Goode+Times?+Eccs+&+Why.

n5078407 Michelle Fuery Tutor: Sarah Jordan Tutorial: Thursday 4-5pm

**Goode Times? Eccs & Why. ** media type="youtube" key="oPzv_EwxMl0" height="392" width="588" align="center"

**The Artefact ** Ebeneezer Goode is the most successful song of the Scottish psychedelic- influenced Indie rock band, The Shamen. Written by vocalist Colin Angus and rapper, Richard West, the song was released in September, 1992 on their vinyl album, //Boss Drum//. The film clip was produced by Director and Executive Producer Toru Uehara for FCI TV production in London for the Fuji Television Network (The Shamen YouTube video, 2009). Psychedelic lighting and virtual reality equipment recreate the experience of a night out with Ebeneezer, a gentleman of pleasure. The album sold over one million copies worldwide (The Nemeton, 1999, para. 4), and remained at number one in the United Kingdom [UK] charts for a month following its release, at which time it was forcibly removed.

**Public Health Issue **

Illicit drug use as a health related behaviour is a significant risk factor for ill health and death, associated with poisoning, mental illness, suicide, self- inflicted injury and overdose, contributing to one or more chronic diseases which impacts on both the social and economic costs within the Australian population (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2011). Illicit drug use as a lifestyle behaviour contributes to the burden of disease within the general Australian population and its prevalence increased between 2007 and 2010 (AIHW, 2011). Most concerning is the increase and shift in popularity for “designer” and “party drugs,” ecstasy [eccs] and cocaine use when compared to the previous generation, Generation X [Gen X, X] and the trend towards normalisation within sub- cultures of Generation Y [Gen Y, Y] (AIHW 1995; AIHW 2010). Born between 1966 and 1986, Gen X and Y were the first to experience no fault divorce with its introduction in 1971, and thus increased separation and broken families (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2006). The most highly educated generation on record, Gen X and Y are afforded fewer opportunities than their predecessors (ABS, 2006). Each generation is defined by their intertwined social, cultural, economic and political experience and resembles their times rather than their parents (McCrindle, 200, p. 4). The understanding of illicit drug use as a health related behaviour is reliant on capturing the experiences of this cohort (McCrindle, 2009, p. 4).

**Literature Review ** The Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (2011) indicates a recent increase in illicit drugs use among over 14 year olds within the general Australian population. Born between 1980 and 1994, illicit drug use is most prevalent among 18-29 year olds otherwise referred to as Gen Y (AIHW, 2011; ABS, 2006), and currently constitute 1 in 5 Australians (AIHW, 2011). In terms of health behaviours, Gen Y is statistically considered the healthier cohort when compared to the previous generation, Gen X (AIHW, 2011). However, the increased popularity of designer and party drugs, ecstasy and cocaine (AIHW, 2011), among regular night- club patrons and music festival attendee sub- cultures of Gen Y (Duff, 2005), indicate an upward trend towards the normalisation of illicit drug use (Wilson, Bryant, Holt & Treloar, 2010). In effect, drug use contributes to thousands of deaths, illnesses, disease, injury and social disruptions, thus indicating the complex and serious nature of this health behaviour (AIHW, 2011). This review will focus on the normalisation of illicit drug use among these sub- cultures of Gen Y.

Between 2007 and 2010 Australia experienced an overall increase of illicit drug use among those aged 14 years and over (AIHW, 2011). Whilst the increase from 13.4% to 14.7% remains below the peak of 16.7% in 1995, the latest statistics for the burden of disease indicate illicit drug use contributes to 2.0% (AIHW, 2007). Chronic disease affects the individual via short and long- term development, quality of life, health and wellbeing and prevents their participation in society, education and employment (AIHW, 2010, p. 304). In comparison with Gen X, the shift in popularity has been realised for ecstasy and cocaine with increases of 11.6% and 2.7% respectively (AIHW, 2011). Internationally, Australia is the leader for ecstasy use at 4.2% and mid range for cocaine at 1.9% (AIHW, 2011). The majority of chronic conditions result from preventable lifestyle health behaviours (AIHW, 2011), and thus, the normalisation of illicit drug use within sub- cultures of the Gen Y cohort indicate an at- risk group (National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund [NDLERF], 2008).

The first to consider normalisation within the Australian context, using Australian epidemiological data (Wilson et al., 2010, p. 165), Duff (2005) surveyed a sample of 379 bar and nightclub patrons across inner city Melbourne, Victoria between October 2003 and March 2004. The study examined the “normalisation” of drug use among young people and associations between use, leisure activities and cultural consumption tendencies (Duff, 2005, p. 161). A "lifetime use" of illicit drugs was reported by 56% of the sample indicating a normalised and widespread use for illicit drugs (Duff, 2005, p. 161). An earlier study completed by Parker (1998, as cited in Duff, 2005) in the UK discovered similar patterns across a change in "education and training, the youth labour market, housing and living arrangements, marriage and the family." The study indicated less critical attitudes and awareness of drug use coincide with increased social availability and movement towards mainstream acceptance (Duff, 2005, p. 163). Within this cohort illicit drug use is adopted for pleasure and excitement (Holt, 2005, p. 3), chosen for their "mind- altering," experiences and sub- cultural verification (Holt, 2005, p. 1), drug use has not resulted in exclusion from mainstream social or economic networks, rather these shared values and norms among tertiary educated (AIHW, 2007), employed, and "otherwise conforming young adults" are displaying strong demands for this behaviour with emerging trends in normalising drug use exposing a “well- adjusted and successful goal- oriented, non- risky young person, who sees drug taking as part of his or her repertoire of life” (Parker, 2005, as cited in Duff, 2005). Whilst the small sample size prevents generalisation to the Australian population, Duff (2005, as cited in Wilson, et al., 2010) significantly contributes to the available research by assessing trends in attitudes for illicit drug use and the normalisation behaviours of young people.

In addition to club and night- life patrons, there are currently 17 annual music festivals held across Australia, each of which attract up to 30,000 attendees or more, and specifically target and attract young people (Wilson et al., 2010, p. 165). Between 2006- 2009 Wilson et al. (2010) completed a cross- sectional periodic investigation of 1588 attendees at Sydney’s Big Day Out (BDO) Festival to assess the level of normalisation of illicit drug use among young people in Australia. The framework, adopted from Parker et al. (2002, as cited in Wilson et al., 2010) measured the availability and accessibility; rates of recent and regular illicit drug use and social accommodation, with the view to integrate social change and shifting symbolic value of illicit drug use (Wilson et al., 2010, p. 165). Over the four year study the mean age was 20-22, results indicated recent use was higher than same- aged individuals within the general population for cannabis (44%), ecstasy (32%) and amphetamines (29%), compared to 20.8%, 11.2% and 7.3% respectively (Wilson et al., 2010, p. 171). In further studies by Lim, Hellard, Hocking & Aitken (2008, p. 440), in which the median age for 939 respondents was 20 years (16-29), 77% of surveyed music festival attendees reported ever using illicit drugs with 40% reporting ecstasy and 22% for cocaine use. Results from a study completed by White et al. (2006, p. 139) which investigated 372 regular ecstasy users with a median age of 23, indicated enhanced sociability (32%), closeness with others (31%) and increased confidence (28%) as benefits. Thus, illicit drug use within recreational settings is increasingly used by many young Australians to enhance their musical and social experience (Lim et al., 2005, p. 440). Within the BDO attendees, 40-80% persistently considered illicit drugs; cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines easy to obtain again in comparison to the general population of which 59.7% of 20-29 year olds considered cannabis easy to obtain, 41.1% for ecstasy and amphetamines, 26.8% (Wilson et al., 2010, p. 171). The AIHW (2011) recorded friends or acquaintances as the highest source for the supply of ecstasy 67.9% and cocaine 73.5% for those over 14 years of age. Attitudes towards illicit drug use are neither open-minded nor conformist based on the indirect measurement of non- injecting drugs and the contact with other drug users significantly increasing usage (Wilson et al., 2010, p. 171). The sub- culture of young Australians attending music festivals are considerably more predisposed to frequent drug use than the general population (Lim et al., 2008, p. 439), and whilst generalisations are prevented due to the small sample size and convenience survey methods used by the literature, population surveys reflect the widespread use of illicit drugs between the 16-30 year- old cohort of the Australian Society (Duff, 2005; AIHW, 2011).

The Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (2011) indicates a recent increase in the use of illicit drugs among over 14 year olds within the general Australian population. Illicit drug use is most prevalent among regular night- club patrons and music festival attendees of Gen Y, between the ages of 18-29 years. Gen Y are statistically healthier than Gen X, however the normalised use of designer and party drugs, cocaine and ecstasy, among these sub- cultures indicate a group predisposed to the development of chronic diseases, ill- health and death (AIHW, 2011). Drug use contributes to thousands of deaths, illnesses, disease, injury and social disruptions, thus indicating the complex and serious nature of this health behaviour (AIHW, 2011). Gen Y constitute 1 in 5 Australians (AIHW, 2011), and therefore represent a considerable concern for healthcare professionals in coming years in combating against the chronic diseases attributable to this preventable lifestyle behaviour.

**Social and Cultural Analysis ** An overall increase in illicit drug use has been statistically acknowledged among the general Australian population (ABS, 2009; AIHW, 2011), however the normalisation of designer and party drugs, occurs within the sub- culture of Generation Y as a result of social networks and characteristics significant to this cohort rather than the generation as a whole (Wilson et al., 2010, p. 165). The meanings and attitudes associated with drug use within the context of social and leisure activities is important to understand when considering the use of illicit drugs within this cohort (Wilson et al., 2010, p. 166). Mannheim (1923, as cited in Pilcher, 1994), identifies generational location points of “certain definite modes of behaviour, feeling and thought,” that stratify this cohort. In their lifetime, Gen Y has witnessed and experienced the material wealth accumulated by their parents’ labour and subsequent demise; separation, absent parenting and stress- related illnesses (McCrindle, 2009, p. 3). In effect, a disillusioned cohort, Gen Y were failed the opportunities previously afforded to their predecessors, and therefore, work to live (McCrindle, 2009, p. 4). Their income simply represents a means to achieving a lifestyle of fun and fulfilment, of which is considerably impacted by the influences of their social network (McCrindle, 2009, p. 4). Mannheim (1923, as cited in Pilcher, 1994), deemed these experiences within the formative years of youth as definitive in social generations. These shared experiences have shaped and united the social network of these sub- cultures and thus influence their decisions and the way in which they view the world in respect to their health behaviours (McCrindle, 2009, p.2; AIHW, 2011; NDLERF, 2008). Particularly evident in the integration of drug use by “educated, employed and otherwise conforming young adults,” (Parker, 2005, as cited in Duff, 2005), into mainstream social and economic networks rather than the exclusion typically expected of drug use (Duff, 2005, p. 167).

Traditionally, anti- drug campaigns have portrayed illicit drug use as deviant and anti- social and encouraged abstinence as the key to moving forward (Wilson, et al., 2010, p. 482). The result, of such campaigns successfully alienated the target audience due to the lack of understanding of their characteristics, communication styles, and social attitudes (McCrindle, 2009, p. 5). By understanding what Gen Y most value we can engage them (Holt, 2005, p. 3). Acknowledgement of the normal and accepted status of drug use within relevant messages that resonate (Wilson et al., 2010, p. 173), with a generation who are visually educated and entertained (McCrindle, 2007, p. 1), may provide greater impact in engaging gen Y and influencing their health related behaviours. General drug use is associated with more accepting attitudes towards drugs, regular use and policies supporting legalising illicit substances and less support for anti- drug policies (AIHW, 2011; NDLERF, 2008). Social change and progression (Pilcher, 1994, p. 483), is dependent on the current social, political and economic experiences of a generation (McCrindle, 2009, p. 2). Therefore Duff (2005) suggests the key challenge in coming years may well involve learning how to “live with” young people’s drug use, promoting responsible and reduced use, rather than working aimlessly towards its eradication.

**Analysis and Reflection ** Ebeneezer Goode was purposefully disguised as a seemingly innocent and somewhat nonsensical lyric. The general population knew it as a catchy tune to sing along to, however, to the initiated, the song was an obvious championing of recreational drug use- namely ecstasy, its accepted place within the weekend rave scene and a warning for excessive drug use with lyrics such as, “it’s the love you could lose.” The lyrics and film- clip represent the influential nature of social structure upon the motivation, shape and facilitation of illicit drug use within both Gen X and Gen Y sub- cultures and its normalisation.

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">The British Broadcasting Corporation [BBC] coincidentally aired the song in the same week as their drug- awareness campaign, and with it brought both the deviant underground movement and The Shamen into the mainstream spotlight. The Shamen were a band that clearly resonated with this cohort, the same cohort to which the BBC hoped to influence. With the forced removal of the song from the charts, the BBC further alienated their target audience. Today, despite the acceptability of illicit drug use among mainstream social and economic networks, the scene remains misunderstood. This discrepancy highlights the continued disparity between public health campaigns aimed at reducing illicit drug use and the understanding of characteristics specific to their target audience.

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">Throughout this piece of assessment I have come to appreciate the multi- faceted nature of public health issues, namely illicit drug use among the gen Y cohort. Health behaviours are impacted by far encompassing characteristics from earlier experiences and motivators to social attitudes and cultural influences. Understanding the target audience in which health behaviours are most prevalent is crucial in determining the most effective way in which to influence and overcome their behaviour.

**<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 23px;">References ** <span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2006).//A picture of the nation: From generation to generation.// Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2011). //2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey Report.// Australia’s health series no. PHE 145. Canberra: AIHW.

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2010). //Australia’s Health 2010//. Australia’s health series no. 12 Cat No. AUS 122. Canberra: AIHW.

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2007). //The burden of disease and injury in Australia 2003.// Australia’s health series no. PHE 82. Canberra: AIHW.

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Commonwealth of Australia, National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre. (2007). //Illicit drug use in Australia: Epidemiology, use patterns and associated harm 2nd Ed.// Retrieved September, 28 2011 from the Department of Health and Ageing website []

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Commonwealth of Australia, National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund. (2008).//The impact of social networks and not-for-profit illicit drug dealing on illicit drug markets in Australia.// Retrieved September, 28 2011 from the National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund website []

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Duff, C. (2005). Party drugs and party people: Examining the ‘normalisation’ of recreational drug use in Melbourne, Australia. //International Journal of Drug Policy, 16//, 161-170. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2005.02.001

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Holt, M. (2005). //Young people and illicit drug use in Australia// (Social Research Issue Paper No. 3). NSW, Australian: National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South Wales.

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Lim, M. S. C., Hellard, M. E., Hocking, J. S., & Aitken, C. K. (2008). A cross sectional survey of young people attending a music festival: Associations between drug use and musical preference. //Drug and Alcohol Review, 27//, 439-441).

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">McCrindle, M. (2007). //Socially conscious or selfish and materialistic?// Retrieved from McCrindle Research: []

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">McCrindle, M. (2009). //Understanding Gen Y.// Retrieved from Government of South Australia website <span style="font-family: 'agency fb','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Pilcher, J. (1994). Mannheim’s sociology of generations: An undervalued legacy. //The British Journal of Sociology, 45//(3), 481-495.

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">The Nemeton. (1999). Shamen: Shamen history. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">The Shamen. (2009, September 30). Ebeneezer Goode [Video file]. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">White, B., Degenhardt, L., Breen, C., Bruno, R., Newman, J., and Proudfoot, P. (2006). Risk and benefits perceptions of party drug use. //Addictive Behaviours, 31//, 137-142.

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Wilson, H., Bryant, J., Holt, M., and Treloar, C. (2010). Normalisation of recreational drug use among young people: Evidence about accessibility, use and contact with other drug users. //Health Sociology Review, 19//(2), 164-175.

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 23px;">Learning Reflections/ Discussions ** <span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">Digital Natives- The Impact of Technology on Gen Y

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">It is comforting, but alarming to see the amount of research focused on the health concerns of online social networks. The fact that Ross Gardener, likened the act of deactivating his facebook account to “being clean,” an expression typically reserved for drug or alcohol addictions, highlights for me, the anti- social behaviour of our online connectivity. The increasingly dominant role of social networks in lieu of face- to-face relationships is unsettling.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">Among my own friendship group we joke far too often about the addictive nature of facebook and “face- stalking,” without recognising the true nature of our behaviour. In the past I have also been guilty of replacing face- to- face interaction with facebook.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">I think Paz (2009) encapsulates facebook perfectly; lives were “lived” before online social networks were created. I look at my newsfeed on my facebook account on which I have 485 “friends.” I can check their status, where they are “checked in,” who they are “tagged” with and in some cases what they had for breakfast. I can understand why people wouldn’t need to actually see their friends. But I also wonder, are they really experiencing or living the moment in which they felt it necessary to stop, pull out their phone and inform everyone about?

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">Whilst I admire those that don’t have a facebook account and envy their freedom, for me, having my family abroad and my friends far and wide, facebook affords me the opportunity to connect with them. At the same time, my new found use for facebook in terms of an educational tool for group assessments and general communication with peers prevents me from deactivating my account. However, I will be reconsidering my 485 “friends.” Julia, I thoroughly enjoyed your wiki. It was well written, researched and I might just have to post your artefact on facebook!

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">Gen Y... Superstars

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">What surprises me the most is that Gen Y is constantly considered an individualistic generation, however the degree to which we rely on our friends and yearn for belonging almost in itself contradicts the fairly generalised label that we are stigmatised with. Also of interest are the statistics concerning promotion between Gen Y (86%) and older colleagues (70%). We, Gen Y, are constantly perceived as having no patience due to our “highly entertained, materialistic nature”, and our attitudes towards promotion, it seems, is one way in which this is recognised. However, when I look around us, is it not marketing and the like that have taken advantage of the accumulated wealth of “some” of our parents and led us to the stereotypes and generalisation that we experience today? Society itself has created a cohort and expects to a degree, that if you have captured an individual or group within this, then you have captured us all.

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">I agree whole- heartedly with you Phoebe, whilst I recognise fragments of myself within the Gen Y stereotype, I am still an individual and my experience will always differ from the next person, even among my own siblings, who are predominantly Gen Y. And perhaps, within my own statement I have just provided more fuel for the stereotype of our Gen Y status. However, whilst I can appreciate the use of stereotyping and generalising in gathering information about a cohort, I believe by doing so, society struggles to understand the very community that, they themselves have created.

<span style="font-family: 'Agency FB','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">I have to admit I am guilty of generalising people within my own life, especially young people. Whether this is due to convenience, laziness or societies influence I am unsure, maybe all three? However, from your review of the literature and statistics I can understand the ramifications of this behaviour, especially within healthcare. I hope in future that I am able to make a more conscious effort to identify people as individuals first especially within my chosen profession of dietetics. I think this is extremely important, considering how personal and individual health, eating habits and lifestyles are for each of us. Phoebe, I thoroughly enjoyed your wiki and the analysis of our cohort. Thank you!