Understanding Today's Youth Culture

Rating:
Summary: Good Reading
Review: For me this book was somewhat of a revelation on what I went through during my teen years. I am sure this book would have helped my parents deal with what I went through a great deal had they read it while I was in high school. In this book, Mueller attempts to show parents, youth workers, and anyone who cares about teens what they are experiencing during those tumultuous years between thirteen and nineteen. Mueller introduces his reader to the material aiming mostly at parents of teenagers; this required me as a reader to always be asking how does this affect my ministry, or my students. While this was mostly helpful it would generally be a better guide for parents than youth workers. He then goes on to talk about teens and how they are influenced by music, the media, and how parents should help their teens navigate through this complicated web of adolescence. Although a little bit out of step with today's fads, Mueller's points hit the right chords and can still be applied today. I again found myself having to switch my frame of reference to make the examples current. The author then dives into looking at what pressures teens face today from peer pressure, to love and relationships including sex, and popular culture as a whole. He turns from those topics into drug and substance abuse and depression and the state of teen's psyche. Mueller brings his book together in a fairly good fashion by helping to show parents how to point their children towards Christ. I really enjoyed how Mueller had practical ideas for parents at the end of each chapter. There is nothing worse than a book on a topic that does not offer practical advice, but Mueller did not leave this important part out. I would like to use Muller's practical opinions on the media and its influence on teens to do a Sunday school series on how the media can influence teens and what they need to do to be aware of what is swirling around them at all times. I think we underestimate the power of the media and Mueller softly reminds us of how we need to be vigilant as to what we put into our heads, consciously or unconsciously. The author's practical applications prodded this reader to look at where I could make a small dent in these influences, or at least make my students more aware of what is going on around them. I did find the statistics the author used to be somewhat closed to the evangelical community. I think in order to have a more balanced use of evidence Muller could have opened his eyes up to some more secular statistics and surveys, hopefully to balance out the information he received. In general this book was helpful and practical. I would recommend it to parents of students in my youth group, with the simple caveat of changing the examples to current examples as much as possible.

Rating:
Summary: Good Reading
Review: For me this book was somewhat of a revelation on what I went through during my teen years. I am sure this book would have helped my parents deal with what I went through a great deal had they read it while I was in high school. In this book, Mueller attempts to show parents, youth workers, and anyone who cares about teens what they are experiencing during those tumultuous years between thirteen and nineteen. Mueller introduces his reader to the material aiming mostly at parents of teenagers; this required me as a reader to always be asking how does this affect my ministry, or my students. While this was mostly helpful it would generally be a better guide for parents than youth workers. He then goes on to talk about teens and how they are influenced by music, the media, and how parents should help their teens navigate through this complicated web of adolescence. Although a little bit out of step with today's fads, Mueller's points hit the right chords and can still be applied today. I again found myself having to switch my frame of reference to make the examples current. The author then dives into looking at what pressures teens face today from peer pressure, to love and relationships including sex, and popular culture as a whole. He turns from those topics into drug and substance abuse and depression and the state of teen's psyche. Mueller brings his book together in a fairly good fashion by helping to show parents how to point their children towards Christ. I really enjoyed how Mueller had practical ideas for parents at the end of each chapter. There is nothing worse than a book on a topic that does not offer practical advice, but Mueller did not leave this important part out. I would like to use Muller's practical opinions on the media and its influence on teens to do a Sunday school series on how the media can influence teens and what they need to do to be aware of what is swirling around them at all times. I think we underestimate the power of the media and Mueller softly reminds us of how we need to be vigilant as to what we put into our heads, consciously or unconsciously. The author's practical applications prodded this reader to look at where I could make a small dent in these influences, or at least make my students more aware of what is going on around them. I did find the statistics the author used to be somewhat closed to the evangelical community. I think in order to have a more balanced use of evidence Muller could have opened his eyes up to some more secular statistics and surveys, hopefully to balance out the information he received. In general this book was helpful and practical. I would recommend it to parents of students in my youth group, with the simple caveat of changing the examples to current examples as much as possible.

Rating:
Summary: Issues among teens in the early to mid 1990s
Review: Mueller's book goes into detail about many aspects of the youth culture of the early and mid 1990s. He does this in a way that it is speaking directly to the parent of a youth, however the book claims it is useful for all who work for youth, which it is, if one can get over the direct speaking to parents.

The first few chapters of the book basically serve as an introduction to the rest of the book, bracing the reader for what is to come. Mueller gives some statistics about the youth culture and also gives some examples of what he feels is wrong in the culture. He follows this by patting the parent on the back for reading his book by mentioning that parents need to know their teen's culture. By reading the book, a parent is beginning to get involved in the culture. Mueller lists some other ways of getting into the culture, such as watching youth in a mall or listening and observing their teens with their friends. One item which Mueller doesn't mention which I hav! e found very helpful in understanding the teen culture is reading their magazines. Just go to a local newsstand and purchase a few magazines which target the audience. For boys, this will often be skating, music, and wrestling magazines. For girls, pick up some dream-teen and lifestyle magazines.

The book includes discussion on a wide variety of issues in the teen culture today. These include a lengthy, but not complete, discussion on music and media, sex, peer pressure, materialism, drugs, and depression and suicide. Each section provides a background of the issue, with many documented, although not necessarily scientific and well researched, studies conducted among youth. At or near the end of each chapter is some often helpful advice to parents on how to deal with the particular issue among their own children. This advice is often both biblical and practical.

There are several areas of concern to this reviewer about the book. One already mentioned is the inclus! ion of some studies which may not reveal accurate results. ! Many of these studies come from conservative Christian organizations which may limit the audience of the participants within the study. They may also not take a scientific approach, choosing instead to first have a conclusion and then prove it, rather than gather statistics then coming to a conclusion. This is only a possibility. I am likely making a bigger deal out of this than is warranted. All the studies may indeed be accurate.

In his discussion on music, Mueller lists many types of music and gives a description on how it may influence a youth negatively. Rarely does he look at how music may influence a youth positively. I was surprised that he completely left out any discussion of Christian Hit Radio style music, which while often times theologically lacking or inaccurate, does provide a positive message. Mueller fails to mention such musical styles as new age or smooth jazz, classical, country, and oldies. One may think that this type of music would not need! to be mentioned as teens don't listen to these styles. However, it has been this reviewer's experience that many do listen to these styles on at least an occasional basis.

The reader would be better off reading another source about suicide. While the reasons a person may contemplate suicide are quite well done, Mueller's facts, figures, and logic do not correspond to an accurate view of suicide. On a side note, in chapter 12, Mueller asserts that the adolescent chooses to be depressed. Depression is just but one reason an adolescent may consider suicide. I have researched the topic of suicide in the past, and Mueller's dealings with the subject matter make me feel less comfortable with Mueller's discussion on other matters.

While the above may seem as though the book is not good, it in fact is good. The summaries of the issues were, for the most part, well done. I very much feel that the sections on what parents can do to help their youth in this turbulent time wer! e great. There are too many books that give you the summar! ies of the issues but leave one hanging on what to do about those issues. The discussion on materialism I found to be quite informative. This is actually a large problem in today's middle and upper class families, both for the youth and the adults. Even though the problem is so widespread, the issue is rarely discussed. I applaud Mueller's decision to include this section. I also applaud Mueller's humility in admitting that even he falls to materialism quite often.

Who is this book geared for? I read it as a youth minister, and I don't find much new in it. I don't believe a parent would find anything new in the book either. However, the book does serve as a reminder of many topics, and may help start discussion on the issues between adults in youth. The discussion starter aspect of the book makes it useful for both parents and in ministry.

The book is a worthwhile read if only to get an overview and reminder of what a teenager in this world faces. It is to easy! to write off a teen as a hopeless cause or the behavior as just being teenage behavior which will be grown out of. This book will help the adult remember their own teen years as well as help in understanding the world in which the teen lives in today.

Rating:
Summary: A must-have for parents, teachers, anyone working with kids
Review: Obviously, the person who wrote the above evaluation has his doctorate of youth culture studies and therefore, didn't gain much from the book. I read the book as a youth worker of 19 years and father of 4 teenage sons. The book not only grasps what is means to be an adolescent but how both parents and youth workers can benefit. The thing I enjoy most about the book is that it accurately describes what many of our Canadian youth are going through as well. It is mandatory reading in the Youth Culture classes that I teach in Toronto and recommended reading for all the parents that I deal with in the parenting adolescent seminars that I teach. The key to the greatness of the book is for youth workers and parents alike to apply what they have learned. Unlike the evaluator above, I am not afraid to leave my name.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best overviews of American youth culture.
Review: Obviously, the person who wrote the above evaluation has his doctorate of youth culture studies and therefore, didn't gain much from the book. I read the book as a youth worker of 19 years and father of 4 teenage sons. The book not only grasps what is means to be an adolescent but how both parents and youth workers can benefit. The thing I enjoy most about the book is that it accurately describes what many of our Canadian youth are going through as well. It is mandatory reading in the Youth Culture classes that I teach in Toronto and recommended reading for all the parents that I deal with in the parenting adolescent seminars that I teach. The key to the greatness of the book is for youth workers and parents alike to apply what they have learned. Unlike the evaluator above, I am not afraid to leave my name.

Rating:
Summary: A must-have for parents, teachers, anyone working with kids
Review: Walt's book is a must have for anyone who is working with young people - whether they are parents, teachers, youth pastors, coaches, etc. This book contains a very balanced, level-headed approach to youth culture, going way beyond the surface. Walt takes a much-needed hard look at the reasons kids engage various media. Anyone struggling to make sense of the adolescent sub-culture will appreciate Walt's window into a world too many people ignore. One of the best features of the book is the way the author weaves in issues of adolescent development and spirituality into the discussions about youth culture and the problems facing many kids. Parents will especially appreciate the way Walt provides some "hands on" ways of constructively interacting with their children.