The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding’s

Today’s Youth Culture E-Update

Edition #26: November 30, 2002

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Contents:

I. Youth Culture Stats and Trends:

1) Santa Belief

2) Global Sex Survey Results

3) Homosexual Activity and Societal Attitudes

4) Porn to Bible Transformation

5) Drunk Driving Rise

6) Cohabitation Breakdown

7) “Grading Grown-Ups”

8) Youth Violence

9) Maturing Video Game Market

10) Pragmatic Teen Development

11) Passive Smoke at Home

12) Youth Sleep Deprivation

13) Persistent Suicide Risk

II. CPYU Resources

III. Pop Culture Quotes: Shania Twain, Joel Madden, Kelly Rowland, Missy Elliott, and others

IV. Lyrical Expressions: 3 Doors Down and Sum 41

V. Current Culture Image

VI. Culture Links:

VII. “VCR/DVR Alert”

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

IX. E-update & CPYU information

Youth Culture Stats and Trends:

1) Santa Belief

According to a KidzEyes survey of 1,221 6-14 year old youth conducted in early October 2002, as reported by PRNewswire, 47% believe in Santa Claus. As kids grow up they are less likely to believe in Santa, as evidenced by survey results which show 92% of 6 year olds, 64% of 9 year-olds, 54% of 10 year-olds, and approximately 33% of 11 year-olds believe in Santa. 43% of kids figured out the truth about Santa for themselves, while parents (35%), friends (19%), and siblings (12%) told kids the truth.

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/11-19-2002/0001843964&EDATE=

2) Global Sex Survey Results

Condom manufacturer, Durex, announced the results of its 6^th annual Global SexSurvey. The survey was conducted online with 50,000 adults. The average number of times adults reported having sex each year was 139.

11% of people have never had sex.
36% of adults had sex for the first time because they were ready and it felt right.
24% of adults would wait one month before having sex with a new partner; 17% on the first night

http://www.durex.com/index.html (click on the “Global SexSurvey 2002 Results” link)

See also: Teens are most likely to lose their virginity in June and December, according to the November 2002 issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family in a survey of 19,000 7^th to 12^th grade youth, as reported by Reuters on November 13, 2002.

http://reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=healthnews&StoryID=1733691

See also: 18 percent of women and 34 percent of men reported being virgins in an online “Smarter Sex Survey” of 1,051 18-24 year old college students. Also, students reported having sex with an average of 1.2 partners in the past year.

http://www.smartersex.org/resources/survey_results.asp

See also: Adult supervision needed to curb teen sex and drug use.

http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/reprint/110/6/e66.pdf (full 6 page pdf file report)

3) Homosexual Activity and Societal Attitudes

Researchers report in the November 2002 issue of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, as reported by Reuters, that between 1996 and 2000, 3.1 to 3.7% of men reported having sex with another man in the past year, as compared to estimates of 1.7% to 2% in 1988. Public attitudes are shifting in regard to acceptability of homosexuality for the 1996 to 2000 and 1988 to 1994 time periods, as 34% and 24%, respectively, considered homosexuality “not wrong”.

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=1815355

4) Porn to Bible Transformation

The Associated Press reports on a Kentucky man who underwent a religious conversion and transformed his porn shop into a Bible store.

http://wire.ap.org/APnews/center_story.html?FRONTID=NATIONAL&STORYID=APIS7NIDO800

5) Drunk Driving Rise

According to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, the drunk driving death toll climbed 5% between 1999 and 2001. In 2001, alcohol related crashes killed 17,448, which represents 41% of all traffic deaths.

http://www.madd.org/news/0,1056,5542,00.html

http://wire.ap.org/APnews/center_story.html?FRONTID=NATIONAL&STORYID=APIS7NEEG480

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20021122/4646310s.htm

See also: Alcopop article

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/living/food/4518884.htm

See also: “Booze and Babies” article

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20021120/4637238s.htm

6) Cohabitation Breakdown

Nearly 25% of women who live with a man have no plans to marry, according to the results of a survey of 772 cohabitating women appearing in the November 2002 issue of the Journal of Family Issues, as reported by Reuters.

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=1783168

See also: USA Today article about the complex, marriage-like, puzzle of shacking up

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20021127/4655879s.htm and

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20021127/4655878s.htm

7) “Grading Grown-Ups”

A survey of 2,039 youth (614) and adults (1,425), commissioned by Search Institute, found that adults are increasingly disconnected from kids, despite sharing similar priorities. Some of the findings:

55% of youth who rated being religious as very important had unrelated adults engaged with them, as compared to 13% of youth who rated being religious as not at all important.
3% of youth say most adults report positive behavior, compared with 42% of adults who say they do so.
The 4^th ranked action adults could do to enhance adult-youth relations was to seek out young people’s opinions on decisions that affect them.

http://www.search-institute.org/norms/

See also: “Teens do listen to parents about smoking, drinking”

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=1811215

See also: “Extracurricular Burnout” article

http://usatoday.com/usatonline/20021119/4632949s.htm

8) Youth Violence

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in a survey of 23,000 12-17 year old youth, reports that in 2001, 4+ million youth (19% of 12-17 year old youth) were involved in a serious fight at school or work. The percentages are down from 21.9% in 1999, but up from 17.9% in 2000.

http://www.samhsa.gov/news/newsreleases/021108nr_youthvio.htm

9) Maturing Video Game Market

NPDFunworld reports that the percentage of “M” (mature) rated (17+ years old) video games rose to 13% of all software sales from 6%. The controversial follow up to the popular M-rated Grand Theft Auto 3 (4.2 million sold in the U.S. since its October 2001 release), Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, sold 1.4 million copies in the first month of release. Video game industry sales for hardware, software, and accessories—over $6 billion in the first ten months of 2002—were up 25% from the same time period in 2001 and are set to eclipse 2001’s record of $9.4 billion.

http://www.npdfunworld.com/funServlet?nextpage=news_article.html&nwsid=4067

10) Pragmatic Teen Development

Child Trends conducted a comprehensive review of research that promotes positive adolescent development. Researchers conclude that “relationships are key to adolescent well-being”. Other findings include:

Adolescent behaviors (good and bad) cluster
Teens should be viewed holistically
Engage young people

http://www.childtrends.org/PDF/K7Brief.pdf

(Editor’s note: check out CPYU’s mission statement at http://www.cpyu.org/about.htm )

11) Passive Smoke at Home

Household members and visitors smoke in 36% of homes where children live, and in 92% of these homes smoking occurs every day of the week, as reported in the November 2002 edition of the Archive of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Visitors regularly smoke in 6% of homes where no household member smokes.

http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/issues/current/abs/poa10324.html (free abstract)

See also: 4 out of 5 (79%) smokers want to quit but can’t in a July 2002 survey of 1,004 adults

http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr021121.asp (fee to access)

See also: Nearly half of teen smokers started smoking during summer months (May-August)

http://apha.confex.com/apha/130am/techprogram/paper_40341.htm (free abstract)

See also: Ineffective ID checks for teen cigarette buyers

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=1777495

12) Youth Sleep Deprivation

USA Weekend Magazine reports on the mounting problem of sleep deprivation among today’s youth and its deleterious effect on behavior, learning and looks.

http://usaweekend.com/02_issues/021117/021117kidsleep.html

13) Persistent Suicide Risk

The British Medical Journal reports, in a 22 year study of 140 patients, that the risk of subsequent suicide attempts remains high many years after an initial attempt to commit suicide.

http://bmj.com/cgi/reprint/325/7373/1155.pdf (1 page pdf file)

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 soon to be released Winter 2002 newsletter featuring Good Charlotte 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 (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.

Speakers: CPYU Speakers are available to speak at your church, school or organization. Our "Understanding Today's Youth Culture" seminars are presentations designed for parents, youth workers, teachers and others dealing with the specific challenges associated with understanding the world of pre-teens and adolescents. To book a CPYU seminar, contact CPYU at 717-361-8429 or check out the seminar page on the CPYU website http://www.cpyu.org/seminars.htm

Pop Culture Quotes

“Through my teens I really didn’t need drugs or anything like that. I had music.”

- Shania Twain, Entertainment Weekly, November 8, 2002, p. 39.

“My mom is a Christian, and she wouldn’t let us listen to rock music. So me and my brother, we had this tape player with headphones, and we locked ourselves in our pantry. We were fighting over the headphones, sitting in this dark pantry listening to Metallica.”

- Good Charlotte’s lead singer Joel Madden, Rolling Stone, December 12, 2002, p. 30.

See also: In the album liner notes of Good Charlotte’s The Young and the Hopeless album, lead singer Joel—twin brother of band member Benji—thanks, “My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, My Heavenly Father for a life I never could have imagined . . .”

“I don't know my father. I mean, I saw him a couple of times when I was little, and I just remember every single encounter with him — I didn't like my dad. I didn't like how he treated my mother, I didn't like how he was sometimes there, and it was just wrong. And I don't care about finding him. Wherever he is, I honestly hope that he is OK, because he did help create me, but that's it.”

- Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child, as quoted by the Associated Press on November 27, 2002.

http://wire.ap.org/APnews/center_package.html?FRONTID=ARTS&PACKAGEID=fiveqs

“I never wanted to go stay at my friends’ houses because I always thought my father would beat my mother up or kill her or something.”

- Rapper Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott, Entertainment Weekly, November 22, 2002, p. 34.

“Growing up, my family was important, and we are very close. That has always been the number-one priority—and everything else in life is kind of second.”

- Actress Katie Holmes (Dawson’s Creek), CosmoGirl, Dec 2002/Jan 2003, p. 127.

“I don't do anything without talking to her first. Every time I ever tried a drug or got in trouble in any way, I talked to her. There's nothing my mom doesn't know about me.”

- Kelly Osbourne sharing about her relationship with her mom, Sharon, as reported by USA Today, November 22, 2002, 2E.

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20021122/4646124s.htm

“I just kind of stay with the belief that I’ll be able to live in a perfect place after I die. I have a really strong faith in God, so it’s always going on inside of my heart that this life is just a blink compared to eternity. I have (sic) let go of the attachment to the things we see and just believe in what we can’t see.”

- Actor Jonathan Jackson, CosmoGirl, November 2002, p. 130.

“I believe in the spiritual afterlife. I believe, in some shape or form, in past-life regression and souls coming back to Earth for unfinished business. You know, when you run into people and you’re like, ‘I know I’ve met you somewhere?’ I think maybe you actually did. I think that’s what soul mates means—that your were connected to that person in a past life.”

- Justin Timberlake of ‘N Sync responding to the question, “What do you think happens to you when you die?” from Blender magazine, December 2002, p. 60.

“One cousin told me that my father's mother had also had a charm bracelet. She was a very spiritual person, and spirituality has always been a big theme in my music. Some of the songs that may seem like love songs on this album, like I'm singing about a guy, are actually more spiritual songs.” . . .

“I’m the only person who can save my life, by having hope and faith.”

- Mariah Carey, USA Today, November 29, 2002, 10D

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2002-11-28-mariah_x.htm

“We need to call on the invisible ones collectively. The Arturians, Syrians, archangels and angels. They are like electricity. All we have to do is call on them and say, ‘I give you permission to rewire my body while I sleep, that I am able to receive more light and give out more compassion and understanding.’ That’s the way we’re going to change this planet.”

- Carlos Santana, Blender, December 2002, p. 74.

Lyrical Expression

There’s another world inside of me that you may never see, there are secrets in this life I can’t hide

Somewhere in this darkness there’s a life that I can’t find, maybe it’s too far away or maybe I’m just blind

So hold me when I’m here, right me when I’m wrong, Hold me when I’m scared and love me when I’m gone

Everything I am and everything in me, Wants to be the one you wanted me to be, I’ll never let you down

I’d give up everything if only for your good . . .

When your education x-ray cannot see under my skin, I won’t tell you a d___ thing that I could not tell my friends

Now roaming through this darkness I’m alive but I’m alone, Part of me is fighting this but part of me is gone

- When I’m Gone by 3 Doors Down from the Away from the Sun album

So am I still waiting for this world to stop hating, Can’t find a good reason, can’t find hope to believe in

Drop dead a bullet to my head, your words are like a gun in hand

You can’t change the state of the nation we just need motivation

These eyes have seen no conviction, just lies and more contradiction

So tell me what would you say, I’d say it’s time too late

- Still Waiting by Sum 41 from the Does This Look Infected? album. The #15 song after 6 weeks on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks™ chart, dated December 7, 2002.

http://www.billboard.com/billboard/charts/airplay/modern.jsp

Current Culture Image

This ad for Skyy Vodka (see “alcopop” article above under “Drunk Driving Rise” heading) appeared in the October 3, 2002 issue of Rolling Stone, p. 27 and the October 2002 issue of Spin, p. 103. The ad shows an angel woman clad in white sharing a drink with a red-suited, red-faced devil. Issues related to drinking alcohol could be discussed: reduced inhibitions, impaired judgment, sexual encounters, “date rape”, etc. Youth leaders could tie in Ephesians 5:18 and others.

Culture Links

http://www.christiananswers.net/

ChristianAnswers.net provides “biblical answers to contemporary answers”.

http://teenpregnancy.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1

“The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy’s mission is to improve the well-being of children, youth, and families by reducing teen pregnancy.”

“VCR/DVR Alert”

Billboard Music Awards, December 9, 2002 on Fox, check local listings.

http://www.billboard.com/billboard/bbawards02.jsp

VH1 Big In 2002 Awards, December 15, 2002, check local listings.

http://www.vh1.com/shows/events/big_in/2002/

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

“Welcome to youth culture at the dawn of the new millennium, a confusing world where an increasing amount of consistent spiritual inconsistency and glaring contradiction socks committed Christian parents and youth workers right in the stomach while the same things roll unnoticed right off our kids’ backs. It’s a world where those who lovingly challenge immorality and sin may get a ‘so what’ response, even from kids who profess to follow the narrow road that leads to life.”

- from the article, “Whose God is it anyway?” by Walt Mueller, CPYU’s Winter 1999 newsletter, p. 1

http://www.cpyu.org/news/99winterl.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. 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, 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.

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