YOUTH CULTURE

Youth Culture

In youth culture, especially with boys, brotherhood is highly important. Group identity is paramount, which feeds into the gang culture of today. You can no longer be just friends,  the word friend is synonymous with brother and there are certain expectations that have to be met. These include hiding for your 'brother', helping him out both physically and financially, this is reciprocated. The motto that most boys live by is "bros over hoes", you never let a woman mess up your friendship. They refer to women in a derogatory manner to emphasize their lack of importance to them. Youth culture still identifies with archaic ideologies that women are only good for one thing; sex.
SEX,WEED, ALCOHOL and LOYALTY are crucial and highly influential in youth culture. Boys that are virgins after about 16 are not worth any time and girls who are not virgins at 16 are deemed sluts. It is rare in a relationship that sex is not engaged in. It also the girls responsibility to think about contraception as it is acceptable for the boy to say the child is not his, even if the girl gave him her virginity. This is shown in the song we chose, especially in the last verse.
It is said that two thirds of adults who smoke, started smoking before the age of 18.It is estimated that, each year,at least 23,000 young people in England and Wales start smoking by the age of 15 (ash.org 2012). Smoking weed is a social norm in our target audience which is reflected in the music that they listen to. Drinking alcohol is also important in youth culture, this ties into the partying culture that every generation experiences at this age.on average, UK children have their first alcoholic drink at 13 and, by just over 14, hundreds have been drunk for the first time.* A survey of 15 and 16 year olds carried out recently by the Drinkaware Trust** revealed that:

• 60% regard drinking as a normal part of growing up
• half of all 11 to 15-year-olds have already tried at least one alcoholic drink with their friends
• half of 16 and 17 years olds drink at least once a week

Aside from the health risks associated with drinking so young, drinking to get drunk - as many teens do - means huge numbers are risking their sexual health. Experts say 14 and 15 year olds who drink are more likely to engage in sexual activity - with 11% of 15 to 16 year olds admitting to unprotected sex while drunk.