The aim of the survey was to ‘obtain teenage views on a range of issues’ yet, paradoxically that statement was followed by a disclaimer ‘Some people may not qualify to complete the survey. If this is the case you will be informed within 1 minute of starting the survey.’
So click the link, see how far you get and read the rest of the post afterwards.
http://atmst.net/utr.php?e=kgPtkktDragxMQHFQiggDEgB&url=66d4e71d387b191dbf7e4cb2b66cf1dc*McNairIngenuity*http://www.mcnairingenuity.com/surveys/894DH%20Partner%20survey/894dh.htm*2
No judgement will be passed on anyone who did get to the end, that’s not what I take issue with. It’s the fact that the first question “Have you drunk alcohol in the past week?” – the supposed qualification question to which if you answer No, then well, you can’t contribute anything of use so skedaddle, really skews the whole survey and reminds me of so many newspaper articles/polls that give us shocking statistics on the rate of teenage drinking and the factors that underlie it but rarely never stop to inquire from those 4% (OK that’s a bit of an exaggeration) of teenagers who don’t drink as to why they don’t.
Maybe that sort of news wouldn’t be sensationalist enough for a society which has become accustomed to hearing that this generation is a bunch of hard-drinking, drug abusing, short attention span possessing, no-hopers.But nonetheless, McNair Ingenuity Research could have easily continued the survey for those people who answer “No” to the first question:
What factor/s caused you to not consume alcohol?
a) Moral prerogative
b) Didn’t like the taste
c) Didn’t have access to it
d) Religious reasons
e) Parents wouldn’t let me
f) Health reasons- allergies etc.
g) Legality- it’s a crime
h) Negative past experience
i) Friends don’t drink
j) And so on..
What is your view on teenage drinking?
a) It is an abhorrent social phenomenon!
b) It’s illegal, therefore it’s wrong
c) There’s no harm in teenagers drinking in moderation, it’s just not for me
d) It’s a choice teenagers are mature enough to make, so society should stop judging us.
Will you drink in the future?
a) Yes, next week
b) Yes!... just waiting till my 18th
c) Yes, but only in moderation
d) Probably, if I ever acquire a taste for it
e) Never, teetotaller for life!
That is by no means exhaustive, but I think the point’s been made. But they didn’t ask those questions, so I guess we’ll never know why the ENTIRE teenage population of Australia doesn’t drink (which is the impression one gets from the media)...
OK, time to neutralise the sting of all this outrage about one-sided depictions of adolescence with a completely unrelated recommendation: the blog ‘a certain romance’ is très awesome (hello free –and guilt-free- music downloads + illuminating ruminations on the relationship between life & music) and makes one wonder just what are they putting in the water in Austin, Texas - also hometown of Shearwater and Voxtrot (two very different but ingenious musical outfits <-- Shearwater is especially haunting and beautiful)...
Count L.
2 comments:
now if only we could get those survey people to read our blog, think of the comments then! anywhoo, i whole-heartedly agree, shame today tonight don't cover stories on ordinary nerdy girls who blog in their free time and look for ways to download guilt-free music. i actually recommend the song itself 'a certain romance' by the arctic monkeys - some madass drumming in the intro.
what i wouldn't give to ask whatstheirface from today tonight, "do you ever dream of being in journalism someday?"
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