Book Reflection: A Critical Approach To Youth Culture

BOOK REFLECTION:

“A Critical Approach to Youth Culture”

This book discusses the various definitions of culture, how culture is shaped, and how it shapes us. The book also explores youth culture and how, as a youth minister, would be the best way to understand it and further enhancing this understanding through theories.

I agree that my uniqueness is derived biologically, and through inheritance, which is culture. A countless number of cultures have shaped who I am. I am an Italian descendant born in a Portuguese colonised country (Brazil), and I currently live in Australia. Furthermore, Brazil is made of immigrants. I will attempt here to describe some of the contexts that have impacted on my identity, values and beliefs.

I spent most of my childhood living in the countryside. In a small town, everyone knows everyone, and there is a strong collectivistic spirit, that is, “a commitment to support and nurture others.” Everyone meets

My personality changed to be very quiet as I tried to make sense of this new world. I learned a new truth: the necessity to adjust. I stopped playing soccer daily and had to do what the city kids do: parties, videogames, fastfood, movies, etc. I started playing videogames and listening to music. The music culture influenced me in many ways. For instance, as a heavy-metal fan, I had longhair and dressed mostly black. I wanted to be like most of the musicians and artists I admired. Later on, music became a great means of self-expression, particularly after my conversion, when I integrated music as part of my spirituality. TV was also very influential. My favourite shows were super-heroes, which developed the importance for justice and fighting the “bad-guys”; and cartoons such as Tom&Jerry, which made sarcasm part of my identity - always playing tricks on others or making them