Thomas Meadows @tmeadow30-blog - Tumblr Blog

Final Reflection and Mindmap

When I was constructing my mindmap, I wanted to briefly outline the topics in the course that stuck with me. I also wanted to include images along with each concept to provide an example of what I think of when I hear or read that concept. I found this course to be very interesting because I believe that understanding our youth and their tendencies is the key to improving our country. I believe that this course was interesting in the way that it not only focused on current youth culture, but it also focused on the changes in youth culture of our past. I think this course is important because it can also allow us to understand how youth culture can shift in the event of crisis or war. I will personally use the knowledge gained in this course as a parent. For example, I will ensure that I raise my daughter with the belief that she can accomplish whatever she desires regardless of social norms. I will teach my son that there is nothing wrong with showing emotion. Though this course in not directly related to my major, I will find useful ways to apply the valuable information I have taken from this course in my day to day life. Another valuable piece of information I have learned from this course is that time changes many things, but it has not changed the desire of children and youth. They still want the same things they wanted in history. Young adults just want to find how they can exist and thrive in society while also allowing their individuality to be seen.

amstyouthculture

I completely agree, tmeadow30, that regardless of changes in historical context, youths “still want the same things…Young adults just want to find how they can exist and thrive in society while also allowing their individuality to be seen.” I would argue that it is because youths are not treated as full citizens (legally, socially, culturally, physiologically, etc.). Why do you think that this quest for belonging is a constant attribute of youths regardless of the time period?

tmeadow30-blog

I believe that around early teen years our thinking begins to change. We transition from thinking like children where we concern ourselves with mostly simple ideas of life, to more adult thinking. I think this sets off an alarm in our heads and begins to feel like a ticking clock counting down our childhood. I think we all deal with this pressure in a similar way throughout time. Each person then encounters their own individual journey of coping with this knew awareness to growing up.

Final Reflection and Mindmap

#amst201youth #amst201project

destinymjohnson-purdue-blog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfhIcgGpWhs

In the 1985 film The Breakfast Club directed by John Hughes a group of white middle class misfits are forced to spend a Saturday in detention writing a paper on “who they think they are” as a result of their delinquent activities. The stereotypical personalities of the average high school population are represented in this group; the brain (Brian Johnson), the athlete (Andy Clark), the basket case (Allison Reynolds), the princess (Claire Standish), and the criminal (John Bender), as is described in the opening dialogue. Initially, it seems as though the different spheres that they exist in will permanently keep them from ever being social equals, but when faced with adult adversity they unite and support the cause of youthful rebellion, a sign we see in the first 10 minutes of the film. Much like the readings that we have been covering, this film seems to follow the trend of youths acting out, adults attempting to compartmentalize and control them, and through their resistance to this, youths consequentially ‘define/find’ themselves.

The Breakfast Club partakes in a number of different rebellious activities, smoking weed, sneaking out of the library, having dance parties, the works. And through these activities, the youths progressively begin to learn more about each other’s backgrounds and themselves. So, in the end the figure out that they are not as different from one another as they assumed. One of the biggest commonalities they discover in the early phases of the film is that they are all in some way or another oppressed by the actions of the adult figures in their lives. The jock is pressured by his father and coach to be “a winner” – he explains this by comparing himself to a race horse, while the preppy princess is stuck between her dysfunctional parents who use her as a way to get back at each other. On the other hand, we have the criminal whose parents condemn him like the rest of society and discriminate against him in every possible way, and the nerd who is pushed so hard to be an academic stud that it becomes a crutch when he’s faced with mastering a skill that requires more than just his brain. The only individual in this film that doesn’t actually have to be in detention is the basket case, whose parents don’t even care that she’s spending her Saturday there. What’s interesting is that these pressures are what caused them to act out in the first place.

Issues of sexuality, social association/identification, abusive authority, parental negligence, and youth rebellion are brought to light as the day continues on. One by one, each person confesses the real reason for why they are in detention and with their confessions arise the truth behind issues they face as individuals and as a group. We see the ways in which adult constraints and their attempts at control deeply affect the youths that are at the mercy of their actions, and how youths, through going against their adult figures, use one another to find their own identities. In the end, the youths are united into the “Breakfast Club” and the adults are ostracized from the world they’ve created for themselves, much like the HIV patients in the Podcast and the minority youths in Rios’ Dummy Smart analysis.

This movie does a great job of breaking down the flaws behind the social structures that high school students are supposedly preordained to fall into and the way in which adults attempt to control them during this time. What it all really boils down to is that kids are just being kids. One thing that I did notice though was that though there was social diversity, there was no ethnic diversity presented in this film. It would be interesting to see a remake of this film that included that.

tmeadow30-blog

I really enjoyed your analysis! I think this film also shows how we can sometimes be blinded by prejudice and can make judgments of others too quickly. In this film, some of the students in detention do not come from the good family atmosphere that others do. They see them as lesser and treat them as misfits. They soon learn of their situation and their home life and this brings the group closer together. It just goes to show that everyone has a story to be told.

#amst201youth #amst201peerreview

emilyespich-blog

Grease - Final Film Analysis

https://youtu.be/wzWmxjYNfz4

Grease is a film based in the 1950s. It is about a pair of not so rival gangs and their journey through their senior year. Danny, the greaser, and Sandy, the good girl, met the summer before their senior year and had a romantic time. They thought they would never see each other ever again. Plans changed and Sandy ended up attending the same high school as Danny. After a rocky start the two finally fell in love and become the it couple.

This movie showcases teenage rebellion and conformity. Sandy ends up changing herself to please Danny and conform to the gang she wants to be a part of. Sandy goes from being the good girl from australia to being a big-haired, leather pants wearing smoker. Sandy feels she has to do this when she starts to think that Danny won’t continue to be interested in her compared to all the other girls he hangs around with. This can also be seen as a form of rebellion. Even though her parents are not part of this movie you could almost assume their exact reaction to their little girl completely changing her looks and picking up different habits. Smoking is also a major form of conformity in this movie. There was at least one person smoking in almost every scene that didn’t involve them being in school. This movie does a good job of portraying the image smoking created of being cool. The first scene where we see Danny, the ‘coolest’ guy at school, is of him smoking on school grounds.

Another concept from our class that was covered in this movie was gangs. The gangs portrayed in this movie are not of the same nature of the ones we learned about in class, but they are still gangs. The T-birds and the Pink Ladies are the ‘gangs’ in this movie. These gangs are not shown to be violent, they are pretty much just a group of kids hanging out together.

These gangs play a major factor in creating the image of youth culture in Grease. They reinforce the idea of belonging and conformity. They also prove the general idea of kids always hanging out with their friends and typically having one group of friends at a time. The opening credits of Grease also foreshadows a different element of youth culture. The movie starts with a short animated opening scene of all the characters waking up and going to school. The way each person is drawn to look when they wake up and the actions they perform between getting up and going to class are directly connected to the type of social class their characters are in. An example of this is how Sandy wakes up looking gorgeous and wearing a sheer robe and gets ready in front of a vanity (like a typical higher class person might) and Danny wakes up with his long hair in a messy afro and gets dressed as quick as possible and heads off to school (like a typical middle class high school boy might).

This movie also has a large emphasis on smoking, drinking and sex. These practices are portrayed as the norm for the youths in this culture. The act of smoking, again, is tied to being cool and popular. The same goes for sex really. It seems to be the one thing most of these kids are living for. However, one very common practice that is much less risque was the dancing. This movie focuses on dancing as a common pass time, as it was during the 50s. Rydell high school hosts a dancing competition that everyone, even the ‘cool’ kids, attends. I feel like this is not something that is common in youth culture today, but it definitely was during this time period.

As I have mentioned several times already the youths in this film seem sex crazed and focused on being cool. They also seem to really care about their freedom to do what they want. There are very few adults in this film, so this gives the impression that there are not a lot of rules enforced by parents. The way boys and girls are portrayed differently in this film seems very proper for the era it is based on. The girls are focused on romance and true love, where the boys are focused on sex, looks and summer flings. The only jobs teenage girls are showed to have in this movie are waitresses and hairdressers. Whereas the teenage boys are shown being mechanics. These gender stereotypes were still pretty prevalent in this time period, but they were on the verge of getting better, which is shown in the fact that the principal is a woman.

Overall, Grease really focuses on teen conformity and rebellion. The way most of the main characters dress and the slang language they uses gives the impression that they are teens trying too hard to be their own persons. But in doing so they usually end up being just like everyone else. This movie is a great portrayal of youth culture, plus who doesn’t like watching John Travolta shake his booty. And those duets though. :)

tmeadow30-blog

Great analysis and great movie choice! I also think the movie is interesting in the way it related to males showing feelings. This reminds me of earlier in the semester where we read an article on how young boys were taught to not show emotion after WWII. I am reminded of this when John Trivolta's character is afraid to show his feelings for Sandy when his friends are around. He doesn't want to appear soft or weak because that would jeopardize his reputation.

#amst201peerreview #amst201youth

In this film, a group of friends that call themselves the Goonies embark on an adventure with the hopes of finding treasure. The area in which these Goonies live is unfortunately being bought by a wealthy member of the community. This man hopes to turn the area in which their homes currently stand into a golf course. The children find a treasure map in the attic of one of their houses and decide to take it upon themselves to try to find the treasure so that they can keep their land. While searching for such a treasure, the Goonies must also navigate rough cavernous terrain as well as a group of criminals trying to find the treasure first. Through watching this film, I noticed several occurrences where I was reminded of concepts studied in this course. I was reminded of the film "Teenage" in one particular scene. The Goonies begin to face adversity while looking through the caverns and must decide if they want to continue searching or go home. One of the children pleads with his friends by reminding them that above ground the world belongs to their parents, but the below ground belongs to them and that this is their time to do something with their lives. This reminds me of the film "Teenage" because it seemed as if the children in this film were experiencing the same need for identity and self accomplishment that the teenagers were seeking. There are also several occurrences of rebellion in this film. In fact, such a treasure hunt would've never taken place without the children disobeying their mothers order to stay in the house. When the oldest member of the group is put in charge by the adults, these children still find a way to disobey him and escape to the caverns on bikes. This film also provided a good example of how people or children with different character traits can exist together and in fact complement one another. Throughout their journey, each of the children offers up their own way to find the treasure and overcome each obstacle presented in their path. Though they do not always listen to one another completely, each member of the Goonies ultimately contribute equally to the end success of their journey. I believe this film signifies a growing sense of adventure and children during the time period. This film demonstrated the child's growing desire to participate in activities that are not considered safe and are not permitted by their parents. At the time, children want to take on a more commanding role in the household in which they can feel more in control of both their friend circle and their degree of activity both outside the home and outside the boundaries of normalcy. The identity of these youths was formed by their circumstances as well as their parents. With possible foreclosure of their homes, they believe it is upon them to take action. With little understanding of the financial world, these children do not understand why their parents feel that they are doing all they can. Such feelings shape the identity of the Goonies and give them the drive to venture outside their homes in an effort to save it.

#amst201youth #amstpurdue #amstfilm

Whatever happened to playing outside? It seems like something kids these days just don't have time for. I'm not trying to exclude myself from this generation, but I can certainly say that I spent the majority of my childhood years outdoors. Through reading the CNN article, I couldn't help but feel as if what it means to be a kid is changing into something stressful. Our changing world continues to produce more and more competition. With this growing competition, parents and children feel the need to prepare themselves for such competition. It seems that instead of enjoying being a kid and being outdoors, it is more important to learn and develop skills that you can put on a resume. This article reveals to me that competition is slowly becoming more more a apart of youth culture. I believe this is partly due to the stress of obtaining and holding a job in today's society. When parents experience such stress, they then become protective of their children and fill their schedules with activities that they hope will allow them to gain an edge on other children their age. I would argue that this article reveals that children are becoming more and more exposed to the concept of competition with their peers at an earlier age. Therefore, potentially removing the joy and relaxation that children deserve to experience when performing activities outdoors while being free of expectations.

#youthsinthenews #amst201youth

Reading Response #8: Dummy Smart

In "Dummy Smart", Rios discusses what is known as "going dumb". Rios explains this concept as the act of disenfranchised minority youth pretending to be stupid or ignorant in the presence of authoritative figures. The youth use this as a form of protest in rebellion because they feel that they are showing flaws in a system that stereotypes them as being stupid or dumb. Rios argues that youth also use this as a way to gain a reputation and respect amongst their peers. Due to their lack of opportunities and resources, these disenfranchised youth seek a different form of revenue. With the struggle to earn money, they instead seek to earn street credit. These youth see establishing a reputation as a way to earn wealth in the only world the rest of society as afforded to them. Rios also are use that such labels that have been attached to these youth from a young age and have a great deal of effect on later development. Essentially, Rios is trying to point out that minority youth turn to going dumb or criminality due not only to their lack of opportunities, but also due to need to rebel a system that has stereotyped them. If we treat these children like criminals, we are only increasing the chance that they become such. This chapter made me think about the previous chapter we read about women in corporate America and government. Like that of young minority youth, our society has an effect on the way young girls can grow up to see themselves. Like our society teaches women to believe they cannot hold positions of power, we are also teaching minority youth that they cannot be more than criminals.

#amst201youth #amstpurdue #amstreadingresponse

Film Response: Miss Representation

The film, "Miss Representation" analyzes how our society has socialized both men and women into believing that women do not belong in positions of power in both government and corporations. Believe it or not, the world around us is constantly pushing children as they grow up to fit the standards of this socially skewed concept. For example, in the film they discovered that young children, both male and female have equal aspirations to hold positions of power in adulthood. However, as young girls grow up less and less of them have the same aspirations they once did. This is a testament to how growing up in our society shapes young women. The film shows that as they grow up they see from our socialized world and the media that it is not exactly popular nor prevalent for a female to hold a position of power. I have also heard a statistic that only 10% of the highest paying corporate positions in the United States are occupied by women. Through social media and other public platforms, young girls are led to believe that their value lies in their appearance as sexual objects for men. For a woman to appear as strong and independent to society comes with the risk of such being then flipped by media to make that person appear as out-of-control, unattractive, and not feminine. When a woman is portrayed as such on a consistent basis, it can only affect the perception of society on other strong women and discourage such behavior. After watching this film, I have taken away the message that women need to be encouraged to seek whatever profession they aspire to have. I think it's important that we strive to have equal representation in both corporate America as well as our government. women make up a large portion of our population, it is only right that they control a large portion of such positions of power over the population.

#amst201youth #amstpurdue #amstfilm

Reading Response #7: Fools Banished from The Kingdom

In "Fools Banished from The Kingdom", Zilberg discuss findings on United States immigration policy that took place in the late 20th century. The purpose of this legislation was to discourage both entering and the development of Salvadorian gangs in Los Angeles. Zilberg argues the failures of such legislation. The Salvadorian youth targeted by such legislation had grown up in the United States. So, when the children were eventually deported, they were also being uprooted from the only home they had ever known and their families. After deportation, the result was not only confusion, but also further anger and rebellion from the youth. Zilberg argues that the youth were a part of a series of miniature Salvadorian gangs while living in Los Angeles. Once the youth were deported across the border, they were forced to enter into a country that they were unfamiliar with. Growing up in the United States, the youth learned customs and traditions that were not quite the same as what was practiced by native Salvadorian families. In addition to this, the gangs that the youth were a part of while living in Los Angeles were different and also rival to the mainstream gangs across the border. When the youth were deported, they were forced to attempt social and economic survival in a country they did not quite fit into anymore. As a result of this, the youth then were faced with the reality of joining the mainstream gangs in order to survive without their loved ones. Zilberg indicates that the deportation legislation passed by the United States then had the opposite effect of what it had hoped. With increased numbers joining the gangs, gang violence only increased as well. This made their plan unsuccessful. I believe this shows that the culture established where you grow up has a much larger effect on how an individual turns out than the color of their skin or their country of origin. With the separation of the youth from their families, survival instincts must take control of the individual. The result of this is desperation of the individual into doing what is wrong or necessary to survive.

#amst201youth #amstpurdue #amstreadingresponse

Reading Response #6: Double-Dutch

In “Dancin in the street to a black girls beat”, Gaunt discusses a popular game of the 1940s known as Double-Dutch. This game was primarily played by young African American girls. The game involved several kids using a jump rope combined with a series of self made songs and dance moves. Double-Dutch was significant because it allowed young African American girls to express themselves freely in a healthy and enjoyable manner. This game even allowed for young girls to enjoy their own version of what we today consider hip hop. However, in the 1970s, the New York police took the idea of the game and made it an official sport that was apart of an event held by the police force. This event was held by the force to attempt to discourage young African Americans from going down the wrong path in their eyes. Gaunt discusses how this led to the sport being controlled by the police force. When this happened, the sport was no longer unique to the young women. The force even laid out a series of rules that kept the children form being allowed to sing or dance in conjunction with the jump roping. Gaunt also draws issue with the fact that the police isolated the young black women as the group that needed to be monitored in the game. Essentially, a game that was created by young African American girls was taken from them. Once taken, the rules were changed to the point that they became isolated from both males and other races. They had lost their means of expressing themselves both physically and emotionally. This reading was similar to the podcast in the way that Cuban youth were using the punk rock as a form of identity and expression. Like the young African American girls, Cuban youth used music to establish a sense of individualism and freedom in response to living in a culture that sought to reject them and control their behavior.

#amst201youth #amstpurdue #amstreadingresponse

emilyespich-blog

Hercules Analysis

Hercules is a movie about a who goes from “zero to hero just like that!” Hercules didn’t fit in with all the other kids in Greece. He was big and clumsy and everyone tried to avoid him. He felt like he wasn’t like everyone else, and he wasn’t. He decided to “go the distance” to find out where he came from. His adoptive parents, whom he loved dearly, told him about the medallion they found on him when he was a baby. It was a symbol of the gods, so he goes on a life-altering journey to find out where he comes from. He finds out he was born a god but was turned mortal by his father’s evil nemesis. Zeus tells Hercules that he must perform acts of a true hero before he can be restored as a god and return to Olympus where he feels he belongs.

Hercules starts rigorous training with Phil. Through a coming of age montage he becomes a fit, ready-for-action hero. Hercules is then physically equipped to take on all of the monsters terrorizing Greece. These heroic acts, however, do not lead him back to god-hood however. The act of saving his damsel in distress is the act that does so. The moment he decided that another person was more important to him than his own life was his most heroic moment.

Disney portrayed a lot of ideas and lessons through this movie. Hercules came from a town where he was not appreciated and his talents were seen as hindrances. But he and his parents refused to let that stop him from becoming who he was meant to be. He kept on fighting and looking until he found where he belonged. Hercules was able to decide his own destiny. He did not let people’s words or the fact that he was turned mortal stop him from becoming a god. That is a very important lesson for kids to be able to learn.

Once Hercules did regain his title as a god, he decided that was not what he wanted. He had found something even better than a prestigious title, love. He chose to give up what he had been fighting for to chase an even bigger dream. This is something that is important for kids to understand, too. Just because you have made it to the top, does not mean you have to remain there. Hercules achieved one of the goals, took just enough time to appreciate the benefits and then moved on to the next.

This movie also uses a very rich vocabulary and an elementary introduction to the greek gods. The sheer educational aspects to this film are remarkable. Disney movies are well known for their educational experiences through entertaining movies. Hercules is not an exception to this normality.

tmeadow30-blog

I really enjoyed your analysis and I must say that I really enjoy the movie Hercules as well! I have always looked at the movie as an example of how quickly a crowd can be swayed and an unpopular figure can quickly become something quite the opposite. When Hercules first enters among the Greek people, they laugh at his efforts and are completely skeptical to the idea of him being a hero. I have always felt this shows a societies tendency to be negative and lacking in faith. Once Hercules saves them, they are very quick to board the hero train. I think that reveals a lot about both our society and the society created for this film.

#amst201youth #amst201peerreview

linzysarahhh-blog

Disney Movie Shrek

I chose to analyze the movie Shrek because I think that it represents many moral issues that are easy to overlook when paying attention to the humor of the movie. During the course of the original Shrek movie, you see the classic fairy tale play out in which the princess needs to be saved by her knight in shining armor. We are shown many handsome men who are attempting to fulfill this role, and then we see Shrek who is an ogre and is seen as gross to the commonfolk of this time. As the movie progresses, we see that Shrek has the strength to overcome many more obstacles than the other more attractive suitors do, and that his stoic and harsh personality softens. His “sidekick” is a donkey who can talk, and he gives Shrek all kinds of advice and assists him in all of his endeavors. He is a representation of loyalty and acceptance since he is best friends with Shrek even though he knows that he is looked down upon and disliked by others. Fiona is the princess that Shrek is after in the movie, and he initially does not like her, but begins to understand her more as time goes on, later we find out that Fiona turns into an ogre at night and this helps to show young girls that being society’s expectation of beauty sis not the only way to live. Being different does not mean that you are ugly or that you should not be accepted. This movie shows that love and friendship are the most important things in life, not looks or how you are seen by others.

tmeadow30-blog

I found your analysis to be very interesting. I also like to think that the movie Shrek was made to show how both couples and families can be mixed of different races and ethnic backgrounds. When the movie came out, I think that could have been a message that the film makers were trying to get across to a changing America. This movie contains such a variety of characters and beings that have found a way to coexist and band together as a community. I also believe this film shows how we should not judge someone before we really have the chance to get to know them.

#amst201peerreview #amst201youth

Disney Movie Analysis: The Lion King

Before this assignment, I had not seen the movie "The Lion King" since I was a kid. Immediately, I was surprised at just how much I noticed parallels could be drawn to both world moral values, as well as religion. Though I do not consider myself a religious person, I was able to see how this film and its character relationships show similarities to the dynamic of the Christian religion. For example, the death of Mufasa could symbolize the death of Jesus Christ. While the greed and mischief of Scar, could symbolize that of Satan. The film communicates the message that each of us has a destiny and a role in this life. This is demonstrated when Simba is left with the decision to run away from home. Once Simba grows up, he realizes his responsibility to his pride and returns to take his place as the king. This movie came out in 1994 in a time that science was continuing its rivaling of Christian beliefs. I also believe this film shows some of the confusion involved with religion during that time. This film in fact challenges the old Christian belief of magic as the work of the devil. Once the young prince, Simba, is born, a monkey named Rafiki blesses him with their modern and wild form of magic. This sort of event is contradictory to traditional bible teachings. This may be representative of the many challenges and contradictions facing Christianity toward the end of the 20th century. I believe that this film provides the message that different beings can exist together in harmony and still fulfill each individual niche in that society to work as one. One critique I would have of this film is that there are mild occurrences of sexism in several points throughout the film. In the film, the male lions are fewer in numbers, while the female lions are higher numbers. Despite this imbalance, the female lions in the film are made to be highly submissive to the males. The identity struggle that Simba endures throughout the film reminds me of the movie "Teenage". His struggle is similar in the way that he too is searching for his place in the bigger picture.

#amst201youth #amstpurdue #amstproject

destinymjohnson-purdue-blog

Young Consumers

One cultural norm that I think influences consumerism among the youthe is the expectations that come with reaching the age of 16. There are so many celebrations, rites of passage, and privileges that come with the 16th birthday and many of them can be considered to be teaching methods of consumerism. First when you turn 16 you get your license and are legally able to drive where you want, thus expanding the extent and freedom of your consumerism. Then naturally, in most cases, the car comes next. Some parents may purchase the vehicle for you simply delaying the realization that as convenient as cars maybe, they are still a part of the consumerist economy and you will eventually have to pay for it. Thus comes the need for a job, which will then lead to the increased level of freedom in your consumerism abilities. This pretty much becomes an endless cycle from then on out, and all the while your parents, are typically coaching you through it, making you understand the value of products and services rendered, and teaching you how to balance, manage, and spend your money. Pretty much laying the stepping stones for when you become an adult.

Required and elective courses in some classes are built upon curriculum that solely focuses on how to be a consumer. Thought I can’t recall specifically how they were titled it was not uncommon for me to here of fellow peers taking courses that were teaching you how to write a proper check. Not only that but a good majority of the classes that I took required outside purchases to be made in order to have the proper material to succeed in the class. Thought typically parents would bear the responsibility of purchasing these items, students are still exposed to a kind of ‘forced’ economic consumerist participation. Something else that could be acknowledge as a way of introducing consumerism to our youth is sporting events that are held by the school. It’s socially unfit for you to go through high school and not go to at least one football game, thus as a result of the social pressure you persuade your parents to give you the money so that you can participate in this common social and cultural event.

Some cultural norms that I would say condition the youth towards consumerism (though I’m not sure that it counts) is music videos and music content in general. A vast majority of the things you hear on the radio these days has to do with cars, money, and women. This type of content is mainly directed towards the youth as they are the largest and most adaptable population which in turn promotes a kind of consumerist behavior that is socially driven.

tmeadow30-blog

I really like the point you made about society influencing youth through music videos etc. A lot of songs these days are constantly centered around luxury items and the possession of expensive cars. I think the earlier you start listening to that sort of music, the sooner you start to believe that a lifestyle of that sort is the idea of success and how an individual is measured.

#amst201youth #amst201peerreview

emilyespich-blog

Children Consumerism

I personally was taught to be a consumer by my mom. Every time we all had the day together we would go shopping or go out to eat. As a young kid I began to associate family time with being out and spending money. Even to this day I associate shopping with euphoria and family time. During my school years I remember feeling pressured to have all the nice, new school supplies and clothes. When there are that many children together all day every day, most are going to feel the need to try to fit in. Sadly, kids these days associate fitting in with looking like everyone else and having what everyone else has. Another way my schooling encouraged me to be a consumer was through the various programs where you did something to get ‘money’ and then were able to spend all the ‘money’ you had on anything you wanted. An American culture norm that has impacted me and many other youths is the idea that success is measured in what you own, how you spend your time and living comfortably. Even as a hard working college student I feel the need to spend what money I do have on nicer things than I should be able to afford because I feel that I am successful. Buying things, nice things, helps to solidify feeling successful. The significance of the youths being so influenced by consumerism just fuels the consumerism. This can be good for the economy and keeping jobs in retail; however, there can also be consequences. Youths enveloped with consumerism may be more inclined to steal to get what they want. Or some might be driven to work more than they focus on education, leading to fewer people equipped for higher manager jobs.

tmeadow30-blog

I agree with the point you made about theft. The concept of consumerism is instilled in children so early that they become overly aware of their own possessions and the possessions of others. As some grow up struggling to keep up with their peers, their appetite for material possessions can only grow stronger and more difficult to control.

#amst201youth #amst201peerreview

Raising Consumers

From a young age, my parents taught me that being a consumer also requires a great deal of restraint. My parents stressed that being a good consumer meant that you purchased only the items that you need. When this is practiced consistently, the door can then be opened to the purchasing of goods and services that are considered wants. For example, when I would receive birthday money from relatives, my parents would make me wait and save the money. They would eventually allow me to spend it on something I wanted, but they first wanted me to learn to not spend money as soon as I acquired it. In school, there were classes available to students that taught how to manage expenses and perform proper budgeting. As I moved up the ranks of middle school, the opportunity of taking another level of personal finance class was made available to me. These courses taught basic concepts like balancing a checkbook and even organizing an effective grocery list. A specific example was when our class took a short field trip to the grocery store. Each student was given an allowance and was required to buy only the necessary items provided on a grocery list. The challenge of the task was to get all of the grocery items while still staying under budget. I think one cultural norm that teaches youth how to be smart consumers is the piggy bank. You learn to save money all in one spot. The bank can even teach a small feeling of buyer’s remorse to children. In order to buy what you want, you must break your piggy bank. This introduces a sentimental value to the concept of saving and spending at an early age. You have to be sure of what you need or want and understand the consequences of your purchase. I believe that this concept takes away the possibility of spending money without an important cause.

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Reading Response #5: Making of the American Child

In the reading, “Babies in Tomorrowland: Walt Disney and the Making of the American Child” Sammond argues the point that Walt Disney used his influence during the time of the depression to invent the image of the perfect American child. Sammond discussed how Disney used both his films and his amusement parks to cultivate and breed the values of the traditional white-american families. This approach was chosen because Disney wanted to target changing the ways of immigrant children. Forcing American conformity onto immigrants was not the only purpose of Disney’s work however. He also wanted his films to serve as a guide to all American families as a way to raise the ideal, successful American individual. The goal was to keep the culture and values of the white-american in the center of society in order to allow such culture to prosper while continuing to overshadow the fading cultures of working-class immigrants. Sammond’s argument is supported due to the increased level of research being conducted on white-american children during the time period. As more and more information was discovered on the culture and upbringing of these children, mass media began to make use of such information by making it public to American parents. In years to come, such knowledge would be used to serve as a blueprint for how to raise the ideal American child. Sammond’s argument is further supported by the actions of American parents when it came to the use of Walt Disney toy products for training their children. This idea can be compared to the use of baby einstein videos in today’s society. Sammond used such information to illustrate to the reader that Disney used such actions as a way to ensure the survival of his business. White-American parents were now determined both by the influence of Disney culture as well as the information revealed by scientific studies to raise their children with the objective of conformity. This strategy can still be found today. This article is just another example of how the world attempts to paint a picture in the minds of people of what makes someone good or successful in the eyes of the white majority.

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Thomas Meadows