Donna Gaines, "Teenage Wasteland," Mapping the Social Landscape, Readings in Sociology,
             On March of 1987, in Bergenfield, New Jersey, Four teenagers were discovered inside a Camaro. The car was parked inside an unused garage where the teenagers had died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Donna Gaines was selected by her senior editor to go to Bergenfield to cover the story and answer the question "Why?".
             "Teenage Suicide" was practically nonexistent before the 1960's. Between the 50's and 60's suicides in teens almost tripled, and at the time of the "Bergenfield suicide pact", suicide was the second leading cause of death among young people. The actual suicide rate for the ages between 15 and 24 was actually much higher but not stated because of social stigma. Some do it violently, others do it peacefully. The Bergenfield suicide pact was called a 'Multiple-death pact', a 'quadruple suicide', and even a mass suicide referring to the Jim Jones poisonings of Jonestown, Guyana. This was historically unique because none could recall a teenage suicide pact involving four people.
             Why did they do it? The lack of "anything to do" often leads to drug and alcohol abuse. Kids say (cops are dicks, the school blows, and the jocks suck" (p.14). Some believe it is better to burn out than to fade away. Kids understand "there are only two choices; rise to the top or crash to the bottom," (p.15) they would rather "end it all now than end up losers." (p.16) While boys may hope to get a good score on a police test, girls get slightly different choices. they may hope to become famous by their talents or their beauty. Society makes them feel like there is no place for them. 20 years ago, society had safety nets for these so-called "burn outs". They no longer exist.
             This article is sad in the fact that this is still a recurring issue in today's society and throughout the efforts of various people and organizations, it doesn&apos...