The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding’s

Today’s Youth Culture E-Update

Edition #28: January 3, 2003

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Contents:

I. Youth Culture Stats and Trends:

1) Parents Influence Youth Smoking

2) Youth Drug Use

3) Spirited TV Ad Exposure

4) Young Adult Binge Drinking

5) Video Game Industry Report Card

6) Androgynous Centerfolds

7) Sibling and Dating Violence

8) Top Selling Albums in 2002

9) 2002 Google Internet Search Patterns

10) Guilty Teens

11) Youth Volunteerism

II. CPYU Resources

III. Pop Culture Quotes: Eminem, President Bush, and others

IV. Lyrical Expressions: JaRule and Avril Lavigne

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) Parents Influence Youth Smoking

Involved parents conquer peer pressure in regards to smoking initiation, from a survey of 1,081 sixth-graders conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/new/releases/smoking.cfm

2) Youth Drug Use

The annual Monitoring the Future survey of 43,700 U.S. 8^th (15,500) 10^th (14,700) and 12^th (13,500) grade students, sponsored by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) and conducted by the University of Michigan, shows declining proportions of teens smoking (cigarettes and marijuana), drinking alcohol, and using drugs. The exceptions were cocaine and steroids, which remained steady. The proportions of teens reporting lifetime illicit drug use are 25%, 45% and 53% for 8^th, 10^th and 12^th graders, respectively. Prescription narcotics Oxycontin and Vicodin were included in the survey for the first time. Annual prevalence rates for 8^th, 10^th and 12^th graders were 1%, 3%, and 4%, respectively, for Oxycontin compared with 3%, 7% and 10% for Vicodin.

http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/data/02data.html#2002data-drugs

See also: “Cocaine may dampen life’s pleasure in general”

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=1981029

See also: Effective random drug testing

http://wire.ap.org/APnews/center_story.html?FRONTID=NATIONAL&STORYID=APIS7O81FOG0

3) Spirited TV Ad Exposure

The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University says underage youth (ages 12-20) were more likely to have seen 51,084 (24.5%) of the 208,909 alcohol advertisements on television in 2001.

http://camy.org/research/tv1202/ (executive summary)

http://camy.org/press/release.php?ReleaseID=3 (press release)

4) Young Adult Binge Drinking

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as reported by the Associated Press, binge drinking—5+ drinks per drinking session—among underage 18-20 year olds increased 56% between 1993 and 2001. The average number of binge drinking episodes in 2001 for 18-20 and 21-25 year olds were 15 and 18, respectively.

http://wire.ap.org/APnews/center_story.html?FRONTID=SCIENCE&STORYID=APIS7O99GG00

http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v289n1/abs/joc21082.html (free abstract)

See also: First Drunkenness and College Sex Link

http://www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/abstract/111/1/34 (free abstract, fee for article)

5) Video Game Industry Report Card

The National Institute on Media and the Family, in its annual report card of the video game industry, gives the industry an “F”, due mainly to an increase in violent games and a surge in objectifying and degrading portrayals of women in video games. Game rating accuracy and restricting access to minor children were other major concerns.

http://www.mediaandthefamily.org/research/2002_VCGRC_ReportCard.pdf (12 page pdf file)

See also: Violent crime rose in the first half of 2002 according to the FBI. Burglary and motor vehicle theft each rose 4.2%.

http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel02/02ciusprelim.htm

6) Androgynous Centerfolds

Researchers, reporting in the British Medical Journal, discovered a shifting trend in sexual attractiveness after analyzing Playboy centerfold model measurements from 1953 to 2001. Models are becoming more androgynous as they lose their hourglass figures.

http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/325/7378/1447

7) Sibling and Dating Violence

Researchers found a connection between sibling violence (psychological and/or physical) and later dating violence in a survey of 538 college students.

http://apha.confex.com/apha/130am/techprogram/paper_52471.htm

8) Top Selling Albums in 2002

According to Nielsen SoundScan, as reported by Reuters, Eminem’s “The Eminem Show” was the top selling album in 2002—through December 22—with sales of 7.4 million copies. Nelly’s “Nellyville” came in at number two with nearly 4.8 million albums sold. Avril Lavigne’s “Let Go” came in third with 3.9 million; Pink’s “Missundaztood” was sixth with 3 million.

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=musicNews&storyID=1967630

See also: MTV’s top videos in 2002

http://www.mtv.com/music/video/index.jhtml

See also: Top videos in 2002 according to Yahoo! Launch

http://launch.yahoo.com/promotions/yim2002/

9) 2002 Google Internet Search Patterns

Google released its 2002 year-end zeitgeist (meaning “the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era”) detailing Internet search patterns and trends. Eminem was the top male and top musician/group search item. The top 10 TV show searches were: 1) The Simpsons, 2) Big Brother, 3) The Osbournes, 4) South Park, 5) SpongeBob SquarePants, 6) Anna Nicole Smith, 7) Sopranos, 8) American Idol, 9) Popstars, and 10) Eastenders.

http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html

See also: Google is top search engine

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/2002-12-17-google_x.htm

10) Guilty Teens

A Gallup Youth Survey conducted between June and September 2001, interviewed 454, 13-17 year old teens in order to find out whether they would feel guilty if faced with various circumstances. Religious service attendance impacted all responses.

Circumstances % saying yes, feel guilty>>	Attended religious service in past week	Did not attend religious service
Stealing something	92%	86%
Lying to a friend	89%	75%
Cheating on a test in school	85%	70%
Surfing for pornography on the Internet	85%	70%
Swearing or cursing at a teacher	83%	60%
Having sexual intercourse before you are married	79%	44%

http://www.gallup.com/poll/tb/educayouth/20021217b.asp (fee to access)

11) Youth Volunteerism

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in a survey of 60,000 households, 59 million Americans (27.6%), age 16 or older, volunteered an average of 52 hours between September 2001 and September 2002. Other key findings:

31.1% of women and 23.8% of men volunteered
26.9% of 16-19 year-olds and 18.2% of 20-24 year-olds volunteered an average of 40 and 36 hours, respectively.
36.5% of parents with children under age 18 volunteered
Religious (33.9%) and educational/youth-service (27.2%) organizations accounted for a majority of the volunteerism.

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.nr0.htm

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 is 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 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

“When everyone loves you, who's left to hate you? The kids want something they can hold onto that their parents hate. I know I did growing up. I didn't want to listen to anything my parents listened to.”

- Eminem quoted by the Associated Press, December 29, 2002

http://wire.ap.org/APnews/center_story.html?FRONTID=ARTS&STORYID=APIS7O7I0AG0

(copy the above link, go to wire.ap.org, click on a state and local paper, then paste the link)

“During Christmas, we gather with family and friends to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. As God's only Son, Jesus came to Earth and gave His life so that we may live. His actions and His words remind us that service to others is central to our lives and that sacrifice and unconditional love must guide us and inspire us to lead lives of compassion, mercy, and justice.”

- A portion of President Bush’s Christmas message

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/12/20021220-3.html

“My life has been blessed since I was a teenager. I've always had plenty of work, plenty of whatever I've wanted. I've always felt blessed to be alive, even when I've been sick or my family members have been sick . . . I truly believe this is an opportunity for me to give testimony about tithing and spreading wealth.”

- Powerball winner Jack Whittaker Jr., as reported by the Associated Press, December 27, 2002.

See also: Powerball winner set to give church $17 million

http://wire.ap.org/APnews/center_story.html?FRONTID=NATIONAL&STORYID=APIS7O7PUOG0

See also: Salvation Army rejects lottery winnings

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/South/01/01/lotto.rejection.ap/

“I wish all the money from the jerseys could funnel to people who actually need it. If you ever go through downtown Columbus, people are sleeping on sidewalks, and they’re giving us scholarships and they sell 100,000 tickets to every game . . . Life is a whole lot more important than football.”

- Ohio State football player Maurice Clarett, quoted in USA Today, December 31, 2002, 9C.

“The sanctity of marriage—I respect it a lot more than you would think, enough so that I don’t take it lightly.”

- Actress Sandra Bullock, USA Today, December 19, 2002, 3D.

“If it hadn’t been for teachers, my God, I don’t know what would have happened to me.”

- Brown University president Ruth Simmons, Parade Magazine, December 22, 2002, p. 4.

“We are drowning in images. We don’t know fantasy from reality. Especially the generation coming up. Something happened. Anything that is so accessible becomes disposable: You sit in your living room and you drink your cola and you eat your pizza, and you just watch all of this, you know, pornography. It’s not even music.”

- Joni Mitchell, Rolling Stone, Dec 26, 2002-Jan 9, 2003, p. 28.

“Embracing relativism under the guise of Christian faith facilitates comfort with sin. By claiming the authority to determine right from wrong, we crown ourselves the kings and queens of reality, yet we have no such authority and we constantly pay the price for the arrogance of believing and acting like we are in control of our destiny and experience. What an affront it is to God for us to claim His name and protection but to resist His moral truths on the basis of human feelings.”

- George Barna

http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PagePressRelease.asp?PressReleaseID=128&Reference=A

Lyrical Expression

Dear god, I'm gonna teach you in this prayer
And I thank you for all the food you've given me, and all the health and strength
And may my family be held safely and strong, as well as myself
And I thank you for everything you've given me thus far, lord
And I beg your forgiveness for I sin everyday
In your son’s name, Christ Jesus. Amen
- The Warning by JaRule from The Last Temptation album

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jarule/thewarning.html

[JaRule] Girl your stare those eyes I
[Ashanti] Love it when you look at me baby
[J] Your lips, your smile I
[A] Love it when you kiss me baby
[J] Your hips those thighs I
[A] Love it when you f___ me baby
[J] And I cant deny I
[A] Love it when I'm with you baby

- Chorus of Mesmerize by JaRule from The Last Temptation album, which was the Greatest Gainer/Airplay on Billboard’s Hot 100, dated January 4, 2003, rising to #25 from #67 after 2 weeks.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jarule/mesmerize.html

I'm standing on the bridge, I'm waiting in the dark, I thought that you'd be here by now
There's nothing but the rain, No footsteps on the ground, I'm listening but there's no sound
Isn't anyone trying to find me? Won't somebody come take me home
It's a damn cold night, Trying to figure out this life, Won’t you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new, I don't know who you are, But I, I'm with you
I'm looking for a place, Searching for a face, Is anybody here I know
Cause nothing's going right, And everything’s a mess, And no one likes to be alone

- I’m With You by Avril Lavigne from the Let Go album, which is the #12 song after 5 weeks on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, dated January 4, 2003. Avril’s album is the #4 album after 29 weeks on the Billboard charts.

Current Culture Image

This Virgin Mobile ad, appearing in the February 2003 issue of Teen People, p. 32, shows a guy on a cell phone with a girl hanging on his shoulder with a banner that reads, “No strings attached.” The small print under the Virgin Mobile logo reads, “No commitments, all the fun without all the hassle. That’s Virgin Mobile . . . Hey, sometimes no relationship is the best kind of relationship to have.”

This ad clearly reflects the disposable, transient and fleeting nature of relationships in our culture. Youth leaders could use this ad for a discussion with teens on dating, commitment, and marriage.

Culture Links

http://camy.org/

The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth offers lots of stats, facts and information about the pervasive presence and influence of alcohol marketing on youth.

http://www.ileadyouth.com/default.asp

The ileadyouth.com site, sponsored by Cokesbury, provides lots of resources for youth ministries.

http://www.mentalhealth.org/15plus/aboutus.asp

This site, designed by the US Department of Health and Human Services, offers practical information to facilitate parent/child communication. The “In the News” link catalogs recent and relevant stories related to teenagers.

“VCR/DVR Alert”

The American Music Awards are being hosted by the Osbournes on Monday, January 13, 2003 on ABC. Check local listings.

http://abc.abcnews.go.com/primetime/specials/ama/

(Editor’s note: check out Walt Mueller’s feature “Hotlight” article on the Osbournes from the Fall 2002 CPYU “Youth Culture @ Today” newsletter http://www.cpyu.org/news/02fallh.htm )

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

“For years I’ve been describing the sexual messages and directives our kids get from the culture in these words: ‘You can do whatever, wherever, whenever, however, with whomever.’ Evidence of the power and pervasiveness of this ‘anything goes’ sexual ethic can be found not only in the sexual attitudes and behaviors adopted by our kids, but in the music that so clearly reflects the sexual heart of our culture. While these messages are woven through the entire fabric of today’s youth culture, every once in awhile the envelope gets stretched even further by a movie, television show, or song. Even if you’ve never heard of it yourself, you can be sure your kids know about one such song . . .”

- Walt Mueller from the Summer 2000 edition of CPYU’s quarterly newsletter.

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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.

www.cpyu.org