[rhema]

Today, in short, we discourage reckless pleasure seeking generally by invoking more self-interest: the consequences of drinking or sex may inconvenience you, or harm your health. Today, we rarely tell our kids that certain behaviors are morally wrong or beneath human dignity. Nor do we emphasize that obligations to others -- parents, teachers and fellow citizens -- should bar such behavior.

We prefer to believe that this philosophy of hedonism and radical individualism -- checked only by a fuller consideration of self-interest --won't have long-term negative consequences.

But we shouldn't be surprised when our young people act on it, and do so in frightening ways that we didn't anticipate.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

What Would Wellstone Do??