Freaks and Geeks

Freaks and Geeks is a TV show about high school in the 1980s and all of its groups and clicks. Power is a very key issue of this series. The older, bigger characters on the show hold the most power and use it to their advantage. The parents have power over their children and can tell them what they can and can't do. Upper classmen bully around freshmen that are a lot smaller than them. But does this stereo-type truly exist in the real world? Are older and bigger people always the ones to posess power? Power can be held by anyone and anywhere no matter the size or age. So then why is it always portrayed the same way in television, which doesn't even accurately portray real life? Where did this idea even come from?