The main reasons I am so skeptical of the inclination of today’s youth to help people is that they are spoiled. I remember when I was young and using a computer at the public library was a privilege. When my parents bought me my own computer when I went to university, I understood how much they sacrificed to give me that as a present. Nowadays, children see expensive computers, like the iPad and iPhone, as a necessity, not a privilege. They receive all these kinds of gifts without comprehending how much their parents sacrifice to give them the very best in the latest technology. They do not know what it is to be without. I believe this has created a generation of selfish young people who do not understand and cannot empathize with those less fortunate, making them less likely to feel compelled to help others.

In addition, I think this generation has not learned to respect others. Trapped in their own digital world, they are unaware of the disrespect they show their elders when they ignore their parents and grandparents as they text and talk on their cellphones. Maybe that is not the sole cause, but I see a distinct difference between how they behave and how my generation behaved at that age. For example, when riding the bus, it is commonplace to offer your seat to an elderly gentleman or lady. Now, when I ride the bus, I constantly see young people who are sitting in the seats specifically reserved for senior citizens and who basically refuse to vacate the seat when a senior citizen enters the bus. Instead, they pretend to be more absorbed in the game on their iPhones, pretending to be unaware of their obligation to offer their chair to those in need. Today’s youth are so wrapped in their own self-interests that they are disrespectful and do not willingly help those in need.

Admittedly, it is not entirely correct to say that all young people are selfish and do not help others. The number of volunteer organizations in schools and community suggests that there are many youths who understand the importance of helping our fellow man. I am certain there are many students who full-heartedly believe in volunteerism and charity, but I think that in general these school volunteer programs serve a selfish end. Volunteering has more or less become a requirement for college applications. A student who does not have any volunteer service experience is a less competitive applicant than one who does have volunteer service experience. Although there may be a few students who genuinely believe in the social responsibility of charity, many students participate simply to forward their own self-interests.

Today’s youth, who have been raised in a period of affluence and privilege and do not understand what it means to have nothing, are self-centered, disrespectful, and less likely to help other than previous generations.