Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Tez]

Author: Terry Cleaver
Date: 21-01-04 16:35

Hi all,
I'm in my 2nd year of A-Level Media Studies and currently doing a case study for that falls into the above category.
My full hypothesis is "Pop Music and Merchandise - Influencing Youth Culture?"
This is what I am going to be doing for the 2734 exam and I will be targeting my research at the UK Top 40 this week by listening to one of the top 40 shows and targeting teens with questionnaires asking their opinions.
My aims for the project are to find out "How merchandise is influencing youth culture (and vice versa) and to state whether pop music through merchandise influences youth culture".

Now, you may be thinking why have I posted this on here. Well, I hope you will be able to provide me with some of your opinions on this subject and perhaps even answer the questions in my hypothesis through your own opinions.
So far I have done extensive research on the internet through media theories and would like some people's opinions on this topic area or suggestions of where I can find related information.

Thank you very much
Terry

[Anxious Heart]

I'm sorry, that this reply took so long, but it's very hard to catch a relaxing, nice moment to write everything, you want to write about that topic... so, I'll try.

It is one way, defining generations by their music. I experienced this a couple of times, e.g. when the radio played a famous song from the 70's and my Mum and Dad were singing it very loud and laughing and reminding each other on their youth. Music saves memories. You can like a song or hate it, but when it was played exactly in that moment, when something was happening, it'll remind you of that event.

Famous music stars are often idols. Many young people don't care about The Royal Family, but for their favourite musicians/bands. They dress the way their idol does, they say the phrases their idol does and so on. In that way it's possible to get an idea of the influence the pop music gets on the youth culture.

Everyone is talking about music. There are groups of teenager, that like, what's on the top of the charts and there are groups, that dislike it, but only a few people are able to ignore it.
TV influences the taste. If a pop group is casted in a TV-show, their first single will get the top of charts usually. Nearly everybody is talking about his favourite and who was dismissed. So this is youth culture. What they're talking about, what they're dressing like, what they're thinking on certain topics. And pop music is a great part of it.

Music deverts. In a world, where everyone is born guilty, where everyone knows, that life is cruel, unfair and bad, the illusion of a light, shiny and perfect world of the rich and famous is tempting. Of course you could talk about the Third World and the human beings dying of hunger and deseases. You could talk about the cruel systems existing in the world and the illness of the modern society. Maybe you did that a couple of times and realized, that nothing changed, just because you talked about that. It only makes depressed and sad. So where is the point in being depressed without any result? This is the dangerous thing about modern Youth Culture. Everyone knows and many people care, but noone really wants to know.

Greets, Anxi
(p.s.: there were many stereotypes in the text.. of course noone really represents that stereotype of a "modern teenager", but I guess many will find themselves in one of the points. That was, what I did. It is always easy to complain about the other, but I don't cut myself out of this text. I'm just the same as everyone else in my age, hard to notice that .)
_________________
"An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind." Mahatma Gandhi

[Tez]

hi Anxi
Cheers very much for that, that's really helpful. I have so far posted this topic on about 5 different forums and only had 1 reply until now so far ive had 2 so its great to get peoples opinions.
It will really help out with my work, Anxi do u know of anyone else who has an opinion on this and would like to post? as i would love to hear new views. I can leave it for 1/2 wks at the most until i will print as part of my research but if you know of anyone else who has a view on this please tell them and hopefully they will post. As the more views i can get hold of the better.
Thanks for your opinion
Tez