Talking point: Urban tribes

This week's talking point is urban tribes. Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below so that ideas flow more easily the day you get together with your friends and you can work out vocabulary problems beforehand.

• Hippies, skaters, townies, preppies, goths, techies. What do you know about these urban tribes?
• What do these people do?
• What do they wear?
• What kind of music do they listen to?
• What other interests do they have?
• Where do they go and what do they do in their free time?
• What are their homes like?
• Judging from their appearance, what do you think these people believe it is important in life?
• Do you know anyone who is a member of an urban tribe or some other social group?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a member of such groups?
• How and why did these groups begin?
• 'People like to belong'. Do you agree?
• 'Your appearance shows your personality'. Do you agree?
• 'First impressions count'. Do you agree?

INTERACTION
Your teenage son/daughter has taken up the Goth look. They wear black ripped clothes, have a piercing, and have dyed their hair black and purple. All their new friends are also Goths.
Decide what you, as parents, should do, if anything.

To illustrate the topic, you can watch this BBC video about the explosion of urban youth culture in Mexico city and its implications.