Analysis Of 21 Up's Bruce Balden
When looking at the transition from youth into
Youth & Society
adulthood,
experimentation with drugs and alcohol is often accepted as a right of passage in many western Cultures. Alcohol consumption and in particular, binge-drinking amongst youth, seems to have increased with each generation. During the 21 Up series none of the film’s subjects discussed going through any phase of experimentation with alcohol. This omission seems to highlight how the pastime has become even more prevalent among todays youth. Though alcohol use or binge drinking does not come up as a topic, 21 Up’s Bruce Balden comes across as someone more interested in charitable pursuits than in participating in any kind of serious ‘party …show more content…
The contemporary drinking landscapes on offer in todays youth pose more challenges compared to the landscapes of Bruce’s generation and mine. Coupled with this is the contradiction by government. Postmodern society encourages individualization, and ‘taking responsibility for one’s self’, and the government have been successful on issues of Public Health in creating this. The contradiction lies in the emerging and encouraged night-time economy where more pubs, clubs and restaurants are integral to a cities infrastructure. Hayward & Hobbs state (cited in Lindsay 2009 p. 373) “The social costs of alcohol are relegated to second place, as the UK government values the urban regeneration, the creation of jobs and the 17 billion pounds of taxation provided by the industry”. They also state (Lindsay et al, 2009) “that the economic shift from an economy based on production, such as declining manufacturing, to an economy based on consumption in inner-city venues has been enthusiastically supported and frequently underwritten by town planners and local government”. Clearly the alcohol industry is winning here. The transition from adolescence to adulthood in the context of binge drinking provides excellent opportunities for youth to experience ‘reflexive project of self’. Vast research, often through questionnaires, has revealed that many youths experience one or several ‘critical moments’ of extreme intoxication. These moments have forced them to look at themselves and their drinking habits and realize that they ‘lost control’. The word control is constantly surrounded by youth’s experiences of drinking either sensibly or not sensibly. Lindsay et al, (2009) says “Learning how to get the dose and the context right for themselves was an important and necessary reflexive skill”. Given that ‘drinking’ is a large part of Australian culture, many
Youth & Society
adulthood,
experimentation with drugs and alcohol is often accepted as a right of passage in many western Cultures. Alcohol consumption and in particular, binge-drinking amongst youth, seems to have increased with each generation. During the 21 Up series none of the film’s subjects discussed going through any phase of experimentation with alcohol. This omission seems to highlight how the pastime has become even more prevalent among todays youth. Though alcohol use or binge drinking does not come up as a topic, 21 Up’s Bruce Balden comes across as someone more interested in charitable pursuits than in participating in any kind of serious ‘party …show more content…
The contemporary drinking landscapes on offer in todays youth pose more challenges compared to the landscapes of Bruce’s generation and mine. Coupled with this is the contradiction by government. Postmodern society encourages individualization, and ‘taking responsibility for one’s self’, and the government have been successful on issues of Public Health in creating this. The contradiction lies in the emerging and encouraged night-time economy where more pubs, clubs and restaurants are integral to a cities infrastructure. Hayward & Hobbs state (cited in Lindsay 2009 p. 373) “The social costs of alcohol are relegated to second place, as the UK government values the urban regeneration, the creation of jobs and the 17 billion pounds of taxation provided by the industry”. They also state (Lindsay et al, 2009) “that the economic shift from an economy based on production, such as declining manufacturing, to an economy based on consumption in inner-city venues has been enthusiastically supported and frequently underwritten by town planners and local government”. Clearly the alcohol industry is winning here. The transition from adolescence to adulthood in the context of binge drinking provides excellent opportunities for youth to experience ‘reflexive project of self’. Vast research, often through questionnaires, has revealed that many youths experience one or several ‘critical moments’ of extreme intoxication. These moments have forced them to look at themselves and their drinking habits and realize that they ‘lost control’. The word control is constantly surrounded by youth’s experiences of drinking either sensibly or not sensibly. Lindsay et al, (2009) says “Learning how to get the dose and the context right for themselves was an important and necessary reflexive skill”. Given that ‘drinking’ is a large part of Australian culture, many