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The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding’s

Today’s Youth Culture E-Update

Edition #12: April 30, 2002

Please feel free to forward our “e-Update” to anyone who would benefit from this information.

Contents:

I.  Youth Culture Stats and Trends:

1) Males, Media and Body Image

2) Teen Religion

3) Shifting Teen Mood

4) Youth Sports Injuries

5) Teenage Mother Abuse

6) Nicotine Lollipops & Gelatin “Zippers”

7) Teens Influence Spending

8) Financial Literacy Drop

9) Teen Sleep

10) Religion in Hollywood

11) Religion and Parenting Site Traffic Increase

12) Online Copyright Protection Attitudes

II.  CPYU Resources

III.  Culture Quotes:  Sheryl Crow, Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer O’Neill, Dave Matthews, Layne Staley, Sharon Stone, and Britney Spears.

IV.  Lyrical Expressions:  Godsmack, Fat Joe with Ashanti, and Injected

V.  Current Culture Image

VI.  Culture Links:  Reach Out Ministries and National Fatherhood Initiative

VII.  Walt Mueller’s “CQ” (Commentary/Quote)

VIII.  E-update & CPYU information

=============================================================================

Youth Culture Stats and Trends:

1) Males, Media and Body Image

Reuters reports, in a study appearing in the April issue of the International Journal of Eating Disorders, that media representation of the ideal male body image negatively impacts self perception.

                http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/91015906/START  (fee for article, free abstract)

                http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=healthnews&StoryID=792952

2) Teen Religion

According to the April 16, 2002, Gallup Tuesday Briefing—based on interviews with 454, 13-17 year old teens from July to September 2001—45% of American teens report attending church or synagogue during the past week. 21% of teens participated in religious events and activities beyond weekly services, which comprised of youth group (37%), dinners/picnics (10%), Bible/Torah/Scripture study (7%), and retreats/camp programs (6%).

                http://www.gallup.com/poll/tb/religValue/20020416b.asp  (fee and registration required to access)

3) Shifting Teen Mood

The Barna Research Group says the 22 million, 13-18 year olds, are “more upbeat, optimistic and self-reliant” compared to teens from the mid 1990’s. The press release goes on to say that teens are very interested spiritually, but that interest is not affecting teen lifestyle and values.

• 33% of teens consider themselves born again, compared with 31% in 1990.
• 4% of teens consider themselves evangelical, compared with 10% in 1995.

                http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PagePressRelease.asp?PressReleaseID=111&Reference=A

4) Youth Sports Injuries:

A) Football is relatively safe according to a Mayo Clinic study, which examined 915, 9-13 year-old football players in the fall of 1997. The overall injury rate was 6% with the risk of injury for 8^th graders being 4 times greater compared to 4^th graders.

                http://www.mayo.edu/proceedings/2002/apr/7704a2.pdf  (6 page pdf file)

                http://www.mayo.edu/comm/mcr/news_2075.html

B) The Arthritis Foundation says that participation in organized sports in the U.S., involves more than 30 million youth, with sports related injuries accounting for 775,000+ emergency room visits per year. The risk of osteoarthritis, which affects 49% (21 million) of the 43 million arthritis sufferers, is five times greater for those who had an early age knee injury, and 3 times greater for a hip injury.

 http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-04-2002/0001679922&EDATE

5) Teenage Mother Abuse

Researchers interviewed and surveyed 570 teenage mothers and found that within the first 2 years of birth, one in five experienced “Intimate Partner Violence”. Some key findings:

• 78% of those mothers who reported IPV during the first 3 months after birth did not report experiencing IPV in the 12 months prior to birth.
• The highest rates of IPV for Mexican and African Americans occurred during the first 3 months after birth (23% and 24%, respectively), whereas for European Americans the IPV rate was highest at 18 months after birth (22%).

                http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/issues/v156n4/rfull/poa10208.html  (FREE full article access!)

6) Nicotine Lollipops & Gelatin “Zippers”

Concerns about the popularity of, and accessibility to, nicotine laced lollipops has prompted the Food and Drug Administration to issue warning letters to three pharmacies that are selling the lollipops over the Internet.

                http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2002/ANS01144.html

                See also Time magazine’s article “Licking the Habit”, April 15, 2002, p. 62 (article fee online)

Check out this USA Today article on gelatin mixed with alcohol.

                http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/04/29/zippers.htm

7) Teens Influence Spending

Junior Achievement released the results from a nationwide survey of 1,559 middle and high school students conducted in October 2001. Some of the key findings:

• 66% of teens report influencing their parents’ buying decisions
• 44% of teens receive an allowance, which drops as teens get older from 64% at age 12 and under to 12% at 18+
• 45% receive an allowance less than $40 per month, while 35% receive $40-$80, 12% get $80-$140, and 8% get more than $140.
• 10% of teens have their own credit card

                http://www.ja.org/files/polls/PF_2002.PDF  (28 page pdf file)

                http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=1466514

8) Financial Literacy Drop

The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy conducted a personal finance and economic examination of 4,024 high school seniors from 183 nationwide schools in December 2001 to February 2002. The average score was 50.2%. Other survey findings:

·         67.8% do not use a credit card

·         12.1% have their own credit card (up from 9.2% in 2000 and 7.7% in 1997)

                http://www.jumpstart.org/upload/news.cfm?recordid=99

                http://www.jumpstartcoalition.com/upload/SurveyResultsApril2002.doc  (10 page pdf file)

9) Teen Sleep

Researchers from Northwestern University surveyed 729, 12 to 17 year old youth and found that sleep deprivation affects academic and behavioral performance. Reuters quotes lead author Kathryn J. Reid, “Teenagers tend to . . . go to bed later and wake up later than children of other ages or adults. And they tend to need more sleep than an adult does. The standard for adults is 7.5-8.5 hours, while for teenagers it’s between 9.0-9.5 hours.”

                http://www.aan.com/public/nrelease/041602_sleepteens.htm

                http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=healthnews&StoryID=842622

                See also:

                http://www.sleepfoundation.org/PressArchives/backontrack.html

                http://www.sleepfoundation.org/img/2002SleepInAmericaPoll.pdf

10) Religion in Hollywood

Michael Medved writes a response to the movie Frailty, which makes, according to Medved, an “ugly association of fervent faith with horrific brutality”.

                http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020422/4047243s.htm

11) Religion & Parenting Site Traffic Increase

Jupiter Media Metrix reports that religion sites increased their audience reach between February and March 2002 from 4.2% to 6.4% of the total online population. The fastest growing religion sites were Christianitytoday.com (up 71% to 633,000 unique visitors), Christianbook.com (up 44% to 890,000), Catholic.org (up 29% to 416,000), and Jewishworldreview.org (up 27% to 168,000). Wuzupgod.com and Liveoakfbc.org were new entries to the Media Metrix report.

                http://jupitermediametrix.com/xp/jmm/press/2002/pr_041602.xml

As reported by Reuters on April 22, Nielsen//NetRatings says Internet traffic to Parenting.com and DrSpock.com soared 233% and 197%, respectively, from February to March 2002.

                http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=internetnews&StoryID=857638

12) Online Copyright Protection Attitudes

Scholastic Inc. reports that 62% of the 35,000 1^st to 8^th graders respondents say people should pay to download other peoples’ work off the Internet, compared to 38% who say it should be free.

                http://www.scholastic.com/aboutscholastic/news/press02/press_04.22.02.htm

CPYU Resources:

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”. Prices are $2 each for 1-9 copies, $1.75 each for 10-24 copies, $1.50 each for 25+ copies. To order, contact CPYU at 717-361-8429 (voice), 717-361-8964 (fax), or e-mail cpyuinfo@cpyu.org

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 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

“Now I feel like, hey, I'm 40; I'm comfortable with my body, and I'm enjoying this part of my life. I still prefer not to perform in clothes that show everything, because I think that's less sexy -- it undermines any mystery. But I have done, like, two photo shoots that were more skin-oriented, and that was kind of fun.”

                -Singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow, USA Today, April 15, 2002, p. 1D.

                http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020415/4026809s.htm

“I think the more interesting question is how women are portraying themselves—it’s almost as if we can’t be exploited because we’re willing to exploit ourselves, you know what I mean? Look at the images that are on MTV, the way women are portrayed in videos—I’m continually shocked.”

                - Singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow, Rolling Stone, May 9, 2002, issue #895 p. 40.

“A classy girl can wear something classy and still be sexy. It doesn’t mean you can’t wear your stomach out or wear a short skirt. That doesn’t mean you’re nasty, because you dress sexy. It’s how you carry yourself.”

                - Beyonce Knowles of Destiny’s Child, AP wire, April 17, 2002, 21:39 ET.

“Eighty-five percent of the relationships depicted on television are illicit. I don’t think we’re ever going to change the fact that if we consumers pay for dreck, it will be made.”

“In Hollywood, you could be a Buddhist, you could be a Scientologist and that was perfectly acceptable. But God help you if you said ‘Jesus Christ’, other than in a swear word.”

                - Actress Jennifer O’Neill, AP wire, April 17, 13:02 ET.

“A lot of things have changed, musically and in my life. I long for my family when I’m not with them. And as much of the time as possible, I’m going to have my family with me. I want to be around them more than I want to do anything else.”

                - Dave Matthews, Rolling Stone, May 9, 2002, issue #895 p. 18

“[Drugs] worked for me for years, and now they're turning against me -- and now I'm walking through hell.”

- Layne Staley, former singer and cofounder of Alice In Chains, who was found dead recently, originally quoted in 1996 by Rolling Stone, as reported in Rolling Stone’s daily e-mail April 22, 2002.

“It was a very painful journey to have that, and it's been a long and arduous journey back. There's that old-timey kind of gospel song called A Closer Walk With Thee. I think that's what the walk back has brought me. It's been a very peaceful and lovely thing.”

                - Actress Sharon Stone talking about her brush with death with a possible brain aneurysm.

                                http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020422/4047296s.htm

(Britney) Spears tells the German magazine Cinema that she has a pretty clear concept of the big cheese upstairs and his environs. In the great beyond, “everyone is at peace and happy, and they all hop around from cloud to cloud. In heaven you can see your grandparents and everyone you loved once again. And an old man with a long white beard wanders around, that's God.”

Lyrical Expressions

You're always hiding behind your so called goddess, So what you don't think that we can see your face
Resurrected back before the final fallen, now they've arrest you till I can make my own way
I'm not afraid of fading, I stand alone, Feeling your sting down inside of me, I'm not dying for it, I stand alone
Everything that I believe is fading, I stand alone, Inside, I stand alone

-“I Stand Alone” by Godsmack from “The Scorpion King” soundtrack, which is #5 on the Billboard charts as of May 4, 2002.

                http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/godsmack/istandalone.html

Let you know from the gate I don't go down lady, I wanna chick with thick hips, That licks her lips
She can be the office type or like to strip, Girl you get me aroused how you look in my eye
But you talk too much man you’re ruinin' my high, Don't wanna lose the feelin'
Cause the roof is chillin', It's on fire & you lookin', Good for the gettin'

-“What’s Luv” by Fat Joe with Ashanti and Ja Rule from the “Jealous Ones Still Envy” album. The video is in regular rotation on MTV and is the #2 song after 13 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, dated May 4, 2002.

Yes I’m so lost, I am not free but I long to be, when life goes down, do you feel as though you're gonna drown
you're going down

                -“Faithless” by Injected from the “Burn It Black” album and also a featured MTV video.

Current Culture Image

This ad, part of a 2 page ad, for clothing company Anchor Blue appeared in the May 2002 edition of Teen People, p. 10 and the June 2002 edition of YM magazine, p. 10. The slogan reads, “It’s a free country, dress accordingly.” Discussion could focus on decency standards for dress or dress code policies at school or work. See also Galatians 5:13.

Culture Links

Reach Out Ministries         www.reach-out.org
Founded in 1977 by Barry St. Clair, Reach Out Ministries strives to equip leaders of youth around the world for strategic youth ministry through the church in order to see as many teenagers as possible become devoted followers of Christ. This is a growing site with lots of good information and material.

National Fatherhood Initiative       http://www.fatherhood.org/
The mission of the non-profit NFI is "to improve the well-being of children by increasing the number of children growing up with loving, committed and responsible fathers." The organization's site includes advice for Dads, a catalog of fathering resources, tips from other fathers, and a list of links to other related organizations. The 4^th edition of a comprehensive resource titled, “Father Facts”, is now available.

Links to this and many other sites can be found on our CPYU web-site at http://www.cpyu.org/links.htm

Walt Mueller’s “CQ” (Commentary/Quote)

“Eleventh, maintain a strong sense of modesty. We live in a society that has lost all respect for female modesty. In fact, the world around you will encourage you to ‘Let it all hang out’. Caitlin, work to carefully, deliberately and consciously honor God through what you say, how you act and what you wear. Remember that in God’s eyes—the only eyes you need to please—modesty, chastity, honor and restraint are all virtues.”

-Walt Mueller writing to his oldest daughter Caitlin about the 12 character traits she should exhibit in her life, from the fall 2001 edition of CPYU’s quarterly newsletter, “YouthCulture@Today”, p. 19.

http://www.cpyu.org/news/01falll.htm

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The CPYU “Today’s Youth Culture E-Update” is a bi-weekly e-mail resource on relevant topics of interest for youthworkers, parents, and educators. The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding is a non-profit organization providing information and analysis on today’s rapidly changing youth culture. If you want to contact us, write to Eupdate@cpyu.org or PO Box 414 Elizabethtown, PA 17022, or call 717-361-8429, or fax 717-361-8964. www.cpyu.org