by amelia on
Jun 18, 2008 at 9:31 pm
The Wall Street Journal reports on how high school proms have now ‘landed’ in England, to the dismay of many. The article describes how middle-class kids in England are ‘moved by American tv’ and push for their own proms, which often end up being over the top and ‘gaudy,’ according to the authors
The article draws upon the expertise of sociologist Amy Best.
“Proms in the U.S. began in the 1930s, the invention of teachers trying to help young people make the transition to adulthood, says Amy Best, a sociologist and expert on youth culture at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. The dances largely fell out of fashion in the 1960s but came back in the 1980s and remain popular, she says.”
The trend…
“Proms began crossing over to the United Kingdom several years ago and keep growing in popularity. Ricky Turrell, a photographer in southeast England, has 54 proms booked this year. Proms are practically a daily occurrence somewhere or other in England from May 1 till well into July.”
“Tom Kendall, 16, says American TV shows such as ‘The O.C.’ and MTV’s ‘My Super Sweet 16′ provide a ‘fairy tale’ view of dances and parties that British teens like. ‘The O.C.,’ a Fox show now in reruns on Britain’s E4 channel, chronicles the life of affluent teens in Orange County, Calif. ‘My Super Sweet 16′ airs nearly every day in Britain, showing teens preparing for lavish birthday parties.”
by amelia on
Jun 05, 2008 at 9:58 pm
The latest issue of Esquire Magazine featured an article entitled “Why the F%$# Do People Talk on Cell Phones at the Movies?” and solicited commentary from sociologist Rich Ling.
“Response No. 1, by Rich Ling, sociologist and author of New Tech, New Ties: How Mobile Communication is Reshaping Social Cohesion: There’s a mismatch between people’s understanding of what’s going on around them and their need to be in touch with other people. When someone calls you or texts you, it’s a random positive reinforcement, a little gift. ‘Somebody’s noticing me and that makes me feel important.’ Being noticed by other people is a real narcotic. You have to weigh the importance of your social life with your involvement in the collective film-watching experience. We need a balance between appropriate use and tolerant expectations.”
by amelia on
May 24, 2008 at 9:42 pm
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports on the findings from a study by Dr. Nicholas Christakis, a medical sociologist from Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Christakis’ findings…
“A smoker is more likely to kick the habit if a spouse, friend, co-worker or sibling did as well.”
The study concluded that smokers tend to quit in groups, and that those individuals who don’t stop smoking inevitably find themselves excluded from their social circles. Dr. Christakis commented that smoking behavior depends not only on the people you know, but the people who they know as well. Read on…
by amelia on
Apr 28, 2008 at 1:06 pm
A recent article from Alex Williams for the New York Times investigated the ways in which young employees in their 20s and 30s discuss their salaries. Williams claims that there is an “etiquette to sharing the information” when young professionals brag about their salaries.
The Times reports:
“For instance, most young people don’t tell their cubicle mates, according to a 2007 study for Money magazine by the sociologist Jeanne Fleming and the writer Leonard Schwarz. Still, young workers seem somewhat less likely to adhere to this convention than older ones. The study found that 90 percent of those over 35 who were surveyed agreed with the statement ‘you should never let your co-workers know how much you make,’ while 84 percent of subjects under 35 agreed.”
“But between friends almost anything is fair game. Beth Kobliner, the author of the best-selling ‘Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties,’ said she had noticed that many young people now ‘have no idea what their boomer parents earn, but know every intimate detail about their close friends’ salaries, 401(k)s and debt loads.’”