Sorry to disrupt this youth bash-fest, but I'm here to weigh in for the 11-25 "youth". The article, and everyone's comments, are filled with generalizations and baseless statements. Or perhaps those statements are based on what you see on cable "news" or read on the internet, under headlines like "You won't BELIEVE what this teen does when his parents are gone".

We can all provide examples of kids going nowhere, or who are content within whatever you define as The System, but I can give you examples of adults (25 yrs+) who are the same. I browse through my Facebook feed and see friends starting their own businesses, taking non-traditional jobs, and generally cutting the string of safety Zorba refers to in the article.

And come on people... aren't you forgetting the internet?! Those memes you are sharing? That YouTube you are watching? WE MADE THAT.
kids these days. #amiright?

Although we may always feel young at heart, I believe youth (in this context) does represent those of a certain age group. True, the author does not state a specific age group, and so let me explain my opinion as such: in our infancy, we believe that the world is filled with limitless possibilities, and is full of hope for the future. We set goals for ourselves as children, but then as adolescents we are taught (or told) that they are irrational, and must find more appropriate goals/dreams/ vision of the world. So with regards to this article, I would say that youth lies somewhere between early adolescence and early adulthood (11-25). It is during this period that many of those dreams get tossed aside, and replaced with more conforming and socially acceptable ones. The issue I find is the powers that are instilling this pressure to drop one's youthful view of the world (which of course would lead to creating a world based on such hopeful dreams), are the same powers that were scared to hold on to their own dreams once upon a time. How can a parent tell his child that he can achieve anything, if the parent is afraid of changing the status quo, and has given up on his dreams. It takes courage to stand up for one's dreams and goals when society in general, and even one's parents may be trying to teach them something different.

Now let me be clear- it is not one's parents society's fault if one chooses to give up on their dreams. The choice always belongs to the individual. It takes courage to stand up for what one believes in, and to fight to make it a reality. People like this do in fact exist.

I find that today's youth have developed a false sense of entitlement that stunts their intellectual growth. Society for the most part reinforces said attitude, and the cycle repeats itself - every time becoming more and more complaisant, less and less inspiring.

How can anyone expect rebellious behavior from a generation that has been so indoctrinated during their educations that they honestly believe EVERYTHING that has been presented to them in school. We have removed a students ability to philosophically dissent with their teachers, and we are surprised that we have a whole generation of drones.

http://www.plusaf.com/falklaws.htm#2nd

:)

Children are no longer allowed unstructured time in which to think and dream. The schools and society expect every waking hour to be in structured activities and "socializing" - dreadful! By the time they enter school, they are already overwhelmed with expectations. Then the teachers go to work teaching them that there, "is no I in team" - or that their peers are who they should follow. I was not a follower as a child even. I adored my grandparents and admired my father, from whom I felt there was much to learn. In return, they expected me to make decisions and mistakes, and accept the consequences. Today's students are turned away from such relatives, lest they teach the child about history or conservative values. Teachers have admitted this to me. The child, once in awe of the world, had a pure understanding of its innate beauty. Today, they don't have the alone time to explore this route. Many of the components of growing into responsible adults are missing. They learn skills, but life is not one of them. They hook up, they drink to escape, they expect someone else to put the pieces back together. They too often become completely disillusioned with life. As a former room mother, a principal told me she had a drinking problem with several of the fifth graders in her school, who when caught, said they just wanted to drink until they passed out. They hid liquor in their lockers. That is a sad commentary on how we are doing educating our kids. I did not run to peers when I wanted answers, I went to my Dad or grandma. My mother was usually passed out drunk herself. I always felt life was tough, but life was beautiful. Too many parents do not want to grow up to be adults themselves, but want to be the "cool mom" or "best friend" of their child.Kids need grownups, and for teachers to respect that need. I detest the current buzz phrase, "Children are our future." It is as if adults are saying they have screwed things up, but oh, the kids will be the ones to fix it, and that lets the adults off the hook. I found it so sad as a tutor when I saw children able to talk only with other children, and hungry yet unsure how to talk to an adult. This inability follows them and makes them harder to employ later, no matter how great their skills. If government did not look on children as entities to be formed in the image of compliant little future voters to provide the continuation of their own power, kids might have time, not only to learn academics, but to be allowed to dream and enjoy childhood.

Or, possibly, they have never grown up and wanted to have an original idea or think outside the box.I do agree with flanap, that the age range of "youth" should be defined to be able to comment most accurately.

As SRS66 presents it as to the fact that the problem is the educational system that is correct. The youth of America at this time are for all intents and purposes unprepared for life because they have never been taught to think!

Does rebellious nature equal youth?

If so, I didn't become a youth until mid-30s and I have been a youth for a score.