YOUTH CULTURE AND HISTORYVOCABULARY

Teen-ager A term coined during the 1950s to

describe the large group of Americans between childhood and adulthood (12-20)

Today the term teenager is used to describe those of high school age, 14-18, tween 9-13. Aside from social implications, teens and tweens make up a huge sales market.

Teen-Angst A period of light/moderate

depression during early adolescence—typically during the first half of high school. Signs include: withdrawn, moody, feelings of alienation, melancholy, feelings of being misunderstood.

Fashion and Teenagers Typically, teenagers are the first

to try out new fashions due to the drive to stay current, new, and popular. Teens are also willing to try new things in their quest for identity and the “who am I?” dilemma.

Teenagers and Language Youth culture, since at least the 1920s, has

been responsible for adding new words, slang, and changing the mainstream culture’s language and speech patters. There are a variety of theories on why this occurs—what do you think?

I mean, some teenager was responsible for the use of the word “cool.”

The Lost Generation Born: 1883-1900 Came of age during WWI Young adults of the 1920s Characteristics: Optimistic,

energized, liberal, creative, bohemian, free-spirited.

The Greatest Generation Born: 1901-1924 Came of age during The

Great Depression Adults of the 1940s Characteristics:

Conservative, hardworking,

The Silent Generation Born: 1924-1940 Came of age during WWII Adults of the 1950s Characteristics: Conservative, patriotic,

family oriented, conformists, traditional. Note: one of the smallest generations

due to small families of the great depression.

The Baby Boomers Born: 1943-1962 Came of age during Korean/Vietnam wars Adults of the 1960s/70s Characteristics: liberal, non-conformists,

activists, personal freedom, non-traditional.

Note: one of the largest generations due to the economic boom of the post-WWII era.

Generation X Born: 1963-1983 Came of age during The Cold

War/Desert Storm Adults of the 1980s/’90s Characteristics: Educated, work-

centered, change through economic progress, motivated, fiscally conservative.

Generation Y/ Millennials Born: 1984-2000 Came of age during the new

millennium (9/11) Adults of the 2000s/’10s Characteristics: apathetic,

sheltered, connected, socially liberal, narcissistic, educated, goal-motivated, optimistic, .

• Children of the LATE Baby Boomers/ Early GEN Xers

•Largest generation (75 million) after the Boomers (80 million), compared to the Gen Xers (40 million)

•38% of millennials identify themselves as “non-white”

•Positioned in history to be the next “Hero generation”

•Grew up basking in “The Decade of the Child”—children on a pedestal vs. “children should be seen and not heard”

•Fathers became more involved in parenting

•Most “hovered over” generation ever in our country; unprecedented parental supervision and advocacy

“Indi-filiation,” shorthand for this tension between individualism and affiliation, can best be summed up thusly: teens want to be interesting and unique – just like their friends.

Generation Z Born: 2001-present Will come of age in the twenty-

teens/2020s Adults of the 2020s/2030s Characteristics: ??? First generation

to grow up with the internet/social media. First generation born in the 21st century.