In the first sentence, he tell us that in 1994 the "elders" of Daytona Beach had taken a stand against the "younger" generation represented by MTV and its proposed Spring Break program.  This sets the tone of juxtaposition that pervades his article. 

The reader may question what authority this white Scotsman brings to his subject; but he does a nice job of demonstrating the "us" contrasted to "them" which is so much a part of any sort of prejudicial experience.  He rightly begins this topic with maturing youth, since the sprouts of our social identity in a world of others start when we venture away from the protection of our parents and into society.  We are driven on out of the nest by urges and drives that are only vaguely understood when they first begin their rumblings inside of us.

Each new generation questions who and where they are in relation to the other people in the world.  This questioning can become an almost ritualistic act of trial and error, and sometimes error prevails. 
 

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