Woodbury Reports Archives

strugglingteens.com 

The Internet's leading source of information on emotional growth schools & programs


Archives Contents

Archives Home
Contents by Year
      1989 - Present
Contents by Topic
      Industry News
      Schools & Visits
      Opinions & Essays

Archives Search

The easiest way to find information is by using our search function. Just type in the words you would like to search for and you'll get a list of articles related to your topic.

Site Index

Home
Schools & Programs
Online Discussion
Resources
Newsletter
Online Store
Contact Us

Opinion & Essays - Jun, 1996 Issue #40 

MUSIC, SOME OF OUR THOUGHTS
by: Rich and Wendy Simpson
from the brochure of STEPPING STONES
Bonners Ferry, Idaho
800-215-6840 

Just turn on MTV and see what it tells you about popular culture today and the shape that we are in. The problem is not just with the quality of the music, however simplistic and repetitive it may be. The music is secondary. Most rock, rap and punk music expresses strong adolescent impulses and sentiments. The music is packaged to convey images and messages that make a powerful impression which is hypnotic and hard to resist. Teens are lured out onto the edge where they begin to crave danger and excitement. They come to mistake this wild feeling, this new sense of power, for freedom and independence. They begin to acquire a new identity which they come to believe is their true self. 

Adolescence is a time of sifting through the myriad of possibilities toward defining the self. Our contemporary culture offers the worst possible choices. Young people need to be presented with positive and viable cultural alternatives which can capture their interest and imagination. This is one of the things that we continually work toward. 

Copyright © 1996, Woodbury Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced without prior approval if the copyright notice and proper publication and author attribution accompanies the copy.)

Site and content copyright © 1996 by Woodbury Reports Inc. All rights reserved.