What This World Needs Is a Little Compassion

Are today's youth lacking compassion? First of all let us define compassion. Compassion is "fellow-feeling or sorrow for the sufferings of another" according to Webster's Dictionary. With that in mind I would say that most of today's society would probably state that yes, today's youth are lacking compassion. It's sad for me to agree with this, since I am young, but I do. However, in the world of today it is extremely hard for a young person to feel compassionate. To me it seems that there are so many more struggles for today's youth than that of older generations. It is almost as if the world wants nothing more than for people to fail, especially ones that are young. This makes it extremely hard for one to feel compassionate for others when others have no compassion for you.
To be young is equivalent to being a minority. Because you are young you are discriminated against. Because you are young you are ignorant, selfish, and weak-minded. Sometimes I feel as if the passions of today's youth are somewhat disregarded by earlier generations. Their art, music, viewpoints, and overall culture are mostly overlooked by today's society. This is not a justification for one to lack compassion. At the same time I feel one should know that it is only human nature for a person to give a cold shoulder when that is all they have ever received. If there is only one feeling that all of today's youth share in common, I believe it is the feeling of being unappreciated. Perhaps if the youth of today were shown a little more compassion they would in return become more compassionate of others. Maybe that statement leans more toward the way I would like to perceive the solution of this ever so growing problem we face in our society.
The theory is repeated over and over like a stuck record. According to those who preach it, the youth of today have no compassion, no respect and are driven by simple, technological pleasures such as computer games and instant messaging. Quite apart from