Kids these days...

A new University of Michigan study conducted meta-analysis on 72 different surveys of American college students from 1979 to 2009 and concluded that:

"College kids today are about 40 per cent lower in empathy than their counterparts of 20 or 30 years ago, as measured by standard tests of this personality trait."

Apparently, college students today are much less likely to agree with the statements,"I sometimes try to understand my friends better by imagining how things look from their perspective" and "I often have tender, concerned feelings for people less fortunate than me."

According to Konrath, the author of the study, "Many people see the current group of college students -- sometimes called 'Generation Me' -- as one of the most self-centered, narcissistic, competitive, confident and individualistic in recent history."

This so called "Generation Y" or "Generation Me" is something I have contemplated for many years. I can remember, at the beginning of my senior year at the University of Virginia in 2002, that the incoming freshmen students were of a new breed. In general, they were extremely extroverted in their sense of narcissism, self-entitlement and lack of respect for authority - and it was literally that night-and-day. For whatever reason, the class of 2006 was the first exemplify this cultural shift most defined by (in my opinion) growing up not having never known what life was like without the internet.

And as this shift to having instant access to information took a foothold, so did the reality TV phenomenon that so many youngsters today identify with. I can remember watching the first "Real World" in NYC - and I won't lie, I enjoyed it - but these were the days when MTV still showed music videos. Once NBC showed that Reality TV could go mainstream and prime time with "Survivor", an impetus was born for the next reality TV show to out due the previous in order to gain ratings and viewership. On MTV, soon lost were the music videos whose time slots were quickly filled with shows like "Jackass" and "My Sweet Sixteen." This phenomenon reached its pinnacle with the introduction of YouTube enabling anyone to attain their instant fifteen minutes of fame.

I was recently reading the "Faculty Voice," the faculty newsletter for the University of Maryland, and relieved to read words that explained the concepts I've been trying to wrap my head around for years in an interview with the outgoing head of the UMCP Counseling Center, Vivian S. Boyd.

2. There are more students on campus
now; and of course over the generationplus
there must have been some changes
in the student body. What changes are
especially striking to you?
First, the fabric of adolescence itself
has changed. In my opinion, today’s youth
grow up in a world that lacks consistency
and structure. Arguably, technology and the
media have created a virtual world without
boundaries. Granted, students are smarter
cognitively as is seen in test-taking ability
with higher and higher SAT scores each
year. However, in the wake of so much
information students don’t seem bothered
by the need to understand.
There’s clearly more
information at one’s finger
tips, but not necessarily more
knowledge creation. Students
today are much more concerned
about what is the right answer in
contrast to learning how to get
the right answer. The arduous
task (or better yet process) of
understanding no longer seems
terribly important.
Second, I’ve observed that
there’s a constant craving for
praise among Generation Y. They
seem entitled to the “A” grade for
just simply showing up to class.
They seek a Disney-like ending
when it comes to classroom
instruction although they must
realize such perfection doesn’t
exist in the real world.
Third, familial relationships
have changed. Children are
exposed to heavy issues before
they’ve had the emotional or
cognitive resources to cope.
We seemingly have abandoned
many of the traditional values
on the home front that provided
guidance as to how to raise
children. At the same time, an
upsurge in entitlement (a greater
self focus) prevails among today’s
youth. This mantle of specialness
can be attributable to parents who
are no longer willing to set limits
or boundaries for proscribed
behavior. In my view, we seem
to be approaching a time where
nothing matters.
In terms of formative
upbringing, children tend to
be overprotected. Hovering
parents stymie the development
of children’s coping skills. The
literature has shown us that early
bouts of frustration and adversity,
if not severe, can immune
children for later stressful events.
It seems that many parents strive
to create a risk-free world for
their children. By doing so, they
rob their offspring’s of the chance
to learn how to overcome failure
and life’s shortcomings.
Once such sheltered
individuals come to college,
they often lack the emotional
intelligence that comes from
living real life and the subsequent
development of independent
thought. It means that such
students aren’t prepared for the
vicissitudes of real life especially
in the form of loss (e.g., failed
relationships, rejection, and
death). In sum, they lack the
resilience that comes from
disappointment.
Fourth, in the wake of
technological advances, aloneness
has become a significant issue.
Ironically, the virtual world touts
unlimited contacts for its users
however, the human touch falls
out of the equation. In my view,
there’s hardly any true intimacy
in cyberspace communities.
Fifth, the youth still
have big dreams, but follow
through seems to be lacking.
You need to take action if you
want to achieve. Since most
entrepreneurial pursuits fail from
the onset, youth need the mental
and emotional toughness to try
over and over again until they
succeed. Perhaps, the shining
example of this mindset is still
captured by the children’s fable,
The Little Engine That Could.
Sixth, alcohol abuse is a
rampant problem on most college
campuses. As a legal intoxicant,
it enables students to engage in
escapism from pressing issues.
Seventh, the stage of
adolescence seems to last longer
for Generation Y compared
to previous generations.
By design, today’s youth
tends to delay the ultimate
transition to adulthood.
For example, a growing
number of 30-year olds
live at home with their
parents and astoundingly
feel no discomfort about
it. In their defense,
recessionary pressures
and financial hardships
are partly to blame for
their current lot in life.
Interestingly, at the
Counseling Center we
have noted less student
engagement with the
campus. Once again,
finances seem to be the
culprit where students
must work more hours to
self finance their college
education.

 For the complete interview, please click here

I certainly have friends who are of this "Generation Y" age group and I can say without a doubt that these generalizations do not apply to all. I would also be remiss not to mention that it is the current generation that is more tolerant than any generation we have ever seen. Interracial relationships and homosexual lifestyles are far more acceptable in this generation than any previous and a necessary cultural shift in my opinion. It is this generation that helped usher in our first Black president and will likely be the one to achieve equal rights for all - whether gay or straight.