The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding’s

Today’s Youth Culture E-Update

Edition #15: June 15, 2002

Feel free to forward our bi-weekly resource, but please encourage people to subscribe.

To SUBSCRIBE for FREE, send an empty email as follows:

To: cpyu-mailist-request@listserv.ptd.net

Subject: subscribe myaddress@wherever.com

Body of message: Leave blank

Just follow the instructions when you receive the e-mail confirmation.

Please contact eupdate@cpyu.org if you have any questions or experience any problems.

To UNSUBSCRIBE follow the same process, but substitute the word “unsubscribe” for “subscribe” in the subject

Contents:

I. Youth Culture Stats and Trends:

1) College-Aged Money Abuse

2) Credit Card Study

3) Explicit Label Revision

4) Music Consumer Profile

5) Teen Births and Abortions

6) Youth Skin Cancer Risk

7) Sports Injuries and Family Income

8) Steroid Abuse

9) Non-Aggressive Girls

10) Eating Disorders

11) Anti-Smoking Ads Fuel Demand

12) YM’s “Total Boy Poll”

II. CPYU Resources

III. Pop Culture Quotes: Veggie Tales’ Phil Vischer, Christina Ricci, Ken Caminiti and others.

IV. Lyrical Expressions: Box Car Racer, Jimmy Eat World, 12 Stones, and Nelly.

V. Current Culture Image

VI. Culture Links

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

VIII. E-update & CPYU information

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

Youth Culture Stats and Trends:

1) College-Aged Money Abuse

Financial health center Myvesta discovered that college-aged adults (18-24 years old) are at risk of money abuse, in a survey of 1,000 adults conducted in February 2002. Researchers examined nine negative money behaviors.

§ 65% experienced a mood change before or after shopping

§ 51% reported repeated, unsuccessful attempts to control, cut back or stop excessive money use

§ 25% spend money to escape problems or relieve stress

§ 19% feel alone and spend money to feel better or improve self-esteem

§ 16% buy things to impress or influence people

Myvesta’s 2001 Credit Card Debt Survey reveals the average 18-24 year old has one credit card with a balance of $959 (see the Nellie Mae study below).

http://myvesta.org/news/releases/pubs/MoneyAbusePart2.pdf (6 page pdf file)

http://myvesta.org/news/releases/releases/052302PRMoneyAbuse2.htm

2) Credit Card Study

Education loan company, Nellie Mae, released a study of 600 randomly examined credit bureau reports of 18-24 year old undergraduate students.

ü 83% have at least one credit card in 2001—up 24% since 1998.

ü Graduating students have an average balance of $20,402 in combined education loan ($17,140) and credit card ($3,262) debt.

ü Average credit card debt per student in 2001 is $2,327—down from $2,748 in 2000.

http://www.nelliemae.com/library/research_9.html (executive summary)

http://www.nelliemae.com/library/ccstudy_2001.pdf (10 page pdf file)

3) Explicit Label Revision

Beginning in July, advisory labels on explicit albums will be revised to better inform consumers about content, BMG Entertainment recently announced.

http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=search&StoryID=1045866

4) Music Consumer Profile

The Recording Industry Association of America released its annual survey of 3,153 music buyers for 2001. Some key findings:

· The largest age bracket consumers are the 45+ year-olds at 23.7% (trending up from 12.2% in 1992), followed by the 15-19 year-olds with 13.0% (trending down from 18.2% in 1992).

· Rock is the top genre at 24.4% (trending down from a high of 35.1% in 1994), followed by Pop at 12.1% (up from a low of 9.3% in 1996), Rap/Hip-Hop at 11.4% (up from 6.7% in 1995), R&B/Urban at 11.4% (down from a high of 12.1% in 1996), country at 10.5% (consistent slide down from a high of 18.7% in 1993), and religious at 6.7% (up from a low of 2.8% in 1992)

http://riaa.org/PR_Story.cfm?id=512 (summary report)

http://riaa.org/pdf/2001consumerprofile.pdf (1 page pdf file)

5) Teen Births and Abortions

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that teen birth rates are down 22% from 62.1 per 1,000 15-19 year old teenagers in 1991 to 48.5 in 2000.

Birth Rates per 1,000	1991	2000	% Change
Age 15-17	38.7	27.4	-29.2
Age 18-19	94.4	79.2	-16.1

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr50/nvsr50_09.pdf (4 page pdf file on teen births)

http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r020606.htm (teen birth press release)

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/releases/02facts/teenbirths.htm

Abortions: According to the CDC 900,171 legal abortions were performed in 1997, compared to 884,273 in 1998. Because of missing data in 1998 for Alaska, California, New Hampshire, the figures reflect the same 48 reporting areas for both years. The actual number of abortions for 1997 was 1,186,039. Other key findings:

o Nearly 20% of women who had abortions were 19 years old or younger

o White, young (25 or younger), and unmarried women were more likely to have an abortion.

o The abortion rate in 1997 and 1998 was 17 per 1,000 15-44 year old women.

o 79% of women who had an abortion were unmarried, compared to 18% who were married.

http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/fs020606b.htm (abortion press release)

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/ss/ss5103.pdf (36 page pdf report on abortion)

6) Youth Skin Cancer Risk

Pediatrics journal reports, in a nationwide study of 10,079 12-18 year old youth, that boys and girls are putting themselves at high risk of skin cancer because of low sunscreen use, high incidences of prior sunburn, and increased tanning bed use. Some of the key findings:

Ø 40% of girls and 26% of boys reported sunscreen use

Ø 83% reported at least 1 sunburn during the previous summer; 36% reported 3 or more.

Ø 14% of girls (rising with age from 7% at age 14, to 16% at age 15, to 35% at age 17) and 2% of boys reported tanning bed use in the past year.

http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/abstract/109/6/1009 (free abstract)

7) Sports Injuries and Family Income

Injury Prevention journal reports that white, educated, affluent children have a higher risk of recreational injury, in an analysis of data from the 1997-98 National Health Interview Surveys of 38,458 children age 6-17.

Injury rates per 1000 children:

· RACE White: 112, Black: 52, Hispanic: 52

· INCOME Not Poor: 119, Near Poor: 80, Poor: 52

· EDUCATION LEVEL <12 years: 54, 12-15 years: 91, 16+ years: 112.

http://ip.bmjjournals.com/cgi/reprint/8/1/60.pdf (6 page pdf file)

8) Steroid Abuse

June 3, 2002 Sports Illustrated cover story on “Steroids In Baseball”.

ü 20% increase in Major League Baseball player time on the disabled list in 2001compared to 1997

ü Players are taking caffeine tablets, ephedrine, Ritalin—prescribed for Attention Deficit Disorder—and amphetamines—often referred to as “Greenies”.

ü Retired MLB players Jose Canseco and Ken Caminiti estimate the percentage of steroid users at 85% and “at least half”, respectively.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_online/special_report/steroids/ (Portions of entire article)

http://www.nida.nih.gov/PDF/RRSteroi.pdf (8 page pdf file report on steroids from April 2000)

9) Non-Aggressive Girls

Cover story on the nice, resilient, emotionally healthy, socially secure, independently minded “Gamma Girls”—as opposed to the dominant “alpha” and counter-response “beta” girls referred to on page 82 of Rosalind Wiseman’s “Queen Bees & Wannabes”—from the June 3, 2002 issue of Newsweek.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/756950.asp (still active 5:03pm, June 13, 2002)

10) Eating Disorders

Cover story on anorexia from June 10, 2002 issue of US News and World Report. The article reports that an estimated 5-10 million Americans struggle with anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorders, which will result in 50,000 deaths. Compared to the general population, “relatives of eating disorder patients are 7 to 12 times as likely to develop an eating disorder”.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/020610/health/10anorexia.htm (still active 5:07pm June 13, 2002)

See also: http://www.idealibrary.com/links/doi/10.1006/pmed.2002.1026 (free abstract on link between smoking and desire to be thin)

11) Anti-Smoking Ads Fuel Demand

The American Legacy Foundation commissioned two surveys to test the effectiveness of two anti-smoking ad campaigns—Philip Morris’s “Think. Don’t Smoke” and American Legacy’s “Truth”. The first phone survey was conducted between December 1999 through February 2000 with 3,439 12-17 year olds, while the second phone survey of 6,233 12-17 year olds was conducted between September and December 2000, 10 months after the launch of the “Truth” campaign. Researchers found that exposure to Philip Morris’s “Think. Don’t Smoke” campaign increased the likelihood that teens would smoke in the next year, as compared to Legacy’s “Truth” (i.e., body bag) campaign. The June 3, 2002 edition of Sports Illustrated has a Philip Morris ad, p. 77. It shows a dad and daughter fishing in a boat on a lake with a conversation box that reads, “Help me understand why some kids your age smoke cigarettes.” This is the link to the gallery of “truth” material: http://thetruth.com/html/index.cfm?id=154

(Editor’s note: similar to “Parental Advisory: Explicit Content” labels on albums?)

http://www.americanlegacy.org/section.asp?Page=41&id=63 (press release)

http://www.americanlegacy.org/content/PDF/FLR9_truth.pdf (32 page pdf “First Look Report”)

http://www.americanlegacy.org/content/PDF/truth_article.pdf (7 page article)

See also: “Youth Access Interventions Do Not Affect Youth Smoking” from the June 2002 issue of Pediatrics http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/abstract/109/6/1088

12) YM’s “Total Boy Poll”

YM magazine reports (July 2002 edition, pp. 62-64) on a poll it conducted of 300, 13-19 year old boys.

ü 84% are virgins

ü 30% said it is appropriate to date “a couple of months” before having sex, while 32% don’t believe in premarital sex.

ü 6% said they would lie to a girl in order to have sex

ü The first thing a guy notices about a girl is: face (36%), eyes (20%), body (20%), and other (24%)

ü 48% prefer brunettes compared to 34% blond, 16% black, and 2% red.

CPYU Resources:

NEW MUSIC RESOURCE from CPYU’s Walt Mueller: A colorful 12 page resource titled, “How to use your HEAD to guard your HEART: a 3-D Guide to making responsible music choices”. Prices, including shipping and handling, are $3 each for 1-5 copies and $2 each for 6+ 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 just released Summer 2002 newsletter featuring Pink, “cutting”, the Osbournes, 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. A searchable “e-Update” archive is available at http://www.cpyu.org/bboard.htm

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

“There’s so little media that makes a parent’s job easier. It’s not that the big media companies are immoral, they’re amoral. We want to offset that amorality.”

- Veggie Tales founder Phil Vischer quoted in Time magazine, June 3, 2002, p. 70.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101020603-250037,00.html (free for now)

“Everything is fixable. Nothing in life is ever set in stone. At the end of the day, there’s no reason to panic. If you take the wrong job, you can always quit. If you marry the wrong guy, you can always divorce him.”

- Actress Christina Ricci, Seventeen magazine, July 2002, p. 118.

“But the spiritual side isn’t the reason we play them. They’re great musicians who appeal to the mainstream rock audience.”

- MTV VP for music programming initiatives Amy Doyle, speaking about P.O.D., YM, July ’02, p. 94.

"You do everything you weren't allowed to do in school. Jumping up and down, screaming, annoying people, and people love you for it."

- The HIVES' Pelle Almqvist on performing from the Rolling Stone daily e-mail, May 29, 2002.

“I still see hip-hop as a religion, but as a Buddhist sort of thing, not an extremist, fundamentalist thing. It’s a lens that I view everything through: culturally, politically, ideologically . . .”

- Hip-hop monk Josh Davis, a.k.a. DJ Shadow, SPIN, July 2002, p. 97.

“I actually have a lot of advice for young girls. I suffered from an eating disorder, and I’m very vocal about it.”

- Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler from HBO’s The Sopranos, quoted in USA Today, May 21, 2002, p. 2D.

“Once you’re in it, you’re so involved in whatever the mind shift is that you can’t see clearly.”

- Actress Christina Ricci speaking about her bout with anorexia, Vogue June 2002, p. 213

“I’ve made a ton of mistakes. I don’t think using steroids is one of them.”

- Former major league baseball player and MVP Ken Caminiti, Sports Illustrated June 3, 2002, p. 36.

Lyrical Expressions

Sometimes I wish I was brave, I wish I was stronger, I wish I could feel no pain,

I wish I was young, I wish I would try, I wish I was honest, I wish I was you not I
'Cause I feel so mad, I feel so angry, I feel so callous, So lost, confused, just mad
I feel so cheap, So used, unfaithful, Let's start over, Let's start over
Sometimes, I wish I was smart, I wish I made cures for, How people are
I wish I had power, I wish I could leave, I wish I could change the world, For you and me.

- “I Feel So” by Box Car Racer (a.k.a., Blink 182 minus Mark Hoppus)

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/boxcarracer/ifeelso.html

Hey, don't write yourself off yet. It's only in your head you feel left out or looked down on.
Just do your best, do everything you can. And don't you worry what the bitter hearts are gonna say.
It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride. Everything (everything) will be just fine.

- “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World from the “Bleed American” album, and #5 song on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, dated June 22, 2002.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jimmyeatworld/themiddle.html

You try to tell me how to live, but it’s my life. I find these words were never true. I’ve lost all my respect for you. I need to find my own way. It’s my life. I gotta get away, one step away . . . well I’m gone.

- “My Life” by 12 Stones from their self-titled debut album. According to Rolling Stone’s daily e-mail on June 4, 2002, 12 Stones will be the opening act for Creed from July 11 to September 1 on the first leg of their return to touring after Scott Stapp’s injury.

Check it, got it locked at the top of the four seasons. Penthouse, roof top, birds I feedin
No deceivin, nothin up my sleeve, no teasin. I need you to get up up on the dance floor
Give that man what he askin for. Cuz I feel like bustin loose and I feel like touchin you
And cant nobody stop the juice so baby tell me whats the use
(I said) Its gettin hot in here (so hot) so take off all your clothes, I am gettin so hot, I wanna take my clothes off
Why you at the bar if you aint poppin the bottles. What good is all the fame if you aint f_____ the models.

- “Hot In Herre” by Nelly, #2 song and “Greatest Gainer/Airplay” on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, dated June 22, 2002.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/nelly/hotinherre.html

http://www.billboard.com/billboard/charts/hot100.jsp

Current Culture Image

This long-running Visa card ad reads, “It’s your life. How do you want to spend it?” The ad most recently appeared in the April/May and June/July 2002 editions of Blender magazine (p. 49 and 33, respectively), and the June 10, 2002 edition of ESPN magazine, p. 33. It shows a guy sleeping in bed with his guitar clutched in one hand. Discussion could focus on the proper perspective toward possessions (see Luke 12:15), issues relative to calling, purpose and meaning to life, but also postmodern individualism and relativism.

Another widely run ad—not shown here—for State Farm Insurance could be used for discussions on materialism. It shows a guy intently polishing the passenger door of a red car with the accompanying words in large print at the top, “We want what you want. What’s best for your baby. We live where you live.” In smaller print below the picture the ad reads, “We know what your car means to you. Everything. That’s why your neighborhood State Farm agent will always be there . . .” The ad appears in the May and July 2002 issues of SPIN (p. 48 and 67, respectively), the May 23, 2002 edition of Rolling Stone, p. 46, the June/July 2002 edition of Blender, p. 21, and the June 2002 issue of Vogue, p. 155.

Culture Links

This is an interesting site that tracks worldwide Internet traffic.

http://www.internettrafficreport.com/

Compilation of “dumb laws” from across the U.S. and world with links to other “dumb” sites (i.e., “dumb bumpers”)

http://www.dumblaws.com/

Planned Parenthood’s site:

http://www.teenwire.com/index.asp

“WisdomWorks Ministries is devoted to creatively teaching students of all ages how to view life from God's perspective.” There’s a lot here, from extensive movie reviews, to chat rooms and other free material.

http://www.planetwisdom.com

Links to these 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)

“Many well-intentioned parents work hard to give their kids the ‘good life’. Believing love means giving them all the things they never had themselves, parents shower their kids with cars, money, special classes, trips, and activities. Yet these same parents wonder why their kids never seem to be happy and satisfied: ‘Why do they want so much more? Why aren’t they happy with what they already have?’ The answer is fairly simple. Teaching kids to pursue the good life turns them into materialistic monsters who get caught up in the lie of the ‘things bring happiness’ mentality.”

-From Walt Mueller’s award winning book, “Understanding Today’s Youth Culture”, p. 289-290.

(Editors’ note: see the Veggie Tales “Madame Blueberry” video.)

<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><<><

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. 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.

“Browser Discretion Advisory”: CPYU does not necessarily endorse, support, or condone the organizations/sites for which we've provided you with links. Some are listed for informational and research purposes only as they are prevalent in youth culture today.

www.cpyu.org