It's time for you to deepen your
understanding of those teens you know and love by securing your copy of the
latest edition of “YouthCulture @ Today”. As your students head back to
school, CPYU is here to help you understand and minister effectively in the
context of the cultural soup they swim in everyday. The Fall 2003 edition of
“YouthCulture @ Today” features Walt Mueller's article on the new rules
regarding teen sexuality, a deconstruction and practical analysis of 50 Cent's
enduring music, a look at the buying and selling of teenagers, an overview of
concerts, and research briefs on the emerging "Tween" market segment. And, as
always, there are resource reviews, web recommendations, and the popular "Three
for 3-D" media analysis pages for use with your students. A year-long
subscription is available for a $15 donation. To order your copy, give us a call
at 800-807-CPYU or download the form
available on our web site at http://www.cpyu.org/ycorder.htm and fax the completed form to us at
717-361-8964.
The
Center for Parent/Youth Understanding’s
Youth Culture
E-Update
Edition #42:
EASY way to SUBSCRIBE for FREE!
Go to http://www.cpyu.org/culture.htm
Type in your e-mail address and hit
“Submit”
Just follow the instructions when you receive the e-mail
confirmation.
Contact eupdate@cpyu.org if you have any
questions or experience any problems.
Contents:
I. Youth Culture Stats and Trends:
1) Teen Choice Award Winners
2)
File-Sharing Attitudes
3) Home Entertainment Industry Report
4) Weight Teasing and Teen Suicide
5) First Time Teen Sex
6) Worldwide Youth Smoking
7) ADHD and Substance Abuse Link
8) Post Traumatic Teens
9) “State of
10) “Big Brother” in
School
II. CPYU Resources
III. Pop Culture Quotes: Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, Will Smith and more.
IV. Lyrical
Expressions: Black Eyed Peas and Robbie
Williams
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:
Check out the list
of winners from the 2003 Teen Choice Awards, which aired on August
6.
http://www.fox.com/tca2003/home.htm
See also: “50-Cent Tops Billboard
R&B-Hip-Hop Awards”
http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1953168
2) File-Sharing
Attitudes
Researchers report
that 82% of young adults (ages 18-29) are not concerned about the copyright
status of files they download and/or share online, according to the results of a
survey commissioned by the Pew Internet & American Life Project and
conducted on 2,515 U.S. adults (18 and older) between March - May, 2003. Also,
52% of 18-29 year olds have downloaded music online, up from 37% in July/August
2000.
http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=96
3) Home Entertainment Industry
Report
The Video Software
Dealers Association released its 2003 report on the $20 billion home
entertainment industry.
- DVD households
rose to 39 million in 2002, up from 25 million in 2001
- DVD rentals
tallied $2.9 billion in 2002
- The average active
VHS household rented 5.5 videos per month in 2002
- 65 million people
own at least one videogame console
- Gamers spent $722
million renting video game software in 2002
http://www.vsda.org/Resource.phx/public/press/august2003/august04-03.htx
See also: DVD “Ratings Creep”
article
http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20030814/5406776s.htm
See also: “Top 40 All Formats Chart”
dated
http://www.gamesasylum.com/showarticle.php?articleID=1936
4) Weight Teasing and Teen
Suicide
Researchers,
reporting in the August 2003 edition of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent
Medicine, found that teens who are teased because of their weight are more
likely to contemplate and attempt suicide, from a survey of 4,746
7th-12th grade Minneapolis/St. Paul students. Some key
findings:
- 30.0% of girls and
24.7% of boys were teased about their weight by their
peers
- 28.7% of girls and
16.1% of boys were teased about their weight by family
members
- 14.6% of girls and
9.6% of boys were teased about their weight by peers and
family
- As reported by
Reuters, 26% of teens who were teased about their weight by peers and family
considered suicide, while 9% attempted
suicide
http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/157/8/733 (free abstract)
http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=3259462
See also: Poor body image in male
athletes
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/72/81662.htm?
See also: “More obese teens seek
surgery”
http://www.msnbc.com/news/948200.asp
5) First Time Teen
Sex
Researchers from
Child Trends analyzed data of 1,909 sexually active adolescents from the 1995
National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Some of the key
findings:
- 51% of girls said
their first sexual partner was 2+ years older, compared to 13% for
guys.
- 24% of sexually
active teens said they had sex within the first month of a relationship; 37%
said 1-3 months after the start of a relationship; 39% waited 4 or more
months.
- 37% of teens said
the average duration of their first sexual relationship was 1-3 months; 19% said
4-6 months; 20% said 7 or more months; 24% had sex only once with their
partner.
http://www.childtrends.org/HomePg.asp#firsttimerb
http://www.childtrends.org/PDF/FirstTimeRB.pdf (8 page pdf
file)
See also: Newsweek reports on the growing trend of
teen prostitution from its
http://www.msnbc.com/news/950065.asp?0cv=KB10
6) Worldwide Youth
Smoking
The Global Youth
Tobacco Survey, conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and the World Health Organization on 13-15 year old adolescents, shows that
girls are beginning to catch up to boys in smoking. Worldwide, 15% of boys and
6.6% of girls smoke regularly.
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/global/GYTS.htm or
http://www.msnbc.com/news/949561.asp?0cv=HB10
See also: Cigarette manufacturer lures
celebrities with lifetime supply
http://www.jointogether.org/sa/news/summaries/reader/0,1854,566134,00.html
See also: Smokeless tobacco
rising
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/08/smokeless.htm
7) ADHD and Substance Abuse
Link
ADHD
(attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) children have a heightened risk of
substance use (alcohol, cigarettes and drugs) in adolescence, according to
research results appearing in the August 2003 issue of the Journal of Abnormal
Psychology.
http://www.apa.org/releases/adhd_drugs.html
http://www.apa.org/journals/abn/press_releases/august_2003/abn1123497.html (available Aug
17)
See also: “Genetic and environmental
risk factors in adolescent substance use”
http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/abstract.asp?ref=0021-9630&vid=44&iid=5&aid=153&s=-9999
8) Post Traumatic
Teens
Researchers found
a high percentage of youth with posttraumatic stress disorder (3.7% for boys and
6.3% for girls), major depression (7.4% for boys and 13.9% for girls), and
substance abuse/dependence (8.2% for boys and 6.2% for girls) from a survey of
4,023, 12-17 youth. The study results appear in the August 2003 issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical
Psychology.
http://www.apa.org/releases/youth_disorders.html
http://www.apa.org/journals/ccp/press_releases/august_2003/ccp714692.pdf (9 page pdf
file)
9) “State of
The State of
ü
42% of teens said a family
member was their top role model (38% mother, 27% father, 16% sibling, 7%
grandparent), followed by friend/family friend (16%), entertainer (12%), teacher
(8%), sports figure (7%), and religious leader
(5%).
ü
Teens said 85% of mothers and
60% of fathers live with them
ü
The “major problems” of teens
were the pressure to get good grades (35%), followed by family problems/getting
along with parents (17%), financial pressure (17%), pressure to look a certain
way (13%), pressure to do drugs or drink (12%), pressure to engage in sexual
activity (9%), loneliness or feeling left out (8%).
http://www.horatioalger.org/pubmat/submit02.cfm (63 page pdf file, registration
required)
10) “Big Brother” at
School
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2003-08-10-webcams-usat_x.htm or
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CLASSROOM_CAMERAS?
CPYU
Resources:
“How to use your HEAD to guard your HEART: a 3-D
Guide to making responsible music choices” is a colorful 12
page resource by CPYU’s Walt Mueller. 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
Music
Resource: If you want to know and influence kids in
today's culture, you've got to know and respond to their music. In the “More
Than Noise” video, CPYU's Walt Mueller takes viewers on an informative and
practical journey through the confusing maze of today's popular music. The video
is broken up into 5 parts for classroom use, and includes a helpful study-guide.
Copies are available for a suggested donation of $15. Order your copy with a
credit card by calling CPYU at 717-361-8429.
Magazine: “YouthCulture @ Today” is the Center for
Parent/Youth Understanding’s 24-page, ad-free, quarterly magazine that is full
of up-to-date information and in-depth analysis on today’s youth culture.
Available for a donation of $15 a year, you can sign up
by either calling CPYU on the phone, 800-807-CPYU, or by downloading the order
form from 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/cultquest.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
“It was shocking
to me that it was such a rarity. Me and my friends took the same vow together,
so that was my life. I was naïve to say what I said in an interview, but I don’t
regret saying it, because I think that it impacted a lot of
girls.”
- Singer/actress
Jessica Simpson speaking about her widely publicized ‘no sex before marriage’
pledge, CosmoGirl, September 2003, p.
139.
“Freakin’
horrible. You know what I mean? It was hard for me that he was so exploitative.
Every interview that he did, he was talking about us in such an open way, and I
just felt, ‘Is nothing sacred any more?’”
- Britney Spears speaking about
former boyfriend Justin Timberlake, as reported on
TeenHollywood.com.
http://www.teenhollywood.com/d.asp?r=43718&cat=1055
“I’m looking for
spontaneity, happiness, a Christian guy—someone I can have fun with. It’s not
just about kissing or anything sexual. If you have fun together, that should be
the basis of a relationship.”
- Kelly Rowland (Destiny’s
Child), Teen Vogue, Aug/Sep 2003, p.
128.
“I’m glad I was
raised in bars. I learned about sexuality before sex was an issue. I learned
about what women would do for a compliment before I had to do
it.”
- Singer/songwriter Jewel, Blender, June/July 2003, p.
121.
“The truth leaves
a repairable cut, but a lie leaves a jagged wound. It doesn’t easily
heal.”
- Will Smith quoted in the
September 2003 issue of CosmoGirl, p.
135.
“Unfortunately,
today [drugs] are so accessible. I was watching this documentary on TV and—I
couldn’t believe it—they were telling you how to make crystal meth. I was
thinking, ‘You just killed a billion more people.’”
- Macy Gray (born Natalie
McIntyre), Entertainment Weekly,
“Yes, I saw some
crazy stuff—drugs, guns—at a very young age, but that was my regular thing. It
was what I knew.”
- Rapper Eve (Eve Jihan
Jeffers), Teen Vogue, Aug/Sep 2003,
p. 159.
“I think it’s
probably the best antidrug song I ever heard.”
- Johnny Cash
talking about his cover of the Nine Inch Nails song, Hurt, which has earned him
six MTV Music Video Awards nominations,
Time, August 4, 2003, p. 75.
“It’s helpful to
have a parent who is a recovering drug addict and alcoholic. It makes their
abusing it a lot trickier because we don’t have alcohol in the
house.”
- Actress Jamie Lee Curtis,
“Drugs get you out
of your own way and help you get to another side of yourself. You just don’t
want to get caught doing them all the time, because then you lose the original
force of creativity. I wrote a lot of great songs high, and I wrote better ones
sober.”
- Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler,
Rolling Stone,
“These books have
to be stories with a moral or ethical lesson behind them. You need to be careful
not to destroy a child's belief system.”
- Veteran singer
Kenny Rogers speaking about the unique responsibilities associated with
children’s book writing, Reuters,
http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=3250902
“Sometimes you
think because the kids are older that divorce don’t effect ‘em, but that really
did.”
- Ruben Studdard’s
mom (American Idol winner) speaking
about the impact of her divorce while Ruben was a freshman at Alabama A&M
University, Rolling Stone, August 21,
2003, p. 48.
“I don’t encourage
people to go get surgery. I think they often do it for the wrong reasons,
thinking if they have breast implants or a nose job, it will make them feel
better about themselves. They change their bodies but haven’t dealt with their
self-esteem”
- Actress/rapper Queen Latifah,
USA Today,
Lyrical
Expression
I feel the weight
of the world on my shoulder, As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets
colder
Most of us only care about money makin', Selfishness got us followin'
our own direction
Wrong information always shown by the media, Negative
images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria,
Kids act like what they see in the cinema
Yo', whatever happened to the
values of humanity, Whatever happened to the fairness in equality
Instead in
spreading love we spreading animosity, Lack of understanding, leading lives away
from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under, That's the
reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm
feelin' under, Gotta keep my faith alive to lovers bound
People killin',
people dyin', Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what
you preach, And would you turn the other cheek
Father, Father, Father help
us, Send us some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me
questionin', Where is the love (Love)
- “Where is the Love?” by the Black Eyed
Peas from the Elephunk album. The
song is
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/blackeyedpeas/whereisthelove.html
http://launch.yahoo.com/artist/default.asp?artistID=1034904 (watch the #1 ranked video on the Launch
web-site
Come and hold my
hand I wanna contact the living, Not sure I understand this rope I've been
given
I sit and talk to God and he just laughs at my plans, My head speaks a
language, I don't understand
I just wanna feel real love fill the home that I
live in, Cos I got too much life running thru my veins
Going to waste, I
don't wanna die, But I ain't keen on living either . . .
I just wanna feel
real love and the love ever after
There's a hole in my soul, you can see it
in my face, it's a real big place
- Feel by Robbie Williams which appears
on the top-selling Now 13 album (#2
on the Billboard 200™ chart, dated
Current
Culture Image
This Phat Farm ad
appeared in the March 2003 editions of Vibe, p. 59, and The Source, p. 85. The ad shows a Phat
Farm sneaker below a picture of Run from Run-D.M.C. with the tag line “Isn’t it
time for change?” The smaller print reads, “Economic justice now . . .
Reparations is not a racial issue. It’s an American justice issue.
Reparations now.” This ad could be used to facilitate a discussion of race
relations.
Culture Links
The mission of
YouthSource.com, as it appears on their website, is, “To encourage, instruct, equip, and inspire
the youth pastors and leaders of this
generation.”
http://www.youthsource.com/index.html
TheSource.com is
“the website of hip-hop music, culture &
politics”.
http://www.thesource.com/html/frames.htm
A phenomenal site
offering info and cultural analysis from a thoughtful Christian perspective in
response to the challenges of thinking, living and understanding that
characterize out postmodern age.
Walt Mueller’s
“CQ” (Commentary/Quote)
“Unfortunately,
our definition of what is ugly and overweight has been defined by television. TV
is overloaded with the ‘beautiful people’ who don’t look much like anything most
of us see when we look in the mirror . . . Today’s shows are engaging, but they
provide our kids with more than a half hour of entertainment. They are full of
spoken and unspoken lessons on life that powerfully shape impressionable young
hearts and minds.
One of the most
powerful lessons is that of body image and appearance. They learn that teens who
have fun with friends have nice bodies, beautiful hair, and clear complexions.
While these messages are no doubt life-shaping for males, too, it is girls who
pay the highest price.”
-From Walt
Mueller's award winning book “Understanding Today’s Youth Culture”, pp.
150-151.
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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 youth workers, 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.
CPYU grants
permission to cite or quote the “Youth Culture e-Update” electronically or in
print as long as the source is cited as “the Center for Parent/Youth
Understanding's Youth Culture e-Update - Doug West,
ed.”