Different views on partying in different generations
Young people start partying at an increasingly young age and they generally feel safe when leaving their homes. Their parents, however, are concerned by the threats faced by their children seeking a more intensive nightlife experience and more often. Young people believe that they go out in a different way than their parents’ generation did but it is mostly external factors that changed. From the inside, they party with the same attitude as their parents did 10 or 20 years ago.
Young people in their teens and twenties point to technology devices as the main difference: “…it is much easier to arrange a meeting using a mobile phone. You can learn who is where, gather information about parties, the places to go to and the events happening in town”. People in their thirties and forties see a change in the atmosphere of parties and festivals: “There is more freedom and more danger. Limits are more relaxed, morals are looser. Young people need much stronger and more powerful experiences faster to get in the party mood. Today’s youth are under heavier pressure than previous generations were and they compensate it with more partying.” Older people who are often parents themselves expressed their fears and concerns because of the common use of drugs and excessive alcohol consumption.
The things young and old agree upon with regard to partying
All generations agree that the safety benefits of mobile phones exceed their risks in a festival environment. Benefits mentioned included safety functions supporting organization and navigation (e.g. general availability, GPS and camera). The drawbacks of using mobile phones at a festival include mostly drunk posting and calling and the risk of falling victim to robbery.
Based on the answers of young people, responsible mobile use makes partying better: “If you are stuck to your mobile instead of living the moment you will lose the party experience” and “People often don’t talk but just sit next to each other tapping their mobile phones, taking photos and counting likes on social media. You should party with each other rather than your mobile phone!”
Video providing advice to young people and parents for the festival season based on survey results
5 tips for parents for festival safety:
5+1 tips for young people to make the most of the festival season.
To read the brief survey report please click here.