Teen Takeovers

Have you heard about the youth culture trend known as teen takeovers, and a related trend among teens known as Mall Takeovers? These are planned events advertised over social media, where teenagers flock en masse to a designated place, all at the same time. But unlike the flash mobs that come together for an in-the-moment song or dance, these gatherings can quickly get out of hand and even turn violent. For example, one such mall takeover took place at the end of August at the North Shore Mall in Peabody, Massachusetts. Over two hundred juveniles gathered and the police had to disperse the disruptive crowd. Some of the takeovers escalate into violence. In some ways, these teen takeovers are reminiscent of the all in good fun type of pranks past generations of teens would play, but with greater danger and malicious intent. We now live in a different world. Perhaps we should instruct our kids in the words of Psalm 34:14: “Seek peace and pursue it.”