Kids Will Be Kids, Have Been for Centuries

Despite exhibiting some signs of self-obsession, young Americans are not more self-absorbed than earlier generations, according to new research challenging the prevailing wisdom.

Some scholars point out that bemoaning the self-involvement of young people is a perennial adult activity. (“The children now love luxury,” Plato wrote 2,400 years ago. “They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise.”) Others warn that if young people continue to be labeled selfish and narcissistic, they just might live up to that reputation.

“There’s a self-fulfilling prophecy,” said Kali H. Trzesniewski, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Western Ontario. Ms. Trzesniewski, along with colleagues at the University of California, Davis, and Michigan State University, will publish research in the journal Psychological Science next month showing there have been very few changes in the thoughts, feelings and behaviors of youth over the last 30 years. In other words, the minute-by-minute Twitter broadcasts of today are the navel-gazing est seminars of 1978.

And we couldn't agree more...read the whole article from the NY Times.

Comments

[chuck83]

As a member of the Y Generation, I strongly agree that Y's are not more self absorbed, in fact I believe they are less self absorbed. Success is often measured by status and position by previous generations, but I believe Y's are more inclined to want to make a difference. We are interesting in finding meaningful work and more focused on how we can help solve the problems of the world than in making money for conspicuous consumption.