Special Message from CPYU’s Walt Mueller regarding the SuperBowl halftime show!

http://www.cpyu.org/pageview.asp?pageid=8394

Highlighted Resource:

“How to use your HEAD to guard your HEART: a 3-D Guide to making responsible music choices” This colorful 12 page booklet is one of our most popular resources. The “3-D Guide” walks you through the 3-Ds of “Discover,” “Discern,” and “Decide” as you listen to today’s popular music and media. The “3-D Guide” will help you to “mindfully critique” media and not “mindlessly consume” it. This is a great tool to use in youth meetings as you discuss with your teens how to “think Christianly” and make wise media choices.

Limited time bulk order “3-D Guide” discount: On our website you can obtain 1-5 copies of the “3-D Guide” for a suggested donation of $3.00 each, or 6 or more for $2.00 each. Now through February 6^th (just in time for the Grammys!) we’re offering a bulk order suggested donation of $1.50 each for orders of 25 or more (phone orders only). Give us a call at 800-807-CPYU (2798).

A “3-D” Challenge: Get the “3-D Guide” into the hands of teens and have them write their own “3-D” reviews of songs, videos, movies, television shows, or any other media. They can submit them to us and we may even choose some of them to put up on our website. For examples of the format we use to write the “3-D” reviews check out the reviews in our quarterly newsletter or visit the “3-D” page on our website at: http://www.cpyu.org/pageview.asp?PageID=7278 . All submissions must follow this format, and CPYU reserves the right to use or not use the submissions on our website.

New @ www.CPYU.org

“Media & Music Survey”: Walt’s been promising to deliver a practical and comprehensive tool to discover how your teens are interacting with music and media. We’ve created this downloadable survey for you to use in your unique ministry setting.

“Teens to Watch”: This section gives profiles of teen youth culture icons. These are the teens that your teens are watching, so you should be watching and understanding them too. So far we have profiled Hilary Duff, LeBron James, and Mandy Moore. A new teen will be featured every two weeks.

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The Center for Parent/Youth Understanding’s

Youth Culture E-Update

Edition #52: January 30, 2004

EASY way to SUBSCRIBE for FREE!

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Contents:

I. Youth Culture Stats and Trends:

1) Teen Aspirations

2) Family Dinners

3) Super Bowl Ad History

4) Video Game Sales in 2003

5) Cell Phones: Loved and Lamented

6) Top Concerts in 2003

7) Music Downloading Attitudes

8) Youth Substance Abuse Treatment

9) Teen Girl Suicide

10) Teens and Spirited Airwaves

II. CPYU Resources

III. Pop Culture Quotes: Vanessa Carlton, Clint Eastwood, Mandy Moore, etc.

IV. Lyrical Expressions: Nickelback and Eamon

V. Current Culture Image

VI. Culture Links:

VII. “VCR Alert”

VIII. Walt Mueller’s Commentary

IX. E-update & CPYU information

Youth Culture Stats and Trends:

1) Teen Aspirations

A Harris Interactive YouthQuery poll of 654, 13 to 18 year-old teens, conducted online in October 2003 reveals what teens want to be when they grow up. The top 12 most prestigious occupations were: 1) Doctor (55%), 2) Member of Congress (41%), 3) Military Officer (40%), 4) Fireman (38%), 5) Scientist (36%), 6) Actor (36%), 7) Police Officer (32%), 8) Athlete (31%), 9) Lawyer (29%), 10), Entertainer (29%), 11) Teacher (26%), and Priest/Minister/Clergyman (25%).

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/newsletters/k12news/HI_Trends&TudesNews2004_v3_iss01.pdf

See also: Christian Colleges Booming

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040202-582350,00.html

2) Family Dinners

The Gallup Tuesday Briefing reports that fewer families have dinners together at home from a survey of 331 U.S. adults with children under the age of 18 conducted in December 2003. Overall, 28% of families report having dinner together at home 7 days a week (down from 38% in 2001), 47% said 4-6 days a week (up from 41% in 2001), and 24% said 0-3 days a week (up from 22% in 2001).

http://www.gallup.com/poll/tb/religValue/20040120b.asp (fee to access)

See also: Research suggests children are “hardwired” for close attachments and for moral and spiritual meaning, from a report entitled, Hardwired to Connect: The Case for Authoritative Communities.

http://www.americanvalues.org/html/hardwired.html#Press

3) Super Bowl Ad History

AdAge.com provides a historical summary of the price for a 30-second Super Bowl ad.

http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=39538

See also: Full coverage of Super Bowl ads

http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=39673 or

http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=39702

See also: Walt Mueller’s “blog” on the Super Bowl ad and Halftime incident dated Jan 29 and Feb 2, 2004

http://www.cpyu.org/pageview.asp?pageid=8394

See also: Best rated Super Bowl ads

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040202/5888927s.htm

4) Video Game Sales in 2003

The NPD Group reports that U.S. video game sales dropped slightly to $10 billion in 2003 from $10.3 billion in 2002. The top 10 console games were: 1) Madden NFL 2004, 2) Pokemon Ruby, 3) Pokemon Sapphire, 4) Need for Speed: Underground, 5) Zelda: The Wind Waker, 6) Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, 7) Mario Kart: Double Dash, 8) Tony Hawk’s Underground, 9) Enter the Matrix, 10) Medal of Honor Sun Rising.

http://www.npdfunworld.com/funServlet?nextpage=news_article.html&nwsid=5771

See also: “M” rated (17+) video games comprised 11.9% of sales in 2003, down from 13.2% in 2002, with revenue dropping to $833 million in 2003 from $911 million in 2002.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=4220164

See also: “Battle over violent video games heating up”

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040129/5879476s.htm

See also: Top 40 video game sales, January 24, 2004

http://www.gamesasylum.com/showarticle.php?articleID=2462

See also: Top 10 video game rentals for week ending January 25, 2004

http://www.gamemarketwatch.com/news/item.asp?nid=2853

5) Cell Phones: Loved and Lamented

According to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology survey of 1,023 adults and 500 teenagers conducted in November 2003, cell phones rank at the top of the most hated, but can’t live without invention list. Also, 81% of teens believe e-mail makes life simpler, compared to 59% of adults.

http://web.mit.edu/invent/n-pressreleases/n-press-04index.html

See also: Ring tones rake in $3.5 billion in 2003

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=4117364

See also: “Tracking kids 24/7”

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0128/p13s02-lifp.html

6) Top Concerts in 2003

Pollstar compiles the Top 100 Tours of 2003. Some selected highlights related to recent CPYU “YouthCulture @ Today” featured articles:

Good Charlotte: ranked jointly at 68^th with $7.7 million and individually at 92^nd with $5.4 million (see Winter 2002 issue)
Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera: ranked 18^th with $31.8 million (see Spring 2003 issue)
Dave Matthews Band: ranked 11^th with $47.1 million, but 4^th in total tickets with 1,068,328 and 4^th in average ticket sales per show with 26,056 (see Summer 2003 issue)
50 Cent: ranked 22^nd with $28.8 million (see Fall 2003 issue)

http://www.pollstaronline.com/sf-ye2003-top100.asp

7) Music Downloading Attitudes

A nationwide Harris Poll® of 2,306 U.S. adults conducted online in September 2003 reveals a generational gap of attitudes about downloading music from the Internet. 70% of 18-24 year-olds agreed with the statement, “Downloading music off the Internet is no different from buying a used CD or recording music borrowed from a friend”. The percentage dropped steadily to 36% for those 65+ years-old.

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=434

See also: “Insects inspire ‘untraceable’ online file-sharing network”

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/SciTech/FutureTech/mute_file_sharing_futuretech_040120.html

See also: “Music execs say ‘Hey Ya’ to music downloads”

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=internetNews&storyID=4134600

8) Youth Substance Abuse Treatment

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that adolescent (12-17 years old) substance abuse treatment admissions rose to 141,403 in 2001 from 95,000 in 1992. 23% of the 49% increase was due to marijuana abuse.

http://www.samhsa.gov/news/newsreleases/040129nr_TEDS2001.htm

See also: “Drinking, drug abuse continues into middle age”

http://www.healthday.com/view.cfm?id=516870

9) Teen Girl Suicide

A new study appearing the January 2004 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, as reported by ABCNews.com, highlights the importance of close friends, particularly for girls, in combating teen suicide.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/SciTech/DyeHard/suicide_girls_dyehard_040129-1.html

http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/94/1/89 (free abstract)

See also: Depressed teens and altered brain structure

http://www.healthday.com/view.cfm?id=517182

10) Teens and Spirited Airwaves

The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) analyzed 51,883 alcohol ads airing across the U.S. between June 15 and July 31, 2003. Overall, 28% of the ads were aired when underage youth accounted for more than 30% of the listening audience, which crosses the new alcohol industry threshold (down from 50%) for ad placements in youth markets. Also mentioned in the CAMY press release are average weekly media exposure rates for radio (13.5 hours per week), television (10.6 hours), Internet (7.6 hours), and magazines (3.3 hours).

http://camy.org/press/release.php?ReleaseID=18

See also: “Malibu Rum slammed for signing teen-friendly Shaggy”

http://www.cspinet.org/new/200401211.html

CPYU Resources:

To order resources from CPYU visit our “Resource Center” at http://www.cpyu.org/pageview.asp?PageID=8871 or call 800-807-CPYU (2798).

All suggested donations include shipping and handling.

Newsletter: “YouthCulture @ Today” is the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding’s 24-page, ad-free, quarterly newsletter that is full of up-to-date information and in-depth analysis on today’s youth culture. The soon-to-be-released Spring 2004 edition highlights the music and message of Outkast, and much more. “YouthCulture @ Today” is available for a suggested donation of $15 for one year (4 issues). To order your copy go to http://www.cpyu.org/pageview.asp?PageID=7265 or give us a call at 800-807-CPYU (2798).

“Youth Culture e-Update: Archive I”: The first 40 editions of the “CPYU Youth Culture e-Updates” (Nov 15, 2001 to July 15, 2003) have been archived onto CD in PDF format, along with 39 high-resolution, presentation quality images (600dpi). The CD can be easily searched and referenced for papers, presentations and meetings. The suggested donation is $17.

“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. See “Highlighted Resource” at top of e-Update.

Reproducible Handouts CD: 46 of CPYU’s best and most recent articles (over 250 pages) have been compiled on CD in “pdf” format for easy and unlimited distribution. The articles are written to help parents, youth workers, and educators understand and engage today’s teens and their culture on topics ranging from adolescent development, music and media, substance abuse, teen values, etc. The suggested donation is $17.

“More Than Noise” Video: 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” DVD, CPYU’s Walt Mueller takes viewers on an informative and practical journey through the confusing maze of today’s popular music. The DVD is broken up into 5 parts for classroom use, and includes a helpful study-guide. The suggested donation DVD is $22 for DVD; $17 for VHS.

“MEET the MILLENIALS” CD: This 90-minute presentation by CPYU’s Walt Mueller is a practical and eye-opening look at the emerging Millennial generation. Also included on the CD-Rom is the accompanying PowerPoint presentation and a .pdf file of the presentation worksheet. The suggested donation is $17.

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, go to http://www.cpyu.org/pageview.asp?PageID=7275 and/or contact CPYU at 800-807-CPYU (2798).

Pop Culture Quotes

“Music became my savior, I didn’t turn to drugs or alcohol, though I easily could have.”

“Success, I found out, doesn’t equal happiness.”

- Singer/songwriter Vanessa Carlton, Teen Vogue, February 2004, p. 162.

“As long as there is civilization, there will be music.”

- Taylor Hanson of Hanson, ElleGirl, Feb/Mar 2004, p. 73.

“I can name a thousand hip-hop videos that show even more, and no one says anything. It’s a man’s world, and my sexuality scares people.”

- Christina Aguilera talking about her skin-bearing Dirrty song/video, ElleGirl, Feb/Mar 2004, p. 87.

“Mainly, church just made me really scared of hell. It still just scares the s--- out of me. If you grew up being threatened with that, it’s really hard to be like, ‘Oh, it probably doesn’t exist.’ Even if everyone you meet tells you there’s no place like that.”

- Musician Elliott Smith reflecting back on his childhood church experience, Spin, February 2004, p. 87.

“Every situation I’ve been through has enhanced my character, and when I get past it all, I’ll become what God wants me to be.”

- Rapper 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson), Vibe, February 2004, p. 87.

“Problems that face our society are oftentimes problems that, you know, require something greater than just a government program or a government counselor to solve. Intractable problems, problems that seem impossible to solve, can be solved. There is the miracle of salvation that is real, that is tangible, that is available for all to see.”

- President Bush as quoted by the Associated Press, January 15, 2004.

“I think that it’s very strange because television is such an immediate source. People in their home feel like they know you, and then when they see you on the street, they feel like they know you as that person, when, of course, in fact you are not that person.”

- Actor Ben McKenzie (The O.C.) answering whether it’s weird to be recognized on the streets now, from a special “Little Blackbook” tear-out section of the March 2004 issue of Seventeen.

“I do believe in the sanctity of marriage; I totally do. But I think I was in Vegas and it took over me.”

- Britney Spears’ response to her marriage/annulment, as reported by USA Today, Jan 15, 2004, 2D

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040115/5840320s.htm

“You can’t understand abandonment unless you’ve been through it.”

- Actor Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill and Freaky Friday) speaking about his mother walking out on the family, YM, March 2004, p. 77.

“The biggest change is when you bring another life into the world. They're completely dependent on you. That's a big responsibility, and one that I know Elin and I will take very seriously. That will be the biggest adjustment.”

- Golfer Tiger Woods, quoted by the Associated Press and reported by USA Today, speaking about prospects of having children with fiancé Elin Nordegren

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20040113/5832423s.htm

“It has nothing to do with morality. What’s immoral about people using technology to their advantage? I don’t buy that whole ‘it’s stealing’ argument. I think that’s an outdated approach to new technology.”

- MTV News correspondent/producer Gideon Yago answering whether file sharing is a money or moral issue from the February 2004 edition of Alternative Press, p. 20.

“To the healthy mind, it doesn't do anything. Those Columbine guys? They were sickos to begin with. You could make a case, anyway, that children get introduced to violence when they read the Old Testament. There's some heavy mayhem in there!”

- Clint Eastwood answering a question about media violence influencing real life behavior, USA Weekend, January 25, 2004

http://usaweekend.com/04_issues/040125/040125clint_eastwood.html

“You can always cause a stir with an expletive and it's not something that I'm conscious of. If you use them in your everyday speech, sometimes they will come out.”

- U2’s Bono, Reuters, January 22, 2004

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=4191396

“I love saying the F-word, but I don’t say it around my family, because they think it’s unladylike. They’re right, but I can’t stop myself.”

“If you’re a public figure, you’re going to be a role model whether you want to be or not. It’s such a nice compliment when moms or even people my own age say, ‘Thanks for dressing the way you dress and being the person you are.”

- Actress/singer Mandy Moore, YM, February 2004, pp. 56 and 57.

Lyrical Expression

I like your pants around your feet, And I like the dirt that's on your knees
And I like the way you still say please, While you’re looking up at me,

You're like my favorite d___ disease . . . I like the white stains on your dress

And I love the way you pass the cheque, and I love the good times that you wreck

And I love your lack of self-respect while you’re passed out on the deck

I love my hands around your neck . . .

- Figured You Out by Nickelback from The Long Road album. The song is on the top of the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart (3 weeks in a row), dated February 7, 2004.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/nickelback/figuredyouout.html

See I don’t, know why, I liked you so much, I gave you all of my trust
I told you, I loved you, now that’s all down the drain
Ya put me through pain, I wanna let u know that I feel
[chorus:]
F*** what I said it don’t mean shit now, F*** the presents might as well throw em out
F*** all those kisses, it didn’t mean jack, F*** you, you hoe, I don’t want you back

- F*** It (I Don’t Want You Back) by Eamon. The song has been the greatest sales gainer on the Billboard Hot 100™ charts the past two weeks (dated Jan 31 and Feb 7, 2004), rising to the #22 position after 10 weeks.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eamon/fuckitidontwantyouback.html (discretion advised)

Current Culture Image

This ad for clothing manufacturer Ecko appeared in the Feb/Mar 2004 issue of ElleGirl (pp. 10-11) and the March 2004 issues of YM (p. 37) and Seventeen (p. 67). The ad shows a female standing in the foreground as two billboard signs in the background are being changed over from a provocatively posed female to an image of the foreground female who is carrying a billy-club and wearing a t-shirt that reads, “I am the American Dream”. The ad could be used to discuss the changing roles of women in culture.

Culture Links

ChristianWorldview.com provides lots of content on faith and culture matters.

http://www.christianworldview.com

AGirlsWorld.com is an interactive and informative site designed for tween and teen girls.

http://agirlsworld.com/

“VCR Alert”

Be sure to record the upcoming Grammy Awards, set to air live on CBS on Sunday February 8 at 8pm EST (check local listings). Check out the list of nominees and scheduled performers at:

http://www.grammy.org/

Walt Mueller’s Commentary

A Christ-centered world and life view offers meaning, purpose, and direction for the here and now, along with the joyful expectation of eternal salvation. But today’s world laughs at such an “outdated” way of thinking. A tragic result of our vast and rapid accumulation of knowledge has been our willingness to think of ourselves more highly than we ought. When man sees himself as the measure of all things, God is no longer necessary. The lifestyle of adult role models has combined with our teenagers’ music and media to send a strong message: “You don’t need God.”

- Excerpt from Walt’s award winning book, Understanding Today’s Youth Culture, p. 349.

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The CPYU “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 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.

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.”

“CPYU Youth Culture E-Update” Subscription Info:

To Subscribe: Go to www.cpyu.org, type in your e-ddress in the box under the “e-Update” logo, and hit “Go”.

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