It’s also awfully hard to complain about kids today. Most are conscientious and well-behaved. They don’t rebel the way the boomers did. They get along with their parents and other adults. They do their homework. They play organized sports and build orphanages in poor parts of the world. They practise safe sex, and seldom get pregnant. Alcohol and cigarette use among adolescents has generally declined. So has binge drinking. The motto of kids today could be Born to be Mild.
Consider how we’ve raised the bar on other standards of behaviour. It is now unacceptable (even illegal in places) to hit your kids, even with a gentle swat on the bum in the supermarket. The problem of schoolyard (and now online) bullying gets massive, nationwide attention. Our children are safer than they’ve ever been, yet we’re so concerned about protecting them that we’ve demolished the old playgrounds, equipped the kids with helmets, and made sure they are never out of sight. Leave your kid alone for five minutes in the car, and someone is likely to report you.
But perhaps the biggest changes have come in the workplace. The culture and values of work life have been heavily feminized. Garden-variety sexual harassment has all but disappeared (along with heavy drinking connected to work events). Human resource departments are busily promoting the values of empathy, empowerment, teamwork, listening, and employee engagement. Macho businesses such as Goldman Sachs distribute mindful meditation lessons to their employees. Even in the most masculine industries, the stereotype of the corporate bully has all but disappeared. Today, any boss who abuses his position – or other people – will quickly find himself out of a job.
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