It's interesting that several people mention and dislike "now's" social climate for teens. Really, I don't see it as too different.

In some ways, there's much more social acceptance and support now. "Then" there was a full-blown AIDS scare and... my god, sex was just NO! and admitting to any deviance was... well, it was bad and it went way beyond ridicule. It was particularly bad in places like the small town I lived in.

Looking back, I'll take today's social and technical advances over the past.