Each August since 1998, Beloit College has released the Beloit College Mindset List, providing a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college this fall. It was originally created as a reminder to faculty to be aware of dated references, and quickly became a catalog of the rapidly changing worldview of each new generation. As for the entering college this year, the class of 2015 has no memory whatever of George Herbert Walker Bush as president, they came into existence as Bill Clinton came into the presidency.
>> Ferris Bueller and Sloane Peterson could be their parents.
>> Their school’s “blackboards” have always been getting smarter.
>> Amazon has never been just a river in South America.
>> Music has always been available via free downloads.
>> Public schools have always made space available for advertising.
>> Altar girls have never been a big deal.
>> Refugees and prisoners have always been housed by the U.S. government at Guantanamo.
>> “PC” has come to mean Personal Computer, not Political Correctness.
The cultural references of kids keeps changing, it might be good for you and/or your volunteers to update yoursevles by reviewing the whole list.
D. Scott Miller
D. Scott Miller is the dean of Catholic Youth Ministry bloggers which is a polite way of either saying that he is just plain old or has been blogging for a long time (since 2004.)
Scott recently married the lovely Anne and together they have five adult young people and also grandparent three delightful kids (so, maybe he is just plain old!) Scott presently serves at Saint John the Evangelist in Columbia, MD as the director of youth and young adult ministry.
He has previously served on the parish, regional, diocesan, and national levels as well as having taught within a catholic high school. He is one of the founders of RebuildMyChurch and has returned to posting regularly (keeping regular is important to old guys) at ProjectYM.
D. Scott Miller
D. Scott Miller is the dean of Catholic Youth Ministry bloggers which is a polite way of either saying that he is just plain old or has been blogging for a long time (since 2004.)
Scott recently married the lovely Anne and together they have five adult young people and also grandparent three delightful kids (so, maybe he is just plain old!) Scott presently serves at Saint John the Evangelist in Columbia, MD as the director of youth and young adult ministry.
He has previously served on the parish, regional, diocesan, and national levels as well as having taught within a catholic high school. He is one of the founders of RebuildMyChurch and has returned to posting regularly (keeping regular is important to old guys) at ProjectYM.
Wow… I remember Ferris Bueller and George H.W. Bush really well. I even remember Reagan! Makes me feel old.
Over the years, I have used a lot of Star Wars references. One thing I have discovered, to my shock, in the last three or four years is that teens in the UK where I live are now even starting to consider Star Wars as something that’s a bit outdated and old. When I throw in a fun reference to ‘the force’ or ‘Darth Vadar’ a lot of them don’t get it!
It’s all a timely reminder to keep listening to culture, I guess!
Kids still very much get Ferris and especially Star Wars references. Not only did they get the prequels and multiple old trilogy releases, but there is also a very popular Star Wars cartoon out these days. My six year old cousin is a Star Wars nut with action figures from old and new series. As far as Ferris, check out Easy A. He still is a lingering influence!
I remember when altar girls was different from parish to parish. I had forgotten about until I read this.
I noticed that for my graduating class (2005) they had this:
“God has never been a “he” in most churches.”