Despite having been teenagers not long ago, we find we can barely stand many of them today what with their excessive drama, perpetual angst and know-it-all attitude. Something to do with raging hormones at that age the medicos tell us. Nevertheless, we are sympathetic to their struggle and rebellious nature. We believe non-conformity at a young age will be channeled as creativity in adulthood, surely a worthy characteristic.
Sadly, the same can’t be said of many figures of authority who have been restless in their quest to tame the wild hordes that are teenagers. Curfews, age-restrictions, inane laws have all been bandied about in the past but now, they’ve resorted to high-tech weaponry. Behold the Mosquito, a device that emits a high-pitched sound supposedly inaudible to those older than 25 years. Approximately three and a half thousand such devices have been installed in shopping malls around England in an effort to curb anti-social behavior. We were wondering how the device would affect babies and pets but were unable to get any information.
Fortunately, some groups have been campaigning against the Mosquito claiming it is an indiscriminate and inhumane tactic. We agree. Sadly, the inventor, the Association of Convenience Stores and many adults are strongly vocal in their support of the device. The issue is still being fought out in England but what say you embryos?
This is not to imply that discipline is out of the question and that we should let teens run amok and congregate willy-nilly. By all means if your teenage son or daughter steps out of line, make them fall back in. But as Shami Chakrabarty of civil liberties group, Liberty, says,
“What type of society uses a low-level sonic weapon on its children.”
What type of society indeed.
We’ve included a sample of the mosquito tone HERE, it should play right in your browser (WAV file). If you can hear it, rejoice, there’s some youth in you still. If not, we regret to inform you of adulthood. Don’t you have bills to pay and responsibilities to keep? Get on with it.
BBC article HERE.
Have a look at the N. American importer HERE.
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