Can't Fix It

A depressing truth is subtly shown in "Teenage Wasteland." One that makes you frown, cringe, and sigh, all at the same time. It's sad because you know it's unpreventable. That bad thing or situation that can't be stopped, fixed, or remedied. You can see it happening before your eyes, but nothing you do can make a difference. Try as hard as you might, in the end your efforts meant nothing. There are some problems that we cannot fix.

But shouldn't that fact that you did everything you could make you feel better? You gave it your best shot, and now you long for that reassurance that since your best efforts couldn't mend the problem that it was impossible to fix. It was simply out of your hands.

No, we can't accept that. We tried our hardest and still failed. That can't be. From a young age we are always taught that "you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it." As we look back at the situation, much as Daisy did with respect to Donny, we try to find where we went wrong. When did the path I took break off from the road towards my goal?

Unfortunately, the road towards the goal is sometimes never there. We've been following a faulty map covered in images of false hope. One that shows the distinct possibility of success, when in reality that route doesn't -- and never did -- exist. It's hard to accept that some things are out of our hands.

Daisy has trouble coming to terms with what happened to Donny. But she tried it all. The relaxed, laid-back parent. The strict, homework-checking, ultra-involved parent. The counselor. The change of schools. But none of it worked. Turning Donny around was just not in the cards.

We believe that failure has a cause, a root that made it come about. Ironically this mindset has an opposing view on good things that occur. Luck happens. You don't always need a reason for something good that happens. But failure, failure doesn't just happen. We inherently feel a need place blame on someone or something, be that ourselves or not.

What it comes down to is that we can't control everything.

"Teenage Wasteland" not only shows the troubles and perils of adolescence but it also shows a pessimistic view on life. It represents the downtrodden idea that we can't make a difference. Not always, at least. Sometimes things go our way, and other times they don't. Not everything is under our control. Knowing this gives life has an aspect of spontaneity that keeps us on our toes.

So maybe hold the phone on the pessimism...this spontaneity is what keeps our lives interesting. Knowing that not everything is in our power, but rather that anything can happen makes life worth living. You have to put up a fight.

The daily gamble of risk vs. reward is constantly played. You can't control everything in your life. So cherish those things you can control; and understand that there are things you can't. Losing a son would be impossible to forget, so Daisy shouldn't. Through a self-metabolizing process, Daisy should turn her guilt and anguish into motivation. Motivation for things that she can control. What she can do is cherish what she still has in her daughter.

So maybe that's the beauty found in "Teenage Wasteland's" seemingly negative over-arching message. Control what you can.

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