I raise my kids. An incredible prism on parenting, social media, and influences on the youth of today. Absolutely beautifully told and acted perfectly. Stunned. pic.twitter.com/bo9iUcmmkT
— Justin Ryan (@JustinTommyRyan) April 17, 2025
“Yes, there’s real violence happening in schools today, but let’s not forget - most of us experienced some form of bullying growing up too,” said Urteaga. “We learned to deal with it in our own way. Peer groups and youth culture within schools create social dynamics that shape behavior, and today, those behaviors extend into the digital world and then loop back into society.”
She used this point to emphasize why it’s unfair to place all the blame on parents for their young teens’ behaviors. She expressed the need for generations to figure out more effective ways to communicate amongst each other.
“Society has changed dramatically, and we’re still feeling the effects of the pandemic. I’m not saying we should go back to the 1950s model where mothers were full-time caretakers. But we do need to build better channels of communication across generations,” she said. “There are five or six different generations alive right now, all colliding in one cultural space, and that creates noise in young people’s minds. We need to take that seriously instead of looking for scapegoats.”
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