Are you teaching your kids to be successful or kind? A new study reveals?

Question

If this study is true, and I have every reason to believe it is, this is a truly scary insight into the minds of our youth.

"A recent Harvard University study bears this out. Researchers surveyed approximately 10,000 middle school and high-school age kids across all income levels and ethnic backgrounds between 2013 and 2014. When asked whether it was more important to them to be personally successful or kind, 75 percent picked success. Researchers also asked the kids what they felt their parents emphasized more; about 80 percent went with personal success.

The response caught the research team off guard. But it makes sense, they believe, considering that so many children grow up with parents and teachers who focus on achievement-oriented goals, such as acing standardized tests and getting into a good college. For today’s kids, high self-esteem has a higher value than acting selflessly"

Thoughts and opinions? If a person says they want personal success instead of being kind I don't think these peopel can call themselves Christian. Do you think there are a lot less real Christians than people generally think there is in the U.S.? It seems to be a scary study to me about the possible future of our nation and what is going on beneathe the surface. Your thoughts and opinions from a religious perspective or a non-religious perspective

Scarborough Fair · Answer

That's an interesting question. While reading about the study, I was reminded of the difference between Roman and Greek paganism and Christianity. The pagan gods such as Zeus and Jupiter were a personal success and power gods and Christ is a kindness God.

Dave · Answer

A parent should teach his or her kid how to be spiritually successful. For example, a person can become a better parent by praying the joyful mysteries of Mary's angelic psalter, on the first Wednesday of the month, in honor of the foster-father of Our Redeemer. This was revealed as part of the Our Lady of America apparitions.

? · Answer

Parents who dismiss such things as happening only among “the poor” or certain ethnic groups often prove to be sadly mistaken. The problems young ones are experiencing today cut across economic, social, and racial lines. “If you think ‘juvenile delinquent’ only means a 17-year-old minority male from the inner city whose impoverished mother is on welfare, you haven’t been paying attention lately,” writes author Scott Walter. “Today’s problem child can be white, he can live in a middle- to upper-middle-class home, he can be under (far under) age 16, and he can just as easily be a she.”

Why, though, are so many young ones at risk? Did not youths of past generations also face challenges and temptations? Yes, but we live in a period that the Bible describes as “critical times hard to deal with.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) There are circumstances and pressures affecting youths that are unique to this particular time in history. Let us examine some of them.

Anonymous · Answer

They say "nice guys finish last", but I find that only partially true.  Many bad, really corrupt guys are highly successful for a time, but like Capone found out, that doesn't always last.
I also know some very kind folks that have done all right for themselves, very honestly, and without damaging others, so I know it can be done.

pygonza · Answer

A person can be both kind and successful.  A misplaced priority does not disqualify a person from Christianity, otherwise there would be no Christians.

Anonymous · Answer

Why are you asking Christians? We all know they prefer to brainwash their kids into becoming a delusional moron!

Are you teaching your kids to be successful or kind? A new study reveals?

6 Answers