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Youth culture
Youth culture generally refers to the ways young people (adolescents and teenagers) differentiate themselves from the general culture of their community. A youth subculture as such is recent, thought to start around the mid-20th century, that is, after World War II, due to the economic, political, and educational changes. It was typically a feature of Western civilization.
Youth culture, may appear rebellious but may centre on conformity to an "in-group" as youth is a time of identity formation.
Youth culture - History
Prior to World War II, young people in Western culture had little freedom or influence. With the development of post-war affluence and the subsequent baby boom in the USA, young people began to have influence and, eventually, buying power. Throughout the 1950s, the growing numbers of young people in the US and Europe began to greatly influence music, television, and cinema, spurring the explosion of rock & roll in the late-1950s and a full-blown youth culture in the mid-1960s, partly in the form of sub-cultures of mods, rockers, and hippies.
The tastes of young people began to drive fashion and even literature, and most consumer goods manufacturers developed strategies to market to them. Young people being more open to change and challenge, technology came more easily and fashions changed more quickly. Baby boomers began to enter the work force in the 1970s and thereby wielded even greater influence, helping to innovate the computer revolution, which would be exploited fully by the next generations of young people right behind them.
Adolescence, Alternative culture, Generation X, Generation Y, Japanese cell phone culture, Marketing to teenagers, Ryan McGinley, Paul Pope, Popular culture, Rebel Without a Cause, Rock and roll, Student activism, Teen idol, Youth activism, Youth council, Youth ministry, Youth voice
Youth culture - USA
American youth culture is to some extent a creation of the media and marketing efforts. This leaves many teens feeling relative ambivalence toward "big corporations".
MTV is seen as a youth culture trendsetter. Teens look to such programs for advice on fashion, attire, and makeup.
A common trend is metrosexuality or androgyny in the following subcultures:
- emo
- goth
- hipster
- electroclash
- hippy
- party
- club
An acceptance for altenative sexualties and gender constructs are also apparent.
There are a number of stereotypes of American youth, relating to dress, music, relationships, and attitudes to life. Many of these stereotypes are pejorative and simply stereotypes.
Youth culture - Common Stereotypes
- angst
- ambivalence
- cliques
- rebellion
- apathy
- cynicism
- quirkiness
These tend to fluctuate amongst teens and though some may influence their lives, they don't necessarily indicate a need for worry or overbearing.
Youth culture - Trends
Ironically, what is "cool" is not considered cool when it becomes too mainstream.
Hipsters, emo, electroclash kids, goth, hippy, club, and party culture are all known for their active involvement in technology, drugs and media at large.
Youth culture - Cultures & Trends
Marketing to teens and preteens remains elusive. Marketers are unsure how to accurately depict their lifestyles.
It's common for young adults to take interest in subcultures and various lifestyles. Some outphase this during adulthood, but even adults adhere to the nostalgia of their past.
Youth culture - Youth cultures
See also: List of subcultures, List of youth subcultures & Scene (youth)
- culchie (Ireland)
- disco
- edelweiss pirates
- electroclash kids
- emo
- flash mobs
- goths
- grunger
- hip-hop
- hipsters
- hippy
- mod/mods and rockers
- moshers
- party
- punk
- rock and roll
- rockers
- scallies/chavs
- scene (youth)
- surf culture
- skaters
- skinheads
- straight edge
- swing kids
- teddy boy
- townies
See also
- Adolescence
- Alternative culture
- Generation X
- Generation Y
- Japanese cell phone culture
- Marketing to teenagers
- Ryan McGinley
- Paul Pope
- Popular culture
- Rebel Without a Cause
- Rock and roll
- Student activism
- Teen idol
- Youth activism
- Youth council
- Youth ministry
- Youth voice
Category: Subcultures
Other related archives1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 20th century, Adolescence, Alternative culture, Baby boomers, Europe, Generation X, Generation Y, Hipsters, Japanese cell phone culture, List of subcultures, List of youth subcultures, MTV, Marketers, Marketing, Paul Pope, Popular culture, Rebel Without a Cause, Rock and roll, Ryan McGinley, Scene (youth), Student activism, Subcultures, Teen idol, USA, Western civilization, Western culture, World War II, Youth activism, Youth council, Youth ministry, Youth voice, adolescents and teenagers, adulthood, ambivalence, androgyny, angst, apathy, attire, baby boom, chavs, cliques, club, computer revolution, conformity, culchie, cynicism, disco, drugs, edelweiss pirates, electroclash, electroclash kids, emo, fashion, flash mobs, goth, goths, grunger, hip-hop, hippies, hippy, hipster, hipsters, identity, lifestyles, mainstream, makeup, marketing, media, metrosexuality, mod, mods, mods and rockers, moshers, party, pejorative, punk, rebellion, rebellious, rock & roll, rock and roll, rockers, scallies, scene (youth), skaters, skinheads, stereotypes, straight edge, subculture, subcultures, surf culture, swing kids, technology, teddy boy, townies, youth
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