Do these kids seem nicer to you?

[Princess Niki]

@Ninja that is no different from when I was in 8th grade.

 

[Hero of Pizza Time]

Well I am a teen so I am one of the "kids" today if you mean minors. All I know about the previous generations of kids is what I see in T.V. shows, movies, video games, books, etc. So from what I can tell, I guess that in some regards kids today are nicer and in some regards kids back then were nicer.

I don't think kids today are as sadistic as some kids used to be. I mean when was the last time anyone saw a high school prank or one kid just deciding to assault another kid? I certainly don't think that bullies exist today in the same way they are portrayed to have been 10 years ago.

That being said, I don't think that kids these days do everything better than kids back then. While I don't know many kids who are straight up malicious or cruel, I don't know many who are as heroic as most of them make themselves out to be.

Overall, I just think that the reason why kids today seem nicer is because they have more empathy, but when it comes to manners, dedication, and values, I think this generation is worse.

 

[Castle]

Overall, I just think that the reason why kids today seem nicer is because they have more empathy, but when it comes to manners, dedication, and values, I think this generation is worse.

That is the general impression I get as well... at least for the kids back in my day (holy @#$% I'm old )

I just think kids my age weren't cruel (they sure seemed that way at the time, but that's mostly because I didn't really understand how kids "play." I think it has to do with me being an only child) but they were awkward and not terribly expressive. In fact, I think personal expression was severely curtailed by society in kids my age. I don't think my generation will ever recover from it and I see a few signs here and there with the state of current "entertainment" (or whatever passes for it) to suggest that it did make a lasting impression, sadly.

But kids now don't seem to have much of a problem in that respect.

Now, back in my parents day. Obviously I wasn't there but my mother talks about the school "cliques" that were apparently a thing. I don't think those cliques are as strong now as they were back then but Hollywood sure likes to persist in portraying them in every HS drama ever. My dad also talked about how they would deal with bullies when he was a kid.

Spoiler

Kids would take them out back the 7-11 and beat the crap out of em until they'd stop being a bully.

Shame that doesn't seem to work anymore
... buuut I don't think it's quite as necessary now either. Kids are overall more polite, it seems. Or at least not as willing or confident enough to be aggressively hostile.

 

[Stormageden747]

As a 13 year old I experience these kids firsthand. They are anything but kind, except to their friends. They will bully everyone else, especially the weird kids and weebs. While some kids are kind, good, and respectful, many are not. Most of the people at school are mean to me, but semi-kind to others. Overall older generations are much more kind. Yall complain about millennials, but us Gen-Z'ers are worse in my opinion. Especially if someone doesn't go with the societal norm.

 

[DarkestLink]

I don't think kids today are as sadistic as some kids used to be. I mean when was the last time anyone saw a high school prank or one kid just deciding to assault another kid? I certainly don't think that bullies exist today in the same way they are portrayed to have been 10 years ago.

The large kid who randomly beats others and is somehow just tolerated has never existed in any modern time. Bullies aren't a minority. To some degree or another just about everyone who participates in the social circles of high school bully others. Even some of the outcasts or nerds will bully people, just to show the other bullies that they aren't on the bottom of the social hierarchy and should be left alone.

Bullies don't just beat people up. They rarely do. They tend to use social pressure, gossip mongering, and ostracization to deal with their victims. Occasionally you will have bullies extort their peers for money or compliance, but it's usually done to show dominance or authority within the social hierarchy.

While physical violence is rare, guys are much more likely to get into fights. Girls, on the other hand, seem to be particularly viscous when it comes to gossiping, backstabbing, and holding grudges. Also, I may be biased, but it seems like they take longer to outgrow it. Men in higher social circles (College/Bachelors Jobs) seem to give this up while men in lower circles continue. Women seem to continue regardless of their status...at least I keep hearing complaints about it from them.

 

[Jimmu]

It’s kind of hard to tell for me recently now that I’m in Japan (I’ve never seen a rude child here) but based on the last few years back in Australia I wouldn’t say young people seem to be getting particularly better behaved or nicer. Nowadays technology has also expanded upon the ability of children to bully other children and I think this is a widespread problem amongst the kids going through school now more than ever.