Who Is Targeting America's Youth?

Ever wondered why American youth behave as they do? Could there be a link between their behavior and the advertising industry? According to the article “The Influence of Advertising,” some marketing professionals psychologically manipulate children to increase product appeal and bolster sales (http://www.squidoo.com). In the intensely competitive capitalistic society of America, advertising is a multi-billion dollar (http://www.apa.org) industry and an essential element of business and consumerism. Through various media outlets—television, magazines, the Internet, radio, movies, textbooks, and smartphones—youths are bombarded with slick and powerful appeals (http://www.wakingtimes.com). Children’s natural trust, gullibility, curiosity, absence of objectivity, and lack of critical thinking skills, renders them dangerously vulnerable to marketing manipulations and exploitations. Resultantly, advertising negatively sways American youths encouraging choices detrimental to their nutritional, behavioral, and moral well being. Yes, American youths are not only the targets of many advertising schemes, but also the unwitting casualties in the battles for product sales, and lifelong patronage.

Consider firstly the fast food industry and the negative impact of advertising on the nutritional choices of America’s young people. Obesity and relative inactivity among youths are serious and growing concerns according to the American Psychological Association (http://www.apa.org). They directly attribute these developments to children’s excessive exposure to fast food advertising by stating,

The childhood obesity epidemic is a serious public health problem that increases morbidity, mortality, and has substantial long term economic and social costs. The rates of obesity in America’s children and youth have almost tripled in the last quarter century. Approximately 20% of our youth are now overweight with obesity rates in preschool age children increasing at alarming speed.... Research has found strong associations between increases in advertising for non-nutritious foods and rates of childhood obesity (http://www.apa.org).

Accordingly an article entitled, “The Influence of Advertising” reported, “Some experts indicate that the average American child views over 40,000 television commercials each year” (http://www.squidoo.com). Because America’s young people, “ages 8 to 18,” are being bombarded by fast food commercials from many media outlets and spend more than 44 hours a week engaging the media, obesity has become a national concern (http://www.squidoo.com). 

Figure 1
Source: Covington, W.

Secondly, advertising that glamorizes alcohol has detrimentally influenced lifestyle choices among American youths. The pervasive nature of advertising literally inundates young people with unhealthy ads promoting the use of beer, distilled spirits, and wines (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org). Such exposure likely stimulates and drives early teenagers’ infatuation with alcohol. According to John’s Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health, about 4,700 young people die annually from “excessive alcohol consumption” (http://www.camy.org).  In an article entitled, “Exposure of African American Youth to Alcohol Advertising,” the same university reported, “Alcohol is the most widely used drug among African-American youth and contributes to many health and social problems, including violence, motor vehicle crashes, and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases” (http://www.camy.org). Another critical point they highlighted was the link between African-American youth drinking and advertisements that target them. They write,

At least 14 longitudinal studies have found a significant association between youth exposure to alcohol marketing and underage drinking, even after controlling for other factors that could potentially influence this relationship (e.g., socioeconomic status and parenting style). Specifically, these studies have found that youth exposure to alcohol marketing can increase the likelihood that young people will start drinking at younger ages, and, if they already consume alcohol, that they will drink more, increasing the risk of alcohol-attributable harms (http://www.camy.org).

Research demonstrates that African-Americans are targeted, subjected to, and overexposed to alcohol advertisements considerably more than other ethnic groups. In fact, the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth observed that there is excessive exposure to alcohol through various media outlets within these same communities through radio, billboards, and in magazines (http://www.camy.org). Non-discerning young people take what they see in the media as portrayals of reality. Consequently, they are violently misled by the marketing exploits of the alcohol industry.

Figure 2
Source: Zastrow, C.

Thirdly, advertising unfavorably effects morality, social values, and the culture of American youth. The power of the media and advertising cannot be over stated. Commercials address every facet of life promoting products and creating a perception of value for the potential child customer.  Appealing to the natural desire for significance, they present their toys, games, cars, clothing brands, athletic footwear, accessories, sexy bodies, and soft drinks promising they will make the consumer most special. Appealing to the basic desire to belong and feel love, they parade a seductive concoction of cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry, colognes, spirits, beers, fashion products, and sex (http://www.studymode.com) before their audience virtually guaranteeing universal acceptance if one buys their product. This is done in the hope of lifelong patronage. Their marketing strategies include frequent appeals, product popularity, celebrity endorsement, sensuality, narcissistic indulgence, product placement, and peer pressure. Such ploys are launched anticipating an industry return of nearly one trillion dollars in sales (http://www.aef.com). They appeal directly to children and indirectly through children to parents. Everything from toys, food, magazines, and video games to recreational sex (http://wiki.answers.com) are pandered to non-suspecting youths. Many advertisements invent value for the customer through subtle exaggerations or entire fabrications. Consequently, these morale and social values are projected into the culture shaping and fashioning young consciences. Often this transpires daily; preoccupied parents are disengaged while the advertising industry weaves the fabric of their children’s morals. The saddest truth in all of this is the ‘reality’ marketed to young people is an empty lie and will prove to be disillusioning and frustrating throughout their lives.

Figure 3
Source: Zastrow, C.

Though the intention of the American advertising industry is to sell products in a completely saturated and competitive market, American youth are the unwitting casualties. As the industry strategizes to secure lifelong patrons, youths are daily blasted with advertisements influencing them to choose against their nutritional health. The unintended consequence is escalating childhood obesity. Alluring ads and commercials aimed at teens glamorize the use of alcohol and launch young people into lifestyles plagued with social problems, irresponsibility, and violence. The impact of advertising on the moral values and cultural attitudes of young people is not to be down-played. A culture of materialism, greed, selfishness, consumerism, and sex saturation has been spawned and the forecast for the future is woeful if the trend continues unchallenged. Parents must take charge of their young people’s interaction with much of the advertising industry. One key to restoring perspective, wholesome values, critical thinking, and equilibrium to the lives of young people is their parents shielding them from the barrage of advertisements in many media outlets.

References

Advertising to children (2005). Retrieved March 12, 2013 from the Advertising Educational Foundation website: http://www.aef.com/on_campus/classroom/speaker_pres/data/3005

Committee on Communications (2006, December). Children, adolescence, and advertising. Pediatrics: Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics 118(6), 2563 -2569. doi:10.1542/peds.2006-2698  

Covington, W. (2012, November). [Magazine cover] Stone cold marketing to young African Americans. The Sacramento Observer/ The SacOberserver.com. Retrieved March 15, 2013 from: http://sacobserver.com/2012/11/stone-cold-marketing-selling-alcohol-to-young-african-americans/ (Figure 1)

Dayanahmz (2012, March). Morality and ethicality of using sexual advertising: “effects on teens segment”. Retrieved March 14, 2013 from StudyMode website: http://www.studymode.com/ essays/Morality-And-Ethicality-Of-Using-Sexual-945276.html      

Dittmann, M. (2004, June). Protecting children from advertising. Monitor on Psychology, 35(6). (Print version: p. 58). Retrieved March 14, 2013 from the American Psychological Association website: http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun04/protecting.aspx

Gottesdiener, L. (2013, March). 7 highly disturbing trends in junk food advertising to children. AlterNet.   Retrieved March 15, 2013 from http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/03/15/7

Impact of food advertising on childhood obesity. Retrieved March 13, 2013 from the American Association of Psychology website: http://www.apa.org/topics/kids-media/food.aspx?item=2

Musemeche , C. (2012, July). Ban on advertising to children linked to lower obesity rates. The New York Times. Retrieved March 16, 2013 from: http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com /2012/07/13/ban-on-advertising-to-children-linked-to-lower-obesity-rates/

The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (2010). Exposure of African-American youth to alcohol advertising, 2008 and 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2013 from: John’s Hopkins University website: http://www.camy.org/research/ Exposure_of_African_American_Youth_to_Alc_Advertising_08_09/

The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (2010). Youth exposure to alcohol advertising on television, 2001-2009. (Special report). Retrieved March 13, 2013 from The John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health website: http://www.camy.org/research/  Youth_Exposure_to_Alcohol_Ads_on_TV_Growing_Faster_Than_Adults/index.html

The influence of advertising. (2012, April). Retrieved March 13, 2013 from: http://www.squidoo.com

What is the impact of television advertisement on youth?  Retrieved March 12, 2013 from: Answers.com: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_impact_of_television_ advertisement_on_youth  

Zastrow, C. (2009, July). Paris Hilton: Cosmogirl [magazine cover] A long-pent-up rant against youth marketing. Retrieved March 16, 2013 from http://www.learningfirst.org/long-pent-rant-against-youth-marketing (Figure 2)

Zastrow, C. (2009, July). Paris Hilton: Seventeen [magazine cover] A long-pent-up rant against youth marketing. Retrieved March 16, 2013 from http://www.learningfirst.org/long-pent-rant-against-youth-marketing (Figure 3)     

Savory Salt and Brilliant Light!

How would you describe our world and our beloved USA? Two words come to mind for me…decaying and dark. Yes, I would liken it to decaying flesh. The stench and putrefaction is not yet fully realized…death; however, has been. Furthermore, our country and world is groping aimlessly in darkness so great one can actually feel it. Blindness pervades throughout our land. Our world and our country are grappling with problems so complex we can hardly define them, much less conceive solutions to solve them. Yes, decaying and dark are the two images that come to mind when I think about the spiritual climate of our world. It is a sober and disconcerting matter to contemplate.

OUR PROBLEMS
Too pessimistic and harsh an assessment, you say? Well, in every sector of our culture abides abundant evidence of decay and darkness. This foreboding emergence can be seen in society, religion, families, economics, politics, and international affairs. If you doubt me, then consider the international corruption associated with every major political figure recently and presently bopping across the world’s stage. The geopolitical jostling for international respect, the mad scramble to secretly develop nuclear weaponry, the disastrous efforts to prevent rouge states from developing nuclear capability, the gross miscarriages of diplomacy, the ineffective military swats motivated by political expediency, genocide, terrorism, mass starvation, and the general international betrayals of trust are only a few confirmations of our bottomless sinfulness. We all stand absolutely bankrupt before the overwhelming spiritual poverty of our shipwrecked world!

Will you dare to take a good look at the dysfunctional paraplegia that grips our own USA? Education, welfare, health care, and government spending/budgets are actual and disturbing issues of national weightiness. Jamie J. Huston, a college and high school teacher, in an article entitled The Five Worst Problems In America Today–Revisited (April 3, 2009), identified these national problems about five years ago: “#5: Government Size and Spending,… #4: Individual Fiscal Irresponsibility,… #3: Decline of Morality in the Media,… #2: Decline of Literacy and Education,… #1: Decline of the Traditional Family” (Gently Hew Stone, http://gentlyhewstone.com). His astute observations remain an accurate description of our principle challenges. 

Also consider how that which is truly good is considered wrong and how that which is intrinsically evil is regarded as acceptable in our American society at large. Moral subjectivity and legal anarchy rule anymore; beloved, this is a freighting reality! Homosexuality, gay marriage, and the legalization of drugs are fearful issues, and the social, legal, health, and national implications of such miscarriages of responsibility have not been gravely thought through. Our list of nastiness continues with matters like ignoring/disregarding the Constitution of the USA by officials elected to uphold it, promoting a proclivity for selective law enforcement, and using government agencies (IRS) as battle axes against political opponents. The blatant disregard for existing laws while opting to unilaterally legislate from the bench in our court system has become roundly fashionable, and unilateral legislating has become the modes operandi for the oval office as well. Congress simply does not count and does not matter when it comes to actually accomplishing anything of real value for the American people. Our woes escalate with the unjust criminalizing of victims while routinely mollycoddling the criminals, and the solution to prison overpopulation is haphazardly releasing prisoners back onto the streets before their sentence expires. Reform, reform again, reform yet again...and again at the tax payer's expense is the standard procedure. Beloved, these exploits of ineptitude are violently serious miscarriages of justice for the honest law-abiding American citizen. This is only a sample of our challenges; a representation—just a few from the spectrum of issues we struggle under the weight of as a nation. Beloved, this is darkness and decay fiercely emerging!

Pause at the office door of any reputable economist and they will tell you the prognoses for our national economy are not as good as originally hoped for. The economy is relatively flat; growth is hampered by unfortunate policies and a persistently depressed housing market. Derek Thompson, a senior editor at The Atlantic, where he oversees the Business Channel, writes,

Washington's dysfunction is indisputable. But it is not America's first, second, or third biggest problem. Those are (1) the lingering effects of the housing bust are still impoverishing families and economic growth; (2) globalization pushing down wages for work that lives along a worldwide supply chain; and (3) essentials like health care, education, energy, and housing getting more expensive while families have to work longer hours just to keep up with microscopic inflation. (Feb. 22, 2013, The Atlantic, http://www.theatlantic.com/business)

Visit the average main line denomination Protestant pastor in his study down at the church and he will confirm that church attendance is down on average, thousands of churches have said their last amen and have closed their doors permanently, and hundreds of pastors quit the ministry annually. While Evangelical churches remain resilient, denominational Protestant congregations are declining and less Americans feel impressed to identify themselves with Christianity (Stetzer, Oct 1, 2013, http://www.christianitytoday.com). Matters like spiritual passion, moral purity, and Christian doctrinal orthodoxy have declined in emphasis, perspective, and practice throughout our culture. Churches are mistakenly overly infatuated with worldliness, formalism, explosive growth, emotionalism, entertainment, and pragmatism. Pure evangelism, biblical edification, supernaturalism, and doctrinal soundness all have been sacrificed on the alters of tolerance and political correctness. 

Consider talking to the average unemployment office and they will chirp unemployment numbers are down. Allan and Brian Beaulieu likewise view unemployment as declining. Actually, the unemployment rate is down to 6.6% (about 10.2 million workers) in January according to the Bureau of Labor (http://www.bls.gov/news.release). The U6 rate is currently 13.0%, which is substantially lower than the peak of 18.0% in March 2010. Though these are positive developments, the needs for employment greatly persists (http://www.industryweek.com). Yes, there are twice as many frustrated job seekers as there are active job seekers!

Though my portrayal of our world sounds pessimistic, it is roundly accurate and any perceptive soul can easily validate what I have written. In light of the present social, religions, economic, and political climate, we as a nation are decaying in utter darkness. I spell out these facts and observations because I wish to convey a complete appreciation for the size of our struggles in the USA. There is an abundance of supporting evidence for my opinions—we are witnessing the onset of massive darkness and decay. Except God have mercy and help us, we are absolutely hopeless.

MY PROPOSAL
My purpose here is not to contribute to the despair and gloom, but to offer a palpable hope. If our world is decaying, then what we need is salt to prevent any further decay. And if our world is enveloped in thick darkness, then what we need is light so we can see our way ahead. That’s right we need salt and light; to be more specific, we need savory salt and brilliant light. Consider the insightful and compelling words of our Lord Jesus, as He addresses His followers during the Sermon on the Mount. Christ declares,

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14, Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15, Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)

Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount was addressing His disciples, His followers, and those who are adherents to His message and teachings. They were facing some pretty ruinous and dark days themselves as they struggled under foreign rule. For the disciples, such adherence, obedience, commitment, and discipline made them like Christ—savory and brilliant in the midst of decay and darkness. If we continue to hear His Word and govern ourselves accordingly, we will be salt and light in these needful times as well. From the divine perspective, it is actually Christ in us making us savory salt and brilliant light. We must continue to grow in true likeness to Him and God will use us to make a greater impact in the individuals we love, our homes, the cities we live in, our country, and even our world.

The mandate, according to our Savior, is for His followers to be savory salt and brilliant light! Salt in a decaying life or society preserves it from complete decadence and ruin. Light in a dark and confused person or home point the lost wanderers to the Light of the World, Jesus Christ (Jn. 8:12-20). If we are savory and brilliant we will have a potent impact, but if we are impure and dull we can scarcely be perceived as having any real answers or solutions to mankind’s greatest problem—sin. However, savory salt and brilliant light enthusiastically commend our Lord Christ to the lost most forcefully and convincingly. Salt is good, but savory salt is better! The more Christlike we are the greater our potential impact in the lives of those we minister to. Let us obey our Lord fully and "have salt in yourselves" (Mark 9:50). In addition, let us seize fresh opportunities to share Christ with others; He is our world's most profound need.  

Yes, salt preserves, but it must make contact with the people, society, the world in which we live in order to have its greatest impact. We do not become worldly to make an impact, but we must make contact with people, ideas, philosophies, and institutions in order to influence them for Christ. Isolation is not God’s plan, and the best insulation is a rich godly character. The point of impact is not exclusively through our words and arguments, but through Sermon on the Mount Spirit-filled character! Sermon on the Mount Christians will have a palpable impact for good on anything they come into contact with. Salt confined to a salt shaker is not Christ's design for us. Societies and nations are decaying from the inside out, and from the very top to the bottom. The only thing in this world to hold back the decay and putrefaction is Jesus Christ through savory Believers. Choose to be a force for God by being savory—distinctively Christ-like in character!

Consider this helpful insight from MacDonald and Farstad,

The Christian is like a city that is set on a hill: it is elevated above its surroundings and it shines in the midst of darkness. Those whose lives exhibit the traits of Christ’s teaching cannot be hidden.
He did not intend that we hoard the light of His teaching for ourselves, but that we share it with others. We should let our light so shine that as people see our good works, they will glorify our Father in heaven. The emphasis is on the ministry of Christian character. The winsomeness of lives in which Christ is seen speaks louder than the persuasion of words. (Believer’s Bible Commentary)

Therefore, be authentically and distinctively Christian—obviously Christlike—in heart, word, and deed. Make the choice to become a Sermon on the Mount Christian at your very core. Such Believers are salty and they bear meaningful light. Let each of us live out the realities of our faith and God will use us to influence not only our world, but the world for Him. Christians do not belong in the closet, but in the public square as testimonies to the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ. Let them see Christ that we may share Christ; this is how it works! This is a ministry of not only doing right, but most importantly being the right type of person. When this is the case, God, our Heavenly Father, is represented well and glorified accordingly. Then He is free to work among us in our beloved homes, cities, states, and country. The problems we face as a nation and the world are much bigger than we are. Ultimately this world longs hungrily (but ignorantly) for its true Savior, Lord, and King! Only when God intervenes can things truly change for the better. He will do His part; let us make sure we are doing our part as salt and light. That is, savory salt and brilliant light! God has not given up on this world, so why should we?