Cross-posted from youthmesh.org

Recently I have had a few comments from people wanting to understand about Global Youth Culture. I believe there is such a thing as Global Youth Culture and that it isn’t an idea developed or imposed from Western ideals but it is happening due to the time in history we live in. The reality is that there is now a similar youth culture that is reaching beyond language, culture and religions.

Global youth culture proposes that young people in India have more in common with young people in New Zealand than they do with their own parents. Due to the influence of media, the internet, technology and increased travel there has developed common ways of being and living as emerging generations.

There are the common styles of music (such as hip hop), styles of clothing, media interests, dance, material possessions and other practical and outward expressions of this culture. Deeper than this though I believe there is developing a common value system and view of life.

This has to do with things such as: distrust of authority and organisations, freedom of expression, authority is to be earned and not bestowed, access to knowledge and finances, relationships are everything, friends are more important than family, truth is what ever you believe it to be and many other values.

Of course there are variances in how young people act, live and talk but it is amazing how common youth culture is becoming around the world. Young people being young people means they somehow they will find those things that are seen as important and relevant to young people. Even in the remote places in the world without much technology and media young people are hearing ideas and rumors of what ‘is in’ and they are capturing glimpses through television, media and music of what it means to be part of this global youth culture.

To me this is not scary (though off course there are lots of bad aspects of global youth culture) but an opportunity for young people to reach young people with the truth of God and the person of Jesus Christ. A twenty three year old from New Zealand can go to Liberia for a year and quickly build relationships and connect with young people there because they have common ground and similar issues in life they are facing.