Young people's lives today

After reading the source "Young people and British Identity" from a research study conducted for the Camelot foundation, I have discovered another theory for the identity of young people that suggests that the different facets of a teenagers personal identity such as taste, preference to music, sport and fashion, go together to create their individual identity. It also suggests that the process that defines these attributes is a decisive pre-occupation for young people and determines their social standing, group status and personal trajectory.

The source then goes on to describe research that uncovers a lack of emotional resonance amongst young people towards Britishness and the spontaneous associations that are connected with it, such as the Queen, tea and crumpets and Big Ben, which are more connected with an "old world Britain" and do not reflect today's Britain and society. In the opinion of Young people Britain is an old, hierarchical, traditional, political discourse that doesn't fit in with the fresh, inventive, messy and often chaotic world of a British teenager.

However, even though Britishness does not connect well with young people in terms of their everyday life, they still recognise a number of advantages that come with living in Britain like it's strong economy and good public services like the NHS. They also value British institutions like the BBC, good education and coveted universities, basic law and order and social rules and the knowledge that social freedoms and human rights will be protected.

Being British also becomes relevant to younger people when they are abroad on holiday as when surrounded by other nationalities it creates a form of "othering" where ones national identity becomes stronger in the face of a culture that is not your own. However, despite all of this, being British doesn't really add anything to the daily narrative or social reality that young people are faced with which is reflected in the negative attitudes younger people express about career prospects and equality of opportunities in British society which poses a number of challenges if Britishness is to resonate with young people.