Also the move towards car-centric infrastructure. Which is somewhat related to the lack of 3rd places.
A lot of the movies with these parties had the kids showing up by walking or biking, which just is not feasible anymore. I
I also think about all the teen movies that were largely set in shopping malls. Most of the malls around me have shut down, so what’s next? Pretending people hang out and socialize in Wal-Marts for the sake of the movie?
When the 24 hour Walmart opened in my podunk town it was a popular teen hangout after 10 or so.
This was in the late 90s though. I’m not sure what it’s like now, but that was also when teens got cheap ass cars as soon as they had a license.
Cash for clunkers, the economic busts and the auto industry eliminating affordable small cars (in the US at least), and more recently the insurance industry has changed car prices/expenses to make teens in that area less mobile and more isolated. Now it’s mostly drunks and retail employees after a shift in there after 9pm. And it’s not open 24 hours since the pandemic.
And also the lack of third places making it a lot harder for both adults and kids to get together with friends in person without having to spend money
Also the move towards car-centric infrastructure. Which is somewhat related to the lack of 3rd places.
A lot of the movies with these parties had the kids showing up by walking or biking, which just is not feasible anymore. I
I also think about all the teen movies that were largely set in shopping malls. Most of the malls around me have shut down, so what’s next? Pretending people hang out and socialize in Wal-Marts for the sake of the movie?
They actually do, or Target. Spend some time in there around 8-9pm and watch the little groups of teens wandering the store.
Wal-Mart “Did someone say product placement?”
When the 24 hour Walmart opened in my podunk town it was a popular teen hangout after 10 or so.
This was in the late 90s though. I’m not sure what it’s like now, but that was also when teens got cheap ass cars as soon as they had a license.
Cash for clunkers, the economic busts and the auto industry eliminating affordable small cars (in the US at least), and more recently the insurance industry has changed car prices/expenses to make teens in that area less mobile and more isolated. Now it’s mostly drunks and retail employees after a shift in there after 9pm. And it’s not open 24 hours since the pandemic.
Yeah the effect of that is really insidious and far reaching, I know it hurt me growing up no question.