ABSTRACT
This chapter is not about virtues or taxes, but an analysis of how and what the people are teaching their children, intentionally or otherwise. Children learn societal norms and values through observing the behaviors of more knowledgeable peers and adults and through both operant and classical conditioning. Making money most often is a primary goal. The profit goal sheds light on the overall lesson being learned: The use of money for individual interests, passions, and even addictions is better for society than working with a communitarian mentality. In essence, a type of nihilism that conflates freedom, individualism, and wealth has become commonplace. A pernicious example of adults teaching dubious behaviors to children is the unbridled marketing of “energy drinks” to minors. The marketing approach for energy drinks is similar to that used to teach children to smoke. Adolescents tend to value authenticity and individualism over most other matters.
