Mmmm
An interesting batch of theories/ideas. I started reading this thread with a pre-conceived idea of what I wanted to say in response as to why "young people" abhor folk music.. the trite answer has two parts... in the UK The Spinners and in the US the Clancy Bros.. these people have done more harm to "traditional music" than can be estimated. However we seem to have to define what we mean by "folk music". As we live in a society that is increasingly paranoia in its desire to put things into pigeon holes, we are constantly confronted by examples of be it music, or whatever, that will not conform. I grew up on Simon and Garfunkle, yet would never have considered them folk.. Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span have been with me as long as I care to remember (confession.. I'm 46).. though if I was a purist, you can not call their music as folk.. it might have started out as folk, but once you start adding electric guitars etc it becomes just as "pop" as whoever maybe in the charts...
Or does it? And are the Beatles, now twenty years or so on, likewise S & G, to be considered as folk music? And as Anna says, is Rap music any less folk music than Woody Guthrie or Ralph McTell. I think what Ian really means is why are young people as a whole derisive of "traditional" music/songs.
Apart from the Spinners, you can also blame Aran Jumpers, people singing whilst sticking their fingers in their ears and singing unaccompanied... if you want to be superficial that is. I think Karen hit the nail on the head when she said a lot of it depends upon what musical influences you grow up with. Providing they are fairly diverse, our off spring will come to appreciate the wide spectrum of musical variation, hopefully encompassing "folk" as they do so. Providing there is someone there to continue the tradition and hopefully keep it alive, I trust it will live on.
Mick