BREF Commentary, No. 37
April 20, 2015
The Mild-Mannered Revolution
By Radoslav Dragov
There’s a popular saying among the alcohol-distillers of the world: “smoking and only smoking
is bad for your health”. This PR strategy seems to have worked: in many EU countries smoking
rates among the youth have been falling in step with growing government restrictions on
smoking. Unfortunately for alcohol producers, binge drinking is also following the same
downward trajectory. In most places youth violence and (especially) teen pregnancy are on the
decline. According to the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs
(ESPAD) the trend is not exactly uniform across all EU countries but there’s an unmistakable
sense that the specific breed of teen rebel is withering away. But news outlets are the place
where hyperbole goes to die and every week we have a new epidemic among the youth, facts be
damned. That’s a shame because the outbreak of good behaviour presents a far more interesting
conundrum than teenagers indulging in bad habits.
Whatever happened to the youth slogans inherited from the sixties: “if it feels good, do it”,
“stick it to the man”, “let it all hang out”, “take this job and shove it". The iconoclastic attitudes
and needless posturing today are generally practiced by the most reviled group of all: hipsters.
Virulent anti-consumerism has been replaced with appreciation for material possessions and
one-upmanship over social networks. This change in attitude is reflected in contemporary
music: in the sixties “The Who” released the jokingly titled album “The Who Sell Out” with
faux commercials on the cover. Today most popular songs are basically a recitation of a long
list of possessions and real estate complemented by synth loops. There’s an unmistakable whiff
of change in attitudes but it’s difficult to break down the individual components. Let’s attempt
to do so:
1. Demographics. Half of the EU population are over the age of 42 and this number stands to
increase with time. This has important implications for the image of a society. There’s a reason
why developing countries with disproportionate youth population are seen as energetic and
vigorous. The prevalent age group of the time can cast a shadow on the whole population. The
sixties Europe experienced a youth bulge (the Baby Boomers) which ultimately decided the
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Radoslav Dragov is Project Associate at Bridging Europe
BREF Commentaries offer policy-oriented insights into topical issues in European Affairs.
Available for free download from Bridging Europe website (www.bridgingeurope.net)
©Bridging Europe 2014.
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BREF Commentary, No. 37
April 20, 2015
look and feel of the whole decade. Now the disproportionate numbers of adults in the EU
imprint their characteristics on the youth: less risky and rebellious but also more responsible
and balanced.
2. Helicopter parents. The fertility rate in EU countries steadily declined from the 1960’s till
the turn of the century. Since 2002 the fertility rate has rebounded but only slightly. It is still
far below the replacement rate of 2.1 live births per woman. By and large women have children
at a later stage in life when they are more financially secure. Fewer offsprings mean that
parents can devote more time, attention and resources to their children. There is also the rising
phenomenon of helicopter parents who try to micromanage every aspect of their children’s
lives. Whether this style of parenting is ultimately bad for the emotional development of a child
is up for debate. But it is plausible that the extra attention from parents can stop many children
from picking up some bad habits.
3. Unemployment. Work may be the curse of the drinking classes but as we’ve established not
that many young people drink today. Youth unemployment is the real problem. Good education
has always been the best way to rise up in society but today it does not even guarantee
employment. Competition for good jobs and prestigious education is now global. More than
ever teenagers are making the connection between the glamorous lifestyle (glorified in the
media) and their education. They want to be able to afford their choice of lifestyle by buying
certain products or travelling around the world. It is little wonder than that the only type of
drugs that have seen a stark increase in use are the so-called “smart drugs” like Ritalin,
Adderall, and Modafinil. The job market is overcrowded and students would readily ingest any
substance that would give them the extra edge. They do not want to squander their best chance
for success in life by drinking or partying excessively.
4. Technology. Binge drinking is quite possibly the most social sport. Smoking is a habit that
is easily picked up just by hanging out with friends. But thanks to technology young people do
not need to go to bars, cafes or smoking rooms in order to socialize with peers. The
technological wonder of online text messaging has made it possible for teenagers to stay in
touch from the safety of their own rooms. Violence can easily flair up when a large group of
young males hang out together. Jokes and laughter can immediately turn into a brutal brawl.
Good or bad, video games have a pacifying effect on teenage boys because they keep males
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Radoslav Dragov is Project Associate at Bridging Europe
BREF Commentaries offer policy-oriented insights into topical issues in European Affairs.
Available for free download from Bridging Europe website (www.bridgingeurope.net)
©Bridging Europe 2014.
Page |2
BREF Commentary, No. 37
April 20, 2015
physically separated. Few of them would have the vinegar to go across town and start a fight
with their co-players. Besides video games there’s an ocean of online distractions that keep
teenagers sedated.
5. The Politician’s Version. Perhaps the spread of moderate behaviour among the youth is a
direct result of a multipronged government effort to curb youthful hedonism. Laws restricting
alcohol and tobacco use have been getting stricter. Heavy fines are levied on anyone who sells
these substances to underage people. Media campaigns warning of the dangers of alcohol,
tobacco and drug use have filtered down and are now seen as common sense by the youth. New
legislation against anti-social behaviour may have sent many teenagers on the right path. Often
we are so devoted to find an esoteric and counterintuitive explanation that we miss the big
picture.
6. Flynn Effect. Speaking of esoteric theories, here is one. The Flynn effect is an empirically
proven phenomenon of rising IQ scores across societies throughout time. Meaning that on
average a generation has a higher average IQ than the preceding one. For the United States the
increase is roughly 3 points per decade. That is why standardised IQ tests have to be constantly
revised down to 100 (which represents the average) to account for IQ inflation. IQ is related to
self-control - which in turn is the best predictor of delinquency and antisocial behaviour.
Perhaps teenagers are on average smarter and thus in better control of their actions.
7. The Civilising Process. This is where things get really interesting but also fiendishly
complex. According to the late sociologist Norbert Elias, Europe underwent a civilising process
from the Middle Ages onwards. Back in the old days, when hygiene wasn’t in vogue, people did
not burden themselves with too many table manners. Emotions, impulses and bodily functions
were vented freely. The boorish behaviour of people in the Middle Ages was gradually
reformed and restricted through a growing number of social rules. These rules, though at times
excessive, instilled self-control and consideration into people. By the 20th century these rules
were so ingrained in society that another process took place: informalization. We have so much
self-control that we no longer need the tightening corset of very formal manners to behave
well. As one author puts it: “Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they
know they can be impolite without having their skulls split.” Likewise, today people can
indulge in ultra-violent entertainment without taking it all too seriously.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Radoslav Dragov is Project Associate at Bridging Europe
BREF Commentaries offer policy-oriented insights into topical issues in European Affairs.
Available for free download from Bridging Europe website (www.bridgingeurope.net)
©Bridging Europe 2014.
Page |3
BREF Commentary, No. 37
April 20, 2015
Aldous Huxley remarked: “man has an almost infinite appetite for distractions”. But self-control
may be getting stronger in societies as time goes by. Or to be more precise: we develop
immunity to certain old addictions while new ones arrive. That is why smoking and alcohol
consumption among the young are going down while Internet addiction is out of control. As
technology, progress and excess lavishes us with instant gratification or ways to ruin our
health we will continue to exert greater self-control. Perhaps we can overcome the bad habits
of the past. Then new temptations will arise and the cycle will begin again.
8. Social Nudging. I believe that all of the above-mentioned factors play a non-negligible role
in the recent increase of exemplary behaviour among the youth. Social behaviour (good or bad)
can easily spread to other parts of society. People tend to do what other people do. For
example, teenage pregnancy, obesity, and academic effort of college students have empirically
been proven to be contagious. Small improvements (or nudges) here and there can cascade into
an avalanche of good behaviour across societies. In the end, Aldous Huxley was wrong: It’s a
Timid New World!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Radoslav Dragov is Project Associate at Bridging Europe
BREF Commentaries offer policy-oriented insights into topical issues in European Affairs.
Available for free download from Bridging Europe website (www.bridgingeurope.net)
©Bridging Europe 2014.
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