Understanding Today's Youth Culture

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.