Smells Like Teen Spirit

Sorry for the lite posting schedule lately. My class and some social obligation are eating up my time this week and next. Regularly scheduled programing will return on Wednesday. Items on the horizon include: Metrics and Memes (and how they are related), the Gamer Constituency, and more website reviews. In the meantime, here are a few things that have been sitting in my inbox that I don't have time to fully get into:

The New York Times has a very interesting (if somewhat dubious) article noting that evangelical teens are disappearing like it was The Rapture.

Their alarm has been stoked by a highly suspect claim that if current trends continue, only 4 percent of teenagers will be “Bible-believing Christians” as adults. That would be a sharp decline compared with 35 percent of the current generation of baby boomers, and before that, 65 percent of the World War II generation.

Buried at the bottom of the article are claims that may actually debunk this data. But if its true, it bodes well for a future progressive majority (or at least a greatly reduced evangelical conservative minority). At the very least, its a fascinating and sometimes creepy article about evangelical youth culture that anyone interested in appealing to young voters should look at.

CIRCLE released a new study tracking youth civic participation and it paints a mixed picture - more young people are involved, but 20% are completely disengaged. The survey is getting a lot of press, and Peter Levine comments on the commentary, noting that news organizations are either pumping up the greater involvement angle, or focusing negatively on the 20% who aren't engaged. He's got a great quote in this FOX story that all communications folks at campaigns and youth groups should take to heart:

"The public, the political parties and the media all need to be reminded that saying that young people just don't participate reinforces the myth," said Peter Levine director of CIRCLE. "Youth turnout was sharply up in 2004, and the survey shows that when young people are asked to vote and volunteer, they are much more likely to do so."

Other noteworthy findings in the survey include:

• Increase in Anti-Immigrant Sentiment and Drop in Acceptance of Homosexuals. 6% and 7% respectively.
• Immigration Protests Drew Mass Youth Support: 23% of immigrant youth, and 18% second generation youth attended demonstrations.
• Shift in identification: 28% self identify as Republicans, down from 31%. Dem identification stayed the same at 47%
• Majority tuned in to politics: 72% say they stay informed of current events and politics

Finally, a new study from Indiana University says that The Daily Show is just as substantive as network and cable news programs when it comes to covering current events and politics.