I think it has to do with the general paradox of teenagers: we have more freedom than ever before, but do not yet have the psychological equipment to deal with it. Whenever we did this kind of thing before, our parents would always clean it up, and the reality that they're not always there has not hit home. This behavior may also arise from our instinct to rebel, especially if peers are around. This could also result from the much-criticized sense of entitlement teenagers have, or simple boredom.
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Name : Matt, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 17, City : Parsippany, State : NJ Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, There are really teenagers in your community who do that? I'm not saying that the younger folk in my city are perfectly behaved, but I can't imagine anyone being that rude. I've witnessed older people doing that, personally, but then again.. perhaps it's everyone, and we don't notice our peers? I'm not sure, but that's just a hunch.
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Name : Anastasia-Gumns, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 17, City : Michigan City, State : IN Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, I'm 16, and while I personally don't make a mess of things wherever I go, I've seen some of my friends do the things you describe (and much worse). I think many teenagers don't really have a sense of responsibility at this age. We're starting to be treated like adults by society and feel that we should be allowed to enjoy adult things, but most of us aren't out on our own yet or financially or otherwise independent, so we think we can enjoy these things without being responsible for our actions. It's not necessarily deliberate thoughtlessness that causes teenagers to do these things; many of us just want to have fun or fulfill our needs and don't realize that there are consequences to our actions - a somewhat hedonistic take on life, I suppose.
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Name : Nadia, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Chinese-Iranian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 16, City : Bensalem, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, They do this because they can. During the last twenty years American children have been brought up without the concept of consequences. Misbehave and you get a 3 minute 'time out'. Just another symptom of a downsliding culture slipping from a belief system of absolutes into one of moral relativism.
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Name : Mose, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 23, City : Omaha, State : NE Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I have worked many retail jobs and have seen this behavior, too. All I can say is that children learn by example. If a child sees his/her parents or other adults in their lives behaving so poorly in public they will come to believe that the behavior is acceptable. The adults are teaching them that it is ok to have zero respect for property that doesn't belong to them. As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.
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Name : Renee30145, City : Hilton Head, State : SC Country : United States, I think it is rebellion. They go around the malls and stores looking for things to do and places to vent anger and fool around. They probably can't get away with it at home, so they do it as a thrill and mischief outside the home...
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Name : Sam28541, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 29, City : someplace, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : animal care, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I'm surprised they were not arrested for theft or destruction of property. Teens that act rudely were never disciplined by their parents. I saw a neighbor's son swinging around with a can of gasoline and spraying the lawn. I went to talk to the father who acted like I was interupting him. The father did not seem concerned at all. My grass was brown the rest of the summer. I was glad when they moved away.
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Name : Tom24108, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian, Religion : Christian, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Because too many children today are not being taught a sense of responsibility for their actions. I think there are two main reasons for this: Lawsuits without merit, in my opinion, started the whole change in cultural attitude. If we can blame someone else for what common sense would tell us is our own problem (and make lots of money too), then why should we take responsibility? On the flip side, if my kid hits a baseball through a neighbor's window, for example, as the parent I certainly cannot admit any guilt or I could be sued for every penny I'm worth - not just the cost of the window. Also, parents are under a lot of pressure to raise 'perfect' children - the right preschool, baby einstein, flash cards for infants. Plus dance class, music lessons, soccer practice, you must give your children every possible opportunity or you're letting them down... limiting their options. In years past children who were involved in extracurriculars could ride their bikes to the practice field or the lesson, but today we worry that they'll be kidnapped, sexually molested, offered poisoned candy, etc. if we let them out of our sight. The term 'good parent' has a whole different meaning today than it did just a decade or two ago. It's no longer about teaching values and morals, it's about providing opportunities, having the right gear, being indulgent and rolling your eyes, along with the rest of the soccer moms, in common exasperation when the kids are 'being kids.' That's what's cool. But it's not teaching the children how to be respectful of other people's property, or other people's rights.
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Name : Tammy, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 34, City : Litchfield, State : MN Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, teens don't usually have such an open disrespect for things around where i live. maybe they have no clue what they're doing? when asked politely, most teens will apologize and stop whatever it is they're doing.
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Name : miriam, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 17, City : chicago, State : IL Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, Teenagers often are allowed to do the same thing at home and their mom will clean it up. So why not the store workers?
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Name : Joey29381, City : Sicklerville, State : NJ Country : United States, It reflects the values and the respect for other people that they learned at home, basically none. We seem to have a pandemic of bad parenting and I fear it's going to destroy our society.
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Name : Miles, City : Asheville, State : NC Country : United States, I think you're too quick to judge. How dare you assume that all teenagers can be that way. I'm not that way and I'm a teenager. People say that WE have no respect...when really they should be looking at themselves.
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Name : Jennifer, City : Boise, State : ID Country : United States, Ah... Staci, I want to help you with this. Here are some basic things that you must understand. You should not associate the actions of a small minority with a larger group. This is the root of stereotypes and racism. Which we will assume are bad. Now, it is true that some teenagers might make a mess of things. But I would like to see you deny the fact that some adults make a mess of things as well. I have seen this happen on numerous occasions, but you would think me absurd if I titled a thread 'Clean up your mess, adults'
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Name : Jordan, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 17, City : Seattle, State : WA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, I feel that this problem is due to the parents not teaching the children proper respect. Contrary to popular belief it is not social or racial conditions that cause this behavior. Parents have just gotten lazy in the raising of there children. More and more parents are putting there children in day-care where the fear of lawsuits eliminates discipline. These children grow up to be disrespectful and have no concept of traditional family values.
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Name : Wil, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Pentecostal, Age : 30, City : Sandy, State : UT Country : United States, Occupation : sales, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, I think the main reason has to do with the parents. If you don't teach your children to behave when their young don't expect to have ladies and gentlemen when the growup. Raise little monsters and you end up with big monsters.
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Name : herb-Cross, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Wiccan, Age : 52, City : Scottville, State : MI Country : United States, Occupation : Maintenance, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
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