In another sure sign of the apocalypse, college students these days just don’t care that much about their fellow man.
Compared with college students of the late 1970s, current students are less likely to agree with statements such as “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.”
The researchers put together a survey that elicits an “empathy” score (you can take the test yourself) and today’s kids scored 40% lower than generations of yore. That seems like a lot. From this, the authors of the study conclude that people in my generation are more likely to donate a vital organ to a complete stranger, whereas today’s generation is more prone to knock over its grandmother for the last Mike-n-Ike’s.
Seriously, though, I wonder how much today’s lower score has to do with the language of the survey. It seems a bit dated to me. On the other hand, it’s hard to believe anyone ever talked that way. I also wonder how such specious unpublished research winds up at the top of my RSS feed.
I just wanted to share that with you all. I worry, you know. Have a good weekend!