Introduction
The youth has always been symbolically recognized as the future of society. The younger generation has been considered to be more developed and more promising than the older generation that tends to follow the traditions while the young people are always open for innovations. Nowadays the population of the developed countries tends to become younger; this means that the demographic sector of the youth becomes more and more influential. This is especially evident in the sphere of culture since it has become obvious that youth cultural consumption is of great importance for the modern economies of developed countries.
Main body
Culture is necessary to let the young become good citizens and harmonious individuals. However, “culture is not something already-made which we ‘consume’; culture is what we make in the varied practices of cultural consumption” (Vlasselaers, Baetens, & Lambert 2000, p 269). Nowadays culture is seen as commonly seen as “the product of ‘culture industry’”, which means that culture and economy are also greatly interrelated (Harris 2005, p 2007). Culture is the sphere that can bring great profit to the manufacturers and the youth is the target audience of a great number of businesses belonging to the “culture industry”.
Adults form a category of people that have full-time work and spend the greater part of their time there having little leisure time while the main duty of the youth, mainly teenagers, is to study. Thus, young people have significantly more time to spend on their leisure activities. Culture and leisure are interrelated as leisure time is usually filled with some cultural activities. In this relation, the statement that “leisure has been acquiring increasing economic importance since its commercialization first became significant in the nineteenth century” seems important (Bull, Hoose, & Weed 2003, p 110).
There are factors that influence cultural consumption in relation to the youth; they are historical and technological factors. The development of youth cultural consumption is influenced by historical events and circumstances: for instance, the time between the two World Wars was the time when the economy of the countries had to be restored and cultural consumption was not among the preferences of the population and manufacturers.
Still, nowadays, in a relatively peaceful world, young people have an opportunity to get free access to education and careers and this enables them to take part in cultural activities and consume cultural products more effectively.
There exist different types of cultural consumption, ranging from reading that is, probably, the most traditional one, to cinema-going, theater-going, listening to music, etc. Technological development and the interrelation of the development of youth culture consumption are evident. Young people are always interested in technological innovations and the rapid development of technology and its application to the sphere of culture, such as the invention of new information-carrying media, visual effects in the films, etc. make them more interested in culture and they become more active consumers of the culture industry.
At the same time, youth cultural consumption impacts the economy of developed countries a lot. It is known that during the twentieth century “the service sector, of which leisure is a part, has replaced the manufacturing sector as the dominant mode within the economy” (Bull, Hoose, & Weed 2003, p 110). Hence the assumption that youth cultural consumption shapes the demand in the culture industry, which is of great importance for the economy of the country. For instance, the Internet has become an important cultural medium that is extremely popular with the youth and the use of the Internet for cultural purposes shapes the increased demand for computers, software, and associated goods, the sales of which contribute to the economy of the state.
Besides, youth cultural consumption influences the export and import of the countries. For example, China is the county that is the most influential manufacturer of technical devices that are necessary for the culture industry, such as mp3-players, TV sets, etc. and the great demand for these devices impacts the economy of the state positively in terms of export of these products. Hollywood is the main manufacturer of films and the popularity of Hollywood films among the youth also contributes to the American economy too.
Conclusion
Drawing a conclusion, it is possible to state that the youth is an extremely influential layer of society in terms of its impact on the economy of the countries. Young people are active consumers of the culture industry and they shape the demand for cultural products that influence import and export, contributing to the economy of the countries that are active manufacturers of modern cultural production or associated goods.
Reference List
Bull, C, Hoose, J, & Weed, M 2003, An Introduction to Leisure Studies, Pretence Hall, London.
Harris, D 2005, Key Concepts in Leisure Studies, SAGE, London.
Vlasselaers, J, Baetens, J, & Lambert, J 2000, The Future of Cultural Studies: Essays in Honour of Joris Vlasselaers, Leuven University Press, Leuven.