Yay! I got a response!

A couple of weeks ago I emailed Randal A. Wright concerning a survey he had talked about in one of his presentations (5 Mistakes Parents of Teenagers Make).  I didn't hear back from him, so I ended up posting my blog about heroes without knowing the source of the hero study he cited.  It turns out he wasn't ignoring me, he was just out of the country!  He wrote back when he returned and even emailed me the whole chapter out of his book that talks about heroes and gives even more information about the survey than I had before!  Isn't that awesome?  I'm so excited to read the whole 14 pages!  The remainder of this post is an excerpt from Randal A. Wright's book, 25 Mistakes LDS Parents Make and How To Avoid Them (it can be purchased in its entirety here).

Heroes of Youth

1900

78% historical figures

12% literary

10% relatives/acquaintances

(Dorothy Barclay, "Youth's Heroes and Hero Worship,"  

The New York Times Magazine, 4 November 1951, p.42.)

            However things began to change drastically after that time. In 1923 advertising genius Albert Lasker of the Lord and Thomas advertising agency was hired to boost sales for the American Tobacco Company. The campaign focused on trying to convince women to smoke realizing they could double their potential market if successful. To do this the agency hired female silent movie stars and opera singers to endorse Lucky Strike Cigarettes. This campaign also focused on making women weight conscious and the slogan ‘reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet’ was coined. “Sales of Lucky Strike cigarettes increased by 312% during the following year.” (US News and World Report, March 7, 1994, p. 21.) This campaign demonstrated that celebrity “heroes” could do an amazing job of selling products. This discovery has had a huge impact on modern families and society as a whole. No wonder Clare Barnes said: "Advertising has done more to cause the social unrest of the twentieth century than any other single factor." (PQ p.43)

By 1950 advertisers had totally distorted the traditional hero of the past.. This new celebrity hero often had little to do with the traditional definition of “brave deeds and noble qualities.” The new hero fits much better with the term idol, which by definition is “a person or thing which is excessively admired.” Look at the difference in the heroes of 1900 and 1950.

Heroes of Youth

1950

33% historical figures

00% literary

10% relatives and acquaintances

57% sports, radio, and movie stars

(Dorothy Barclay, "Youth's Heroes and Hero Worship,"  

The New York Times Magazine, 4 November 1951, p.42.)

            These new celebrity heroes came to represent fame, good looks, individualism, wealth, notoriety, talent and about everything else a person dreams of having in his or her lifetime. Teenagers searching for role models to follow are especially influenced by this barrage.

            Recently we conducted a survey of American high school students to see if those they admired had changed even more since the 1950 survey. We found the following in 2001:

Heroes of Youth

2001

02% historical figures

00% literary

12% relatives and acquaintances

86% sports, radio, television and movie stars

(American Youth Survey, 2001)

            But what does all this talk of celebrity heroes or “teen idols” have to do with our families? One thing is apparent. The new heroes all share more in common than just fame, fortune and good looks. What is it they share? They and the companies they represent are all selling something. It may be high priced athletic shoes, CD’s, DVD’s, movie or concert tickets, mid-drift baring clothes or teen magazines, but they are selling something and we as a public are buying. But can they sell more than just products?