The observer does not have to look far to discover that Western society is youth oriented and youth worshiping. The phenomenon shows itself in many ways. First, adults do all they can to be youthful and to remain young because old age is feared and youthfulness admired. Beauty and cosmetic industries have made billions of dollars by encouraging this emulation of agelessness.
    Second, much of what parents do is for their young. Thousands of parents make daily sacrifices for their children. The numerous benefits heaped upon children are evident. Many mothers say. "I would give my life for my children." This feeling does not apply to all parents, but it applies to enough of them to be proof positive that today's adults care about their young people.
    Third, most adults say that the majority of youth today are "pretty good kids". This point of view can be fairly well substantiated. Most studies that focus on normal adolescents agree that the majority are not problems, not in turmoil, not deeply disturbed, not at the mercy of their impulses, not resistant to parental values, not politically active, and not rebellious. In a recent Gallup poll, 97 percent of teens said they got along with their parents either very well or fairly well. Only 3 percent said they did not get along at all well. Sometimes, parents carry a positive view of their teenagers to an over-idealized extreme. They refuse to believe their children are ever at fault or ever capable of doing wrong, and they tend to attack any Mend, teacher, or town official who tries to tell them otherwise. Despite this over-idealization most youths are not problems—to themselves or to their communities. Misconceptions are formed by focusing only on the drug-addicted, delinquent, and disturbed or on the social rebels who are in fact a minority.
    Finally, although most youths today are not activist rebels like those of the late 1960s and early 1970s, youthful idealism is still much in evidence. Adolescents are much concerned about issues such as juvenile crime, drug abuse, the energy crises, unemployment, women's liberation, materialism and indifference in society, pollution, and the environment. They also show genuine concern for the underdog, indicated by their frequent political alliance with blacks or the poor. They will give generously and work hard to help the starving overseas or will come to the defense of convicted criminals if they feel their cause is just. Clergy and other caring adults applaud youths who join the "love" generation to find more meaningful relationships than those between their parents at home or between business elements in a highly competitive society. These adults emphasize that parents ought not to be critical of their young for hating corruption, injustice, or superficial values. Although they are a little awed by youths who will work for months to keep a wilderness area from being ruined by developers, value-oriented adults tell parents to admire their young and admit that their activities are more worthwhile than swallowing goldfish or seeing how many kids can crowd themselves into a telephone booth.  By "youth worshiping", the author expressed the idea that in Western society the adults ______.