Today's youths are the worst--but not in the way you might think.

[fm93]

Every two years, the federal government puts out a detailed behemoth of a report on the state of American teenagers. It has data about all sorts of things, like how much teens drink, have sex, and use illicit drugs.

A few months ago, my colleagues and I noticed a surprising trend: American teens keep becoming better and better behaved.

They use fewer drugs, have less sex, fight less, and watch television less than previous generations. If you shooed these children away from your lawn, they'd likely do so very quickly and politely. They probably wouldn't be on your lawn in the first place.

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the latest version of this study. It's a 181-page report, and the data, collected from September 2014 through December 2015, strongly suggests today's teens are the best-behaved in generations.

Report
Source

I, for one, am utterly disheartened by our country's moral deterioration. What kind of boring losers don't drink, don't have frequent sex, and don't use illicit drugs?

In all seriousness, this report could throw a wrench into all these the-sky-is-falling, doom-and-gloom lamentations that some older folks (*coughs in seer's direction) keep proclaiming. It does acknowledge that some things haven't changed and a few things have gotten somewhat worse, but overall, there's much reason for optimism.

[Christianbookworm]

We're too busy playing on the internet and our phones!

Oh, and...

The counts of the indictment are luxury, bad manners, contempt for authority, disrespect to elders, and a love for chatter in place of exercise. …

Children began to be the tyrants, not the slaves, of their households. They no longer rose from their seats when an elder entered the room; they contradicted their parents, chattered before company, gobbled up the dainties at table, and committed various offences against Hellenic tastes, such as crossing their legs. They tyrannised over the paidagogoi and schoolmasters.
http://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/05...ancient-times/

[seanD]

Every two years, the federal government puts out a detailed behemoth of a report on the state of American teenagers. It has data about all sorts of things, like how much teens drink, have sex, and use illicit drugs.

A few months ago, my colleagues and I noticed a surprising trend: American teens keep becoming better and better behaved.

They use fewer drugs, have less sex, fight less, and watch television less than previous generations. If you shooed these children away from your lawn, they'd likely do so very quickly and politely. They probably wouldn't be on your lawn in the first place.

Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the latest version of this study. It's a 181-page report, and the data, collected from September 2014 through December 2015, strongly suggests today's teens are the best-behaved in generations.

Report
Source

I, for one, am utterly disheartened by our country's moral deterioration. What kind of boring losers don't drink, don't have frequent sex, and don't use illicit drugs?

In all seriousness, this report could throw a wrench into all these the-sky-is-falling, doom-and-gloom lamentations that some older folks (*coughs in seer's direction) keep proclaiming. It does acknowledge that some things haven't changed and a few things have gotten somewhat worse, but overall, there's much reason for optimism.

Yeah, the violence and rioting at the Trump rallies by the millennials, based on just political differences and the rights of free speech, was all just a mirage.

[Christianbookworm]

Yeah, the violence and rioting at the Trump rallies by the millennials, based on just political differences and the rights of free speech, was all just a mirage.

I wouldn't know about that! I never got an invitation. What percent of the entire population was doig that versus just playing on a smart phone?

[Sparko]

maybe parents today are disgusted by the way the college students have been acting and are raising the next generation better in reaction to the narcissistic self absorbed millennial generation.

[seanD]

I wouldn't know about that! I never got an invitation. What percent of the entire population was doig that versus just playing on a smart phone?

Entire population? I don't get your meaning.

[Christianbookworm]

Entire population? I don't get your meaning.

You can't brush an entire demographic with the actions of a few. Some humans do horrible things. Should I then say all of humanity is the exact same as the horrible deed doers(I'm not talking from the all have sinned perspective but only from a comparing humans to humans perspective)?

[seanD]

You can't brush an entire demographic with the actions of a few. Some humans do horrible things. Should I then say all of humanity is the exact same as the horrible deed doers(I'm not talking from the all have sinned perspective but only from a comparing humans to humans perspective)?

I wasn't saying every single young person engaged in this activity, but that's a moot point. The rioting and violence was nationwide, wherever Trump rallies were taking place (and this is not even considering all the declarations of violence and killing that was spread on social media). This is a perfect example of the general attitude (note "general") of the youth today and how they deal with conflict resolution -- i.e. either via actual violence or the declaration of violence -- and this had nothing to do with them even being physically harmed or threatened, but was expressed just against the rights of others to freely express their political free speech. Just because every single young person doesn't take part in these actions is irrelevant. There is a large cultural group that do react this way and apparently think this is how you respond to differences of political views.

[seer]

[box]

In all seriousness, this report could throw a wrench into all these the-sky-is-falling, doom-and-gloom lamentations that some older folks (*coughs in seer's direction) keep proclaiming. It does acknowledge that some things haven't changed and a few things have gotten somewhat worse, but overall, there's much reason for optimism.

What years are being compared? From what I see it was only from 1991 to 2015. And how many of these kids (especially boys) are on some form of ADHD medication?

[fm93]

maybe parents today are disgusted by the way the college students have been acting and are raising the next generation better in reaction to the narcissistic self absorbed millennial generation.

How skillful of you to be able to generalize an entire generation. But anyhow, the time period covered entails that many of those teens would still be in the millennial generation.

And also, I specifically remember that in the "Generation Snowflake" thread, you agreed with me that the reports of bizarre college behavior are grossly exaggerated in their extent.



ETA:

https://twitter.com/talzir/status/576919055841394689

If I had a dollar for every time a BabyBoomer complained about my generation, I'd have enough money to buy a house in the market they ruined

[fm93]

I wasn't saying every single young person engaged in this activity, but that's a moot point. The rioting and violence was nationwide, wherever Trump rallies were taking place (and this is not even considering all the declarations of violence and killing that was spread on social media). This is a perfect example of the general attitude (note "general") of the youth today and how they deal with conflict resolution -- i.e. either via actual violence or the declaration of violence -- and this had nothing to do with them even being physically harmed or threatened, but was expressed just against the rights of others to freely express their political free speech. Just because every single young person doesn't take part in these actions is irrelevant. There is a large cultural group that do react this way and apparently think this is how you respond to differences of political views.

Uh, several (if not all) of those violent clashes were initiated by Donald's supporters--either by literally throwing the first punch, or by egging protesters on. He's literally encouraged his supporters to be violent towards protesters.

And considering that Donald forbade news sources such as the Washington Post from covering his events, saying that people who oppose him are against the right to free speech is rich.

[rogue06]

Blasted kids just won't...

GIT OFFA MY LAWN!!!!

[seanD]

Uh, several (if not all) of those violent clashes were initiated by Donald's supporters--either by literally throwing the first punch, or by egging protesters on.

No they weren't lol. I saw the videos. There was one black guy in the audience that initiated the fight against an anti-Trump protester at a rally. That was the only one I saw, and I saw dozens of videos. Initially that was the claim in the media, until more attention was given to the rallies and people started filming it. Then we discovered that that claim was bullcrap. The anti-Trump protesters initiated all the violence, and rarely did the Trump supporters respond.

[Starlight]

What kind of boring losers don't drink, don't have frequent sex, and don't use illicit drugs?

I'd attribute it to more computers and less religion. They've got more things to do to keep them occupied, and atheism promotes more empathy toward others than does religion.

[Cow Poke]

...or by egging protesters on. ....

You may be unaware that this is not an illegal activity, but responding with violence is. Next time you punch somebody in the face for calling you a twinkie, try telling the judge "but she called me a name!"