are today's youth 'ego driven slackers'?

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100315104030.htm

ScienceDaily (Mar. 16, 2010) — Today's youth are generally not the self-centered, antisocial slackers that previous research has made them out to be, according to a provocative new study co-authored by a Michigan State University psychologist.

"We concluded that, more often than not, kids these days are about the same as they were back in the mid-1970s," said Donnellan, associate professor of psychology.

In other findings:
Today's youth are more cynical and less trusting of institutions than previous generations. But Donnellan said this is generally true of the broader population.
The current generation is less fearful of social problems such as race relations, hunger, poverty and energy shortages.
Today's youth have higher educational expectations.
Ultimately, Donnellan said, it's common for older generations to paint youth in a negative light -- as lazy and self-absorbed, for example -- which can perpetuate stereotypes. It can be easy, he added, to forget what it's like to grow up.

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D: in other news, Harper introduced a bill regarding young offenders.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/tories-say-protection-of-society-should-be-goal-of-youth-justice/article1502155/

D: superficially, this appears to be the usual 'incapacitate versus rehabilitate' debate.
But look closer.

Mr. Nicholson says that would include a “casual attitude to the law [and] complete lack of empathy for the victim.”

The proposed changes would also permit sentencing judges to take into account evidence of previous brushes with the law that did not result in charges or convictions.

D: guilty until proven innocent? Or just always guilty - and next time, we'll ding you for it?

D: a nation with a mixed bag of laws that include a whole lotta vice crimes can expect a "casual attitude".
Every time a vice crime is made a crime, (arbitrarily) half of the people will believe that it should not be a crime.
Pot - weed - comes to mind. But so could, Idunno, prostitution or some types of porn. And gun control - the right has its 'vice crime' peeves too. If only they realized how much they resemble their opposition on the left. Even to the point of using the same rhetoric as them - but only in reference to their particular bugbear.
If we as a nation use a criminalization/imprison approach to only moderate harmful behaviors instead of a more moderate regulation/fine approach, then we can expect this casual attitude.
I'd argue a casual attitude is the most sensible one.

My mother had to admit that a lifetime cohort study found those that try weed were MORE, not LESS successful. They were free thinkers who were willing to question accepted wisdom.
I think you'd be hard pressed to find a U grad who has not tried it, at least not many.

D: Notice a connection above? The two separate news items. One contains "cynical of institutions", the other "a casual attitude towards the law". It is the same damn thing!

My blog is gonna argue that being cynical of institutions is not only a supportable position, but also the most reasonable one.

D.