YOUTH

Characteristics of Youth

nToday’s youth,

nIs a critical youth which, having considerably increased its cultural assets, is logically led to think more, to reflect, to judge;

nIt is a demanding youth which, though it may sometimes exaggerate and succumb to personal selfishness, wants and claims honesty, truthfulness, justice and consistency;

nit is a questioning youth which wants to account for what is happening, which looks for the meaning of its own life and the significance of the history of man and of the whole universe, which invokes certainty and clarity on its own destiny and with regard to its own conduct;

nit is a youth anxious for truth, ideals for which to live, responsibility, moral beauty, innocence and joy.

nGeneration Y came of age during an unprecedented time of growth, when technology was rapidly growing in popularity. The environment in which they grew up expected more of them. They needed to be faster, more efficient, smarter and more available then previous generations…

nThe generation Ys (born between 1980 and 1999)

nA period of falling birth rates

nSometimes called the trophy kids generation – high demands to succeed

nMore connected than any previous generations

nOf those surveyed, 76% use instant messaging applications (IM)

n75% IM while doing school work

n28% own blogs

n69% have facebook accounts

nAccording to psychologist Jean Twenge of San Diego State University, the Gen Ys may be heading for a fall when their self-esteem is punctured by reality. Gen Ys think too highly of themselves

nAccording to the biggest time trend study conducted in Britain, the mental health of teenagers have declined sharply in the last 25 years.

nIn Singapore, juvenile crime rose more than 50%  between 2001 and 2002

nWhat are the problems typically plaguing the youth of today?

nYouth deviants – a real threat. What are the major causes of deviation in youth?

n

n Today’s affluent youth are plagued with idleness, which encourages experimentation

n

nDistance and aversion between youth and elder family members.

n

nParents going out to work, and spending less time at home.

n

nInfluence of the mass media

nAn idle mind is the devil’s workshop

n

nHow far to do agree with the dangers of idleness?

n

nWhy are the youth of today faced with this problem?

nE.g. one in three young people regret one-night stands

nA quarter of study participants had regrets about their tattoos

nDistance and aversion between youth and elders

nSearch for own identity

nOther priorities

nTeenage angst

n

nDo teens hate their elders?

nWorking parents spend less time with teens

nTeens going to others’ for advice / comfort

nNot able to spot ‘warning signals’ early

nMaterial compensation worsens the problem

n

nMass media

nTeens spend 5-6 hours a day with some form of media

nTeens actively seek to understand the media

nMass media – teens’ sources of sexual information

nParents (uncomfortable)

nSchool / religion (abstinence)

nPeers (learning from media?)

nMedia (by default?)

nIdentity: Who am I / want to be?

nSelection: Which media satisfies my information need / mood/ entertainment

nInterpretation: What does it mean?

nApplication: How does it fit into my life?