Discipline and parenting is a tough game indeed. We need to discipline but we empathize with our children and we really love them and want to be there friends too. This causes a catch 22 for parents and thus became a topic in an online think tank recently as one of the members stated;

My generation's parents felt like they wanted to be our friends instead of our parents which has lead to lack of respect for authority, lack of self-discipline, lack of personal responsibility, lack of motivation, lack of integrity overall.

Very interesting point indeed. Yes, it does appear that we did indeed have such generational conditions like this and of course anytime something changes the results will be different. And in changing the raising of kids we see the changes in patterns of behavior both as teens and adults, not to mention the over all trends of society.

The think tank member then stated, Many crimes are totally selfish acts, and committed by narcissistic and shallow persons, or by those with no skills, and no hope and who see no other way other than criminal enterprise.

Indeed and many crimes are committed by self-righteous, wimps with no personal integrity and not an ounce of self-confidence, inner will or personal character. So, I would wish to take such categorization off the table, as well as point out your flawed comment, which just about encompasses most everyone.

Re-read that sentence. You are basically saying all people commit crimes, except people with no ego who are well to do. Which is also not true at all, but then again you did say many and thus leaves the rest of the crimes unaccounted for doesnt it? Was that a trick statement? It did not say anything and it offered no new information or relevance? It seems that maybe this issue needs a further look as there seems to be something to it. Yet it is so hard to define? Perhaps you will consider this in 2006.