Drugs, Porn and Rock-n-Roll Don’t Make You Happy?

This question has been posed millions of times before but a recent poll conducted by MTV and the Associated Press dives deeper into the cause of happiness and the results are not too surprising to me but I’m sure some parents of teenagers were awestruck. The poll queried MTV’s target audience of male and females between the ages of 18-24.

Participants of the poll were asked over 100 questions concerning their personal happiness. As the pollsters began examining the answers an overwhelming theme began to emerge. Not sex, not drugs, not gangs, not rock-n-roll. The number one way this generation finds happiness is when they spend time with family. Number two, spending time with friends, three…spending time with others. Almost 75% of all polled said their relationship with their parents make them happy.

I’m encouraged but not surprised with the results of the poll. I have the awesome opportunity of working with this age group on a weekly basis. Yes, many of them are currently or were involved in sexual activity, have used or at least sampled illegal drugs, they’re current and former gang members, and many are what you would call quintessential rebels. When one develops a personal relationship with these so-called “troubled” youngsters you quickly realize they’re searching for that one key to happiness…family.

Admit it, that’s what we’re all looking for. Teenagers may look for it in different ways than adults. Teenagers often look to sex, drugs and alcohol to fill their need for family. Adults often look to porn, their buddies at they gym or an extra-marital affair. Whatever the case, we’re all searching for family. Through the cloud filled haze of drugs we are searching for family. Through the fantasy of porn, we are looking for family.