An example of analysis and reflection on a common identity problem in Australia -- both the positive and the negatives need to be identified So here an example will be considered about how feel-good and sense of belonging can be involved in interpreting a current social problem: youth binge drinking (in Australia). It is proposed that this is the sort of analysis that is needed when attending to what school education can do as part of the wider community's concerns to address the problem. The focus is on an inquiring research-oriented pedagogy that might help young people to see how cultural meanings that appeal to feel-good and sense of belonging can have a shaping influence on their thinking and behaviour in relation to this problem. The first thing to identify is that the social, economic and consumer progress have downsides. They generate tension and stress for individuals. The general level of suicide, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, and violence – especially domestic violence – are indicators of social pathology. Lack of balance in the pursuit of feel-good and sense of belonging can generate unhappiness that in turn fuels the pathology. For example: The multiplicity of lifestyle and consumer options can be one source of personal tension. Navigating through ‘consumer heaven' can cause ‘retail stress' – stress in trying to decide which consumer path and which brands to buy (this was first identified as part of the stress felt in dealing with the extensive range of goods in supermarkets - Aylott & Mitchell, 1999 – but now applies more widely across the consumer spectrum where ‘branding status' (Klein, 2000) has become important. Another source of tension can be ‘congenital identity deficiency' (Section B5) described as the susceptibility and vulnerability of young people to the reflections of self coming from others. A mature identity needs some internal resilience so as not to be swayed too easily by negativity coming from the outside. In addition, there are stresses from the conflict between the media orchestrated ideas of the good life and the reality that individuals cannot always be what they want to be or get what they want to get out of life. Also there is uncertainty about the future and secure employment; and now one's involvement in social media can be an ongoing source of stress. The point in the above listing of sources of tension (not an exhaustive list) is to indicate why many young people appear to be carrying a continual low level of anxiety that comes just from living in the 21st century. Anything that relieves this tension and makes them feel that they have escaped from it at least temporarily is likely to be attractive. And this is where alcohol consumption to excess comes in. Often the analyses and programs trying to address binge drinking concentrate on the costly damage to health and property. A fundamental that appears to be missed is the question: Why do people do this? And related questions: What is the payoff? Why is it desirable despite the downsides? Alarmingly, a high proportion of binge drinkers (in the order of 40%) deliberately set out with the express purpose of getting intoxicated. This could be motivated to a significant degree by the alcohol induced euphoria that helps them escape from the anxiety of ordinary life. Helping young people to address this question and think through the psychological dynamics at play may hopefully bring more reason to bear on the issue. Peer group culture gives young people a sense of camaraderie in their deliberately getting ‘smashed', ‘wiped out' or ‘off your face'. Doing it the first time is like earning a corporate badge of honour. The popular cultural meanings supporting binge drinking also imply that it is another example of where the experience needs to be pushed to the limit to get maximum pleasure and satisfaction. Even the negativity of hangovers can be accepted as part of the overall feel-good and escape that the drunkenness offers. Talking about the hangover with friends can add humour, contributing further to the sense of camaraderie. The feel-good of release and escape, together with the camaraderie of being part of the ‘happy' group can hopefully be identified by young people as important driving factors in relation to binge drinking. Getting to the heart of what is driving the low level of anxiety that alcohol soothes will not be a panacea for curing binge-drinking. But hopefully raising the questions in student research on the topic may possibly promote a better self-understanding in relation to cultural forces that affect personal behaviour. The issues raised are also pertinent to other anxiety reducing behaviours like the use of marijuana, amphetamines, ecstasy, ice, heroine etc. – and perhaps other risk taking behaviours. They have also influenced the great popularity of schoolies week and the excessive behaviours that an increasing number of young people exhibit during that event. Schoolies is a week long celebration by Australian school leavers at beachside areas and places like Bali. Since the 1990s, the practice has grown into a ‘must-do' experience for school leavers and is a remarkable example of how oral tradition and more recently social media have built up the social reality of its importance. It has been commercially exploited – there are now package ‘tours' available for purchase. The mise-en-scène of the experience is signified in the prominent tee shirt message “Party, crash, sleep, repeat”. High levels of binge-drinking, alcohol-fuelled violence and sexual activity (with 50% considered to be unprotected sex) have been marring the celebratory experience. Problematically, the expectations of celebration and fun seem for many to include drunkenness as a statutory requirement. Another indication of the extent of the problem has been the emergence of community groups like Red Frogs to help protect vulnerable teenagers in threatening situations (Dumas, 2013). |