The Center for Parent/Youth
Understanding’s
Today’s
Youth Culture E-Update
Edition
#21:
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Contents:
I. Youth Culture Stats and Trends:
1) Moms Influencing Teen Sex
2) Grandparents and Kids
3) Top Video Game Titles
4) Summer Movie Tally
5) “CleanFlicks” Allowed?
6) Pepsi Pulls Ludacris Ads
7) Teen “Drugged Driving”
8) Illegal Drug Use in 2001
9) Internet Usage
10) TV Households
11) Child TV Viewing and Teen Smoking
12) Teen
Depression and Waistlines
II. CPYU Resources
III. Pop Culture Quotes: P. Diddy, Nelly, Pusha T, Jesse Bradford, Neil Young, Jason Wade
IV.
Lyrical Expressions: Filter, Christina Aguilera, and
Clipse
V. Culture Links:
VI. Current Culture
Image
VII. Walt Mueller’s “CQ” (Commentary/Quote)
VIII. E-update & CPYU information
Youth Culture
Stats and Trends:
1) Moms
Influencing Teen Sex
University of Minnesota researchers, reporting in the
September 2002 Journal of Adolescent
Health, tracked 2006 adolescent virgins (ages 14 and 15) for 1 year, and
found that by the end of the study, 95 males (10.8%) and 162 females (15.8%) had
initiated sex. Disapproval of teen sex by mothers and the closeness of relations
between mother and child delayed sexual initiation. Other
findings:
- Teens with highly religious mothers are no less likely
to start having sex
- Mothers of sexually active teens were aware only 51% of
the time
- Mothers knowing the parents of their daughter helped
reduce the likelihood of sexual initiation. The same was not true for
boys.
http://www.allaboutkids.umn.edu/presskit/PressReleaseMS.pdf (3 page pdf file press
release)
http://www.allaboutkids.umn.edu/presskit/MonographMS.pdf (24 page pdf file report)
See
also: AARP poll results of surveys with
500 adults (ages 50 to 56) and young adults (ages 20 to 26), as reported by USA
Today, reveals alignment in attitudes about premarital sex. Almost two-thirds of
both groups say premarital sex is never or only sometimes wrong. An identical
survey conducted in the 1970’s showed a disparity between parents and young
adult views on premarital sex (42% and 80%, respectively)
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020912/4441491s.htm
2)
Grandparents and Kids
AARP conducted a survey of 1,500 grandparents in
November 2001. Some of the findings:
·
Percentage of grandparents
reporting conversations with their grandchildren on the following topics: school
(78%), morals/values (78%), religion/spirituality (65%), cigarettes (47%),
alcohol use (43%), illegal drugs (45%), and sex (24%).
·
15% of grandparents provide
day care for working parents
·
6% of grandparents (5% White
and 17% African American) say they have grandchildren living with them—43% of
these grandparents without the presence of the parents.
http://research.aarp.org/general/gp_2002_1.html
3) Top
Video Game Titles
NPDFunworld lists the best selling video games for the
2nd quarter 2002.
|
Rank |
Title |
Platform |
Rating |
|
1 |
Medal of Honor Frontline |
PS2 |
Teen (13+) |
|
2 |
Spider-Man: the Movie |
PS2 |
Everyone |
|
3 |
Grand Theft Auto 3 |
PS2 |
Mature (17+) |
|
4 |
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec |
PS2 |
Everyone |
|
5 |
Dragonball Z: Goku |
GBA |
Everyone |
|
6 |
Resident Evil |
GCN |
Mature (17+) |
|
7 |
Spider-Man: the Movie |
XBX |
Everyone |
|
8 |
Super Mario Advance 2 |
GBA |
Everyone |
|
9 |
Halo |
XBX |
Mature (17+) |
|
10 |
ATV
Off Road Fury |
PS2 |
Everyone |
http://www.npdfunworld.com/funServlet?nextpage=trend_article12.html
http://esrb.org/ (Entertainment Software Rating Board’s
web-site)
See also: “Grand Theft Auto:
http://reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=technologynews&StoryID=1433494
4) Summer
Movie Tally
According to Nielsen EDI, summer 2002—starting the
Friday of the Memorial Day weekend and running through Labor Day—movie ticket
sales were $3.035 billion in 2002 compared to $2.955 billion in 2001—an increase
of 3%.
http://www.nielsenedi.com/bonews/seasonal/season.html
5)
“CleanFlicks” Allowed?
Video store Clean Flicks is under the gun to stop the
practice of editing out violence, sex and profanity from movies.
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020903/4412666s.htm
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0828/p09s02-cojh.html
http://reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=search&StoryID=1389727
(editor’s note: music artists sell “clean” albums)
6) Pepsi
Pulls Ludacris Ads
Consumer and TV show host complaints about the lyrics of
hip-hop artist Ludacris led to Pepsi-Cola’s decision to stop airing TV spots
featuring the rapper.
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1457357/20020906/story.jhtml
http://www.ludacris.com/ (read Ludacris’ official
response)
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=28916 (Bill O’Reilly’s counter
response)
See also: Sears pulls offensive
t-shirts from shelves
http://www.npdfashionworld.com/fashionServlet?nextpage=news_article.html&nwsid=6876
7) Teen
“Drugged Driving”
In
a survey of 1,600 U.S. middle and high school students, conducted by SADD
(Student Against Drunk Driving) and insurance company Liberty Mutual,
researchers found that “drugged driving” (driving after smoking marijuana) was
more common than drunk driving (68% versus 48%). 57% of teens who use drugs are
not concerned about riding in a car with a “drugged
driver”.
http://www.libertymutual.com/omapps/ContentServer?pagename=pm/PrimaryPage&pid=1004671635956&dir=/personal/SADDLandingPage/LandingPage (“teens today” main
page)
8) Illegal
Drug Use in 2001
The
2001 National Household Survey of Drug Abuse, conducted annually by the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on nearly
70,000 12+ year old Americans, reveals changing rates of drug use in teens and
young adults. Some of the key findings:
Ø
10.8% of 12 to 17 year youth
and 18.8% of 18 to 25 year olds were current drug users in 2001, up from 9.7%
and 15.9%, respectively, in 2000.
Ø
28.5% (10.1 million) 12 to 20
year old youth report current use of alcohol in 2001
Ø
22.8% of 18 to 25 year olds
report driving under the influence of alcohol in 2001
Ø
New daily smokers for 12 to
17 year olds dropped to 747,000 in 2000 from 1.1 million in
1997
http://www.samhsa.gov/news/newsreleases/020905fs_survey.htm
http://www.samhsa.gov/news/content/2001NHSDA.htm
See also: “Marijuana use and drug
dependence”.
http://www.samhsa.gov/oas/2k2/MJ&dependence/MJ&dependence.pdf
(3 page pdf file)
9)
Internet Usage
According to Nielsen-NetRatings, as reported by
PRNewswire, in August 2002 121.7 million Internet users (68.5% of the estimated
177.6 million Internet universe) surfed an average of 39 times per month,
spending over 21 hours online per month.
http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=2308180
10) TV
Households
Nielsen Media Research estimates there are 106.7 million
TV households in the
http://www.nielsenmedia.com/newsreleases/2002/2002-2003UEs.htm
See also:
http://www.adamsmediaresearch.com/freesamplehardwaredata.htm
11) Child
TV Viewing and Teen Smoking
Youth who watched 5+ hours of TV were nearly 6 (5.99)
times more likely to start smoking than youth who watched less than 2 hours per
day, according to researchers, reporting in the September 2002 issue of Pediatrics, analyzing data from the
National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, Child Cohort for children aged 10 to 15
year old who began smoking between 1990-1992.
http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/abstract/110/3/505 (free abstract)
See
also: Parental Ethnicity and Teen
Smoking Advice: Researchers report ethnic variations in teen smoking decision
making in the August 2002 issue of Health Education &
Behavior.
http://www.sph.umich.edu/hbhe/heb/v29i4/v29i4-4.html
See
also: “14% of World’s Youth
Smoke”
http://reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=healthnews&StoryID=1387630
See also: Tobacco dependence in youth
study from the September 2002 issue of Tobacco Control
http://tc.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/11/3/228 (free abstract, fee for
article)
12) Teen
Depression and Waistlines
Researchers, reporting in the September 2002 issue of Pediatrics, say depressed teens are
twice as likely to become obese—body mass index 95% or higher—from analysis of
data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which
interviewed 9,374 teens in grades 7 to 12 in 1995 and
1996.
http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/abstract/110/3/497 (free abstract)
See also: Declining physical activity
in adolescent girls
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/347/10/709 (free abstract)
See
also: $2.5 billion (approximately 10%
of child apparel spending) is spent annually on clothes for plus-size boys and
girls ages 3 to 17, according to NPDFashionworld. http://www.npdfashionworld.com/fashionServlet?nextpage=news_article.html&nwsid=6896
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 Fall
2002 newsletter featuring 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), which 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
“Nearly every
black man faces an unacceptable level of violence in this society. I’m not
different”
- Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, quoted from New Yorker magazine
by the Asssociated Press,
“I was
thinking how truly blessed I am. I give all glory to God . .
.”
-
Sean “P. Diddy” Combs as quoted from an MTV News interview,
See also: Lyrics from P. Diddy’s hit
song and high rotation MTV video, “Bad Boy for Life”: I'm the definition of,
half man, half drugs, Ask the clubs, Bad Boy - that's whassup . . . (chorus) We
ain't, go-in nowhere, we ain't, goin nowhere, We can't be stopped now, cause
it's Bad Boy for life . . .
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/pdiddy/badboyforlife.html
“It feels
good, so a lot of my music isn't about me feeling upset or feeling that I need
to let out my frustration and anger. I lived that life. I don't feel it was a
need for me to continue to rap about it, although I do appreciate all hip-hop. I
love gangsta rap. It's just not what I choose to do.”
-
Nelly quoted from USA Today,
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20020903/4412690s.htm
“We're trying
to gravitate toward the soulful and meaningful.”
- MTV senior vice president Tom Calderone, as quoted by
the Associated Press,
http://wire.ap.org/APnews/center_story.html?FRONTID=ARTS&STORYID=APIS7M078CG0
.
“If it's meant
to be, it's up to the Lord. 'Lord willin' is very old-timey. My mother says that
every day. My grandmother says it every second. She could just be talking about
me going to the store and coming right back.”
-
Pusha T (real name Terrence Thornton), from Clipse, speaking about the title of
their new album, Lord Willin’, as
quoted from MTV’s web site. The album cover shows a Christ figure (crown of
thorns, white robe and hole in hand) riding in the back seat of a convertible
with a “Parental Advisory” label warning of “Strong language, Sexual &
Violent Content”. The album debuted at #4 on Billboard, dated
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1454978/06032002/clipse.jhtml
“I’ve been
dating my girlfriend (actress Diane Gaeta) for almost two years. She hates
seeing me in kissing scenes, and I don’t blame her.”
-
Actor Jesse Bradford (movie Swimfan),
Teen People, October 2002, p.
86.
“Music is
fulfilling. The next day you feel better. Drugs, the next day you feel
terrible—unless you have more drugs.”
-NEIL YOUNG from Rolling Stone Daily,
“Religion is
the biggest thing that keeps me grounded. It’s the backbone to my music and a
huge inspiration for my lyrics. It doesn’t let all this go to my head, and it
helps me realize there’s a reason for it all.”
-
Lifehouse’s Jason Wade from the October 2002 issue of CosmoGirl, p.
146.
Lyrical
Expression
Hey
God told us that we made a very big sin, you don’t know where to
begin
He
says turn the other cheek, But that seems kind of weak, I just want to beat up,
beat up the meek
He
says you’d be a better man if you stick with the plan, but I don’t think I can,
not with that kind of man
You
love to be cruel (2x), I’m not a good tool, ‘cause you love to be
cruel
What now, the cross has been greased, but I don’t feel
the heat, nor the peace in the street
Everybody feels the hit, so just bury it in the pit,
with the best of the sick ideological s___
-
“The Missing” by Filter from the Amalgamut album
Wanna get rowdy, Gonna get a little unruly, Get it fired
up in a hurry, Wanna get dirrty
It's about time that I came to start the
party, Sweat dripping over my body
Dancing getting just a little naughty,
Wanna get dirty, It's about time for my arrival
Ah, heat is up, So ladies,
fellas, Drop your cups, Body's hot, Front to back, Now move your a__, I like
that
Tight hip huggers (low for sure), Shake a little somethin' (on the
floor)
I need that, uh, to get me off, Sweat until my clothes come
off
-
Christina Aguilera’s upcoming single and video, “Dirrty”.
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/christinaaguilera/dirrty.html
http://www.christina-a.com/hotnews.html (Christina’s official web-site. Check out the
list of upcoming magazine cover appearances.)
. .
. Lost it all from life to love, but my faith in my money helped me rise
above
See
I turned to the Lord when them times got tough . . .
-
“
. .
. money is my morals, other than that I’m soulless . . .
-
“Ego” by Clipse from the Lord Willin’
album
See also: Lord Willin’ album liner notes: Pusha T
(Terrence Thornton) writes, “Before I get into everybody I want to thank God for
giving me the opportunity to showcase my talent, blessing me on this musical
journey & continuing to guide me thru life”, while Malice (Pusha’s brother
Gene) writes, “To my Lord & Savior, Who has revealed Himself to me on
numerous occasions—Thank you for my life!”
Culture Links
http://tlc.discovery.com/convergence/teenspecies/teenspecies.html
This site on the “teen species” is put together by the
Learning Channel.
http://www.wiredkids.org/teenangels/index.html
An
organization, staffed by trained volunteer youth, devoted to teaching teens
about online safety.
http://www.DrugAbuseStatistics.samhsa.gov
“SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Statistics)
Office of Applied Studies (OAS) provides the latest national data on alcohol,
tobacco, marijuana and other drug abuse”, along with lots of other valuable
information.
Watch the top mainstream music videos and track the
hottest artists and latest music entertainment news.
Listen to and watch Christian hit music and
videos.
Current
Culture Image
This
An
ad for Fresh Look Cosmetic Contact Lenses (not shown here), which appeared in
the April 2002 issue of YM, p. 93 and the May 2002 issue of Teen People, p. 93,
shows two excited girls in the foreground with a band in the background, with
the following words printed on the bottom, “Your mom thinks you’re at Susie’s
house. Susie’s mom thinks she’s at your house. The band thinks the green-eyed
hotties should hang for a while.”
Walt Mueller’s
“CQ” (Commentary/Quote)
Traditionally, the home was the institution that
exercised the greatest influence on the values, attitudes, and behaviors of
teens. The school and church shared and reinforced the values that were taught
at home. Today the changing face of the family and the pluralistic flavor of our
society have weakened the positive influence of the home in the life of
As
the traditional influences weaken, the voices of other institutions become more
powerful forces in educating and socializing teens in
- From Walt Mueller’s award winning book, Understanding Today’s Youth Culture, pp.
43-44.
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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. To contact us, write to
Eupdate@cpyu.org or
“Browser
Discretion Advisory”: CPYU does not
necessarily endorse, support, or condone the organizations/sites for which we've
provided you with links, nor does CPYU necessarily agree with the conclusions
and/or recommendations of studies cited. Some are listed for informational and
research purposes only as they are prevalent in youth culture
today.