Today’s
Youth Culture E-Update
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Contents:
I. Youth Culture Stats and
Trends:
1) Self Esteem and
Adolescent Sex
2) Youth Sports
Injuries
3) Teens and
Inhalants
4) Teen
Smoking
5) Dangerous College
Drinking
6) Post 9/11 Drug and
Alcohol Rehab
7) Suicide: Spring
Rising
8) Teen Attitude
Survey
9) “Do What Feels
Good!”
10) Rudeness in
11) Top Internet Search
Engines
II. CPYU Resources
IV. Lyrical
Expression: R. Kelly, Tweet,
and
V. Current Culture
Image
=============================================================================
Youth Culture
Stats and Trends:
1) Self Esteem and
Adolescent Sex
In a longitudinal study of 188, 12-16 year old youth, researchers found that boys with a higher self esteem score were 2.4 times more likely to have sex compared with low self esteem boys, while girls with higher self-esteem rating were 3 times more likely to remain virgins.
http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/abstract/109/4/581 (free abstract)
http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/reprint/109/4/581.pdf ($5 article fee for 30-day access)
2) Youth Sport
Injuries
The April 2002 Pediatrics journal reports that sports/overexertion was the number one cause of injury for youth under 19 years of age in a survey of 6,358 injury related office visits. The odds of being injured increased 1.1 times for each one year rise in age.
http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/abstract/109/4/559 (free abstract)
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=healthnews&StoryID=767003
3) Teens and
Inhalants
The National Institute of Drug Abuse reveals in its 2001report, “Monitoring the Future: national results of adolescent drug use”, that inhalant use (sniffing or “huffing” of gases or fumes in order to get high) was down in 2001.
|
2001 Inhalant
Use |
Lifetime |
Past
year |
Past
30-days |
|
8th grade |
17.1% |
9.1% |
4.0% |
|
10th grade |
15.2% |
6.6% |
2.4% |
|
12th grade |
13.0% |
4.5% |
1.7% |
http://monitoringthefuture.org/pubs/monographs/overview2001.pdf (pp. 14-15, 44 and 48 of 61 page pdf
file)
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/pdf/inhalants_factsheet.pdf
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=14032002-124341-7171r
4) Teen
Smoking
The National Cancer Institute released a multi-year, multi-study report on teenagers and smoking titled, “Changing Adolescent Smoking Prevalence”. Some key findings:
· A 10% rise in cigarette price results in a 3-5% drop in cigarette demand (p. 194)
· 32% of high school seniors—down from 37% in 1997—have smoked 1 or more cigarettes in the past 30 days, compared with 23% of the general population.
· Involvement with sports and religious activities reduced the likelihood of smoking.
http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/tcrb/monographs/14/index.html (272 page, 2.8MB pdf file)
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=healthnews&StoryID=767606
5) Dangerous College
Drinking
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reveals that excessive alcohol consumption by 18-24 year olds on college campuses has many negative consequences (see page 4 of study, page 11 of pdf file):
· 2.1 million students drove drunk
· 70,000 victims of sexual assault or date rape
· 110,000 arrests
· 600,000 assaults, 500,000 unintentional injuries, and 1,400 deaths
· 31% diagnosed for alcohol abuse and 6% for alcohol dependence
· Drinking rates were highest for incoming freshmen, males, fraternity/sorority members, and athletes.
http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/images/TaskForce/FINALTask.pdf (1MB, 59 page pdf
file)
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/press/2002/college.htm
6) Post 9/11 Drug and
Alcohol Rehab
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse reports, in a follow-up survey of substance abuse services offices across the nation, conducted March 11-25, 2002, that 23 states experienced an increase in demand for their services since September 11, 2001. Only 13 states reported an increase in the original Nov/Dec 2001survey.
http://www.casacolumbia.org/newsletter1457/newsletter_show.htm?doc_id=107055
7) Suicide: Spring
Rising
Spring is the peak season for suicides. View the latest statistics on suicide.
http://www.suicidology.org/stats2001/1999datapage2.pdf
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,49143,00.html
8) Teen Attitude
Survey
Clairol Herbal Essence conducted an on-line poll of 34,000, 13-19 year old teens (97% female), from January through March 2002. Some of the findings:
· Family circumstance: 70% married parents, 23% single mom, 4% single dad, 3% other.
· Academic integrity: 60% report that students get away with cheating and plagiarism despite being taught it is wrong.
· Sleeping with someone: 39% said the person must be “wearing a wedding ring that matches mine and in my honeymoon suite”, while 56% cited a committed, loving and respectful relationship.
· Sex: 46% say it is a spiritual, physical and emotional experience to deepen a relationship, yet 21% report it’s something they’re not interested in at this time.
· Movies: 68% are indifferent to excessive drug and alcohol content in movies.
· Movies: 41% see violence as a big force in film, but not a problem.
· Peer pressure to use alcohol and/or drugs: 51% said never, “solely my choice”.
· Positive body image: 54% said it depended on their mood.
http://www.herbalessences.com/survey/default.asp
9) “Do What Feels
Good!”
Evidence of postmodernism contained in this Diet Coke ad.
http://www.dietcoke.com/home.html (click on “Diet Coke Ad Clips”)
10) Rudeness in
Public Agenda conducted a 2,013 person adult survey in January 2002. Some of the key findings:
· 37% say there is no difference between the politeness and respectfulness of deeply religious people compared to others.
· 66% report seeing aggressive and reckless driving “a lot”
· 56% see people using rude language in public “a lot”
· 84% say parents not teaching their kids to respect is a major cause of the increased incivility
· 62% say the decline in values and morals in society is a major cause in the increased incivility
· 60% say negative role models in society undermine parental efforts
· 67% believe there is too much sex and crude language on TV
http://www.publicagenda.com/pdfstore/PDFs/aggravating_circumstances.pdf (59 page pdf file, free
registration to access)
11) Top Internet Search
Engines
Nielsen//NetRatings announced the top 5 Internet search engine sites for February 2002.
|
Name |
Unique
Audience |
Time/person |
|
1. Yahoo! Search |
35.2 million |
9 minutes 14 sec |
|
2. MSN Search |
32.3 million |
8 minutes 27 sec |
|
3. Google |
27.4 million |
26 minutes 29 sec |
|
4. AOL Search |
24.3 million |
10 minutes 27 sec |
|
5. Ask Jeeves |
11.2 million |
11 minutes 18 sec |
http://nielsen-netratings.com/pr/pr_020404.pdf
CPYU
Resources:
Coming
Soon! NEW MUSIC RESOURCE from CPYU’s Walt Mueller: A 12
page, 4 color guide to help teens make responsible music choices, titled
“3-D: How to use your HEAD to guard your
HEART”.
Newsletter: “youthculture@today” is the Center for
Parent/Youth Understanding’s quarterly 24-page newsletter that’s full of
up-to-date information and in-depth analysis on today’s youth culture. Order now
and we’ll send you a copy of our recently released Spring 2002 newsletter featuring P.O.D,
Linkin Park, home video games, alternative spirituality, calm fathers, teen
credit cards, resource reviews, and much more. Available for a
donation of $15 a year, you can sign up by either calling CPYU on the phone
(717-361-8429), or by using the downloadable order form found on our website at
http://www.cpyu.org/ycorder.htm and faxing it to
CPYU at 717-361-8964.
Website: Check out the CPYU
website (www.cpyu.org). The site is loaded with all kinds
of current information and analysis on today’s youth culture. You’ll find a
searchable database of back issues of “youthculture@today” an extensive
bibliography, culture facts, a youth culture bulletin board, links to dozens of
valuable youth culture oriented websites, a listing of CPYU resources, and much
more. The site is constantly changing so be sure to visit
often.
On-Line Discussion Group: Sign up for our youth culture e-mail discussion group at www.cpyu.org/bboard.htm With one e-mail, you will be able to share questions, comments, and answers with youthworkers, parents and educators from around the world.
Pop Culture Quotes
“I think about
that and cringe. Because I know how I was at 14, going over to girls’ houses.
I’m lucky I’m still alive, with all the dads I met.”
-WWF star, and “Scorpion King” actor, “The Rock” speaking about when his 7 month old daughter, Simone, starts to bring boys home on dates. Teen People, May 2002, p. 104.
“There's a
part of me that feels 53 years old and would just love to be in a committed
relationship, and then there's a whole other part of me that is very 27. I'm
still on an adventure, I'm still investigating, I'm still defining who I am in
every moment. I believe you can be in a relationship and be really free. I have
a sense in the back of my mind of wanting to have kids a little later and stuff,
but I'm not having kids anytime soon. These are the things that I write about in
my journal. I have a little more writing to do,
obviously.”
-Singer Alanis Morissette
answering whether she’s into casual sex these days.
http://www.spin.com/new/features/videofeatures/march2002alanis.html
“I know my
purpose. I couldn't say that before. Three years ago, I couldn't say that I knew
why I was here. My purpose is to experience love and just be who I am, and
whatever that is, that's all I have to do. I don't have to do anything else but
be myself.”
-23 year-old Singer and actress
Brandy (
"You're not
allowed to swear in our house."
-Alice Cooper on "The Osbournes" from Rolling Stone’s daily e-mail
Lyrical
Expression
Late one night I was, rollin the streets, Just thinkin about what's goin
on with me and trapped in this thug life, tryin to break free but this thug life
just keeps callin me, I'm livin life way too dangerously, I'm drownin in my
misery
Looked in the mirror, there's my enemy, Cause poppa never was a part
of me . . . I choose God cause he understands, this young man with a thuggish
heart, Whole world in his hands but still torn apart . . ..
-R. Kelly singing “The Streets” on the “Best of Both Worlds” collaborative album with Jay-Z.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jayz/thestreets.html
Tell you what I did last night, I came home, say, around a quarter to
three, Still so high, Hypnotized, In a trance
From the start it, so butter
and brown and tantalizing, You woulda thought I needed help from this feeling
that I felt
So shook I had to catch my breath
[Chorus:] Oops, there
goes my shirt up over my head, Oh my
Oops, there goes my skirt droppin' to my
feet, Oh my
Ooh, some kinda touch careesing my face, Oh my
Ooh I'm turning
red, Who could this be?
-“Oops (Oh My)” by
Tweet from her “Southern Hummingbird” album and USA Today quote
“People will probably think (“Oops” is) about something sexual, but for me, the song is about self-love and appreciation. I was real insecure for a while. When I came home one day and was getting undressed for bed, and I noticed myself in the mirror, I decided to write a song just to say, ‘You're OK’”
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020405/4002045s.htm
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/tweet/oopsohmy.html
And though my heart can't take no more, I keep on running back to you,
See my days are cold without you, But I'm hurtin while I’m with you, And though
my heart can't take no more, I keep on running back to you, Oohhhhh
I trusted
you, I trusted you, So sad, so sad what love will make you do all the things
that we accept be the things that we regret . . .
-“Foolish”
by
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/ashanti/foolish.html
Current
Culture Image
This 2-page Ford ad appeared in the
Culture Links
Thunderstruck: http://www.thunderstruck.org
This site is hosted by Steve Beard, who wrote the forward to Steve
Stockman's new book, Walk On: The SpiritualJjourney of U2 (Relevant
Books). The site contains lots of links, articles, and analysis on today’s youth
culture.
The Ooze: http://www.theooze.com
An online Christian
community created to help "followers of Jesus to grow in their faith, engage
postmodern culture, learn to minister and connect with the community of
believers worldwide". This site includes information on culture and ministry, as
well as daily devotionals and Bible readings.
Links to this
and many other sites can be found on our CPYU web-site at http://www.cpyu.org/links.htm
“VCR/DVR Alert”
Nickelodeon’s 2002
“Kid’s Choice Awards”, Saturday, April 20,
http://www.nick.com/all_nick/specials/kca_2002/
Walt Mueller’s
“CQ” (Commentary/Quote)
“But something started to change around the late 1960’s. The 'anything goes' worldview known as postmodernism began its assault on the cultural landscape. Rooted in the belief that there is no such thing as objective truth, the postmodern way of thinking and living allows people to discover and invent truth for themselves. Consequently, since no one can truly know what’s right, they are entitled to do whatever’s right in their own eyes. Today, the final court of appeal on religious and moral decisions is personal desire and opinion. In his book Postmodern Times, Gene Veith cites the result: ‘The only wrong idea is to believe in truth; the only sin is to believe in sin.’”
-From Walt Mueller’s award winning book, “Understanding Today’s Youth Culture”, p. 46.
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The CPYU
“Today’s Youth Culture E-Update” is a bi-weekly e-mail resource on relevant
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