13 Reasons Why
I’m halfway through 13 Reasons Why, the Netflix series based on the novel by Jay Asher. The show is hard to resist — high emotions and drama, with a mystery that keeps you wondering, with great acting and that kind of, “Oh, my God, high school is the GODDAMN WORST” aspect that is fine as an adult.
I haven’t read the novel, but it know it was popular with tweens and teens, which is I found this essay by Ijeoma Oluo, “‘13 Reasons’ Scared The Shit Out Of Me — And It Should Scare You Too,” cause for concern. Oluo says that teens like her son (who’d survived an attempted suicide years earlier) were being shown “suicide as successful revenge,” making it seems as if people would finally appreciate us/feel bad about treating us wrong/see the error of their ways/etc. when we finally die. Not great, and not helpful for teens to be hearing. If your teen is watching this show, absolutely watch it with them, and make sure they understand what depression and suicide is–and isn’t.