I’ve recently started referring to high school aged young people as “young punks”. Some friends have even begun to embrace the terminology while blogging, tweeting or speaking. You might think it sounds stupid, but not as stupid as some terms we use.
Here is my ranking of terms for defining this age group:
- Young Punks – this is my favourite. It’s a kinda playful and even an endearing description. But if you want to overly allegorise, you could say that the ‘punks’ bit recognises that they are sinners.
- Teenagers – I like this. It describes their age.
- Students – I like this. It describes their vocation.
- Youth – This one is okay. But, it’s also ambiguous. Triple J is a ‘youth’ radio station, which includes many Nirvana-loving 40 year-olds.
- Kids – This one is just terrible. Aside from ‘kids’ being junior goats, I think it is patronising and condescending.
- Children – This is worse than kids.
- Generation XYZ – what the heck is Gen Y or Gen Z or Gen Whatever?!? Too tryhard trendy. Very 2006.
You with me?
Campers is a good one to use when running a high school camp. Although I do like the Young Punks one as well.
good call man. i’ve used the camper one many times!!
good job with another chile victory!!!
a few more via facebook:
“youngsters”
“young ‘uns”
I use crew a lot, especially when talking about discipleship. So I say stuff like “Pray for your crew” Hang out with your crew” “Get to know your crew”
Ah yeah. I forgot that one. I use it a bit too, I think it’s the coastal beach culture thing… Or maybe the hip hop thing!?!
It’s difficult to have singular form of it though. Any one word suggestions?
How did your training session go on Saturday?
I’ve been saying crew before hiphop was popular in aus. So its def a coastal thing.
I don’t really have a singular form, I just say one of my crew.
EquipT was fantastic, really great to see so many leaders there to be encouraged and trained. Def keen to make it happen each year. Also might get one or two more volunteers for scripture at Barrenjoey High.
I don’t like to use punks, mainly cause we call the young men who we’re having legal/criminal problems with punks. I use young people, young uns, teenagers (though the twelve year olds always seem to misunderstand this one). One of my favourites is Underager, which I got from a Legion of Superheroes comic.
I’m really against calling the highschool aged guys kids or children. Part of it is that if you want them to step up and be men and women who are solid in Christ, don’t keep lowering the expectations with your words. If you call them kids, they will act like kids. Call them men and women and they’ll rise to it.
What’s the mail on the generic use of “Dudes” ?
i agree with your list except for ‘young punks’. i hate it. sorry. probably a girl thing. glad it works for you and your posse though
Hey Dave, interesting post. It is important to think about. I often use the term ‘kids’ to refer to any group of people (my parents, church leaders, social friends) and I have been using it in youth group. But they youth kids HATE it. They complain when I use it, so I have stopped using it for youth, and only use it for oldies now.
That’s a helpful tip. Respect the youth.
@duke – glad equipt went well.
@joel – i still use “punks” to refer to criminal action.
underager – do you use that one when they ask for alcohol?!?
see a little bit of a discussion on the encouraging young punks to step up on this post: http://davemiers.com/2009/11/07/mark-driscoll-gives-a-smackdown-to-boys-who-can-shave/
@tim – i reckon it’s not the best for girls. and depending on the crowd, they’ll say ‘don’t you know that a dude is a camel’s penis?!’
@kate – i think we can still be friends. yeah?
@ben – i think this is your first ever comment on dmdc – welcome!! good call on only using kids for oldies!! it’s probs flattering for them!
haha – yeah i think we probably can still be friends
phew! haha
Collective nouns might be a bad idea altogether.
The young men around here call each other ‘bros’, but you sorta hafta earn the right to do that. The chicks have a whole wardrobe of words for each other, because they are sensitive to which word is exactly right for a particular person/time/situation.
If you mean ‘righteous’, you can probably say so, despite its alternate meanings and associations. If you mean ‘sinners’, it might be honest to say so, even if your audience may not like it. If you mean ‘people’ (without religious classification), you can call them that. I
Any of the terms you have listed can sound patronising.
‘Punk’ has bad historical associations and alternate meanings for many people. ‘Teenager’ seems to make teenagers squirm. ‘Student’ is an imposed role (like ‘slave’) which many young people would like to escape or forget. Youth, Kids and Children are words that inevitably imply power/authority/credibility differential which is irritating, at best, to many kids. The ‘I-Gen’ is a marketing term, so it focuses on big spenders, and again, it is used by aliens (outsiders).
Before you use a term with young people, it might be prudent to check it out in urbandictionary.com – just in case it has other meanings.
I’ve use students when at school, campers on camp, teenagers at church.
When actually talking to a group of teenagers, the generic “guy” works for me.
@calum: yeah – good call on the generic ‘guy’ – i think i use that one too.
@sostenuto: thanks for your input. i’m not sure if you actually suggested what to use? and if you don’t use a collective noun, how do you address a group?
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“friends” is another one, but i don’t like it when i hear preachers use it.
Hey there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok.
I’m definitely enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.