Kids fought in just about every major war in human history and still do in many countries. Look at what's going on in Africa and Asia today, if you don't believe me.

Is it right? That's not for me to decide. What I do know is that infantilization of children here in the industrialized West has gone hand in hand with the victimization of children. While supposedly working to make their lives better, we have rendered them suicidal, alienated, frustrated and angry. We have stripped them of even the simplest rights of self-determination while often portraying them as criminals and hooligans at the same time.

We bar adolescents from productive, challenging (and character-building) work, then we complain that they bong-up and play video games or hang out at the mall looking listless as danged zombies.

If I was danged kid, under those circumstances, you might find me putting up stickers like BOMB THE MALL! and acting very agro, too, ya'll!

The closest thing most kids got, from what I can gather, to any kind of meaningful challenge or diversion is computers --- if their parents are well-off enough to buy one for them. So is it any surprise many kids get into hacking? Look at how this kid Mike Sklut --- WHEN HE WAS ELEVEN YEARS OLD --- figured out the hack around America Online's (AOL) so called Parental Authority filter.

Kids ain't dumb, ya'll, even if we try VERY HARD to treat them like they are. Is it any wonder it's KIDS all over the world who are being revealed to be the "wiley" hackers cruising through the so-called sophisticated computer systems designed by adults and walking away with Denial of Service scalps hanging from their belts... or tens of thousands of our sacred credit card account numbers? Not to Mrs. Hart's fair-haired son Tom down in Austin, Texas, it ain't!

So what other diversions you got if you fall into the 13 - 20 year-old "demographic?" Let's see now

• Video, console and computer games
• Music
• Marijuana, beer --- both of which necessitate a massive grub, thus --- and Food
• Vandalism
• The Mall
• Anime and Action Figures
• Summer Action Films
• Six Flags, Disney World and any place that has a superfast, scare the mess into your drawers roller coaster
• The Mall

Now most of the things on that there list of mine require one thing: CASH. If you can't work yourself, or if you work but have to contribute to overall household upkeep, you got to get that extra cash from who: the Enemy, an adult.

An All-Powerful, Judgmental, Clueless and Unapproving Adult.

"And what do you need this money for, Mortimer?"

A chill goes down your spine. "Uh --- I wanted to go see the new X-Men flick at the multiplex, grub out on popcorn and stuff, and hang with my homies."

"You are going to waste MY HARD-EARNED MONEY on WHAT?"

"Er -- I mean I wanted to buy the new Harry Potter novel, Dad."

"That's what I thought you said. There's a good boy! Try to improve your mind like Watkins' son Jack and you'll go far. I heard on the TV that Harry Potter is now on the New York Times bestseller list, isn't it?"

"Who gives a rat's ass..."

"What was that you said?"

"Thanks, Dad. You've got real class!"

"You're welcome."

You learn the art of subterfuge early as a youth.

So let me get back to my main point again: if we treat these smart off-spring of ours like they are NOT young adults, but over-sized dolls without the brains of ostriches it's always gonnah bite us in the ass, folks! One way to avoid this cycle of school violence, over-crowded juvie halls, drive-bys and ennui is to treat kids with more respect.

And that includes showing them the respect of giving them meaningful and productive things to do --- like work. Again, I'm not calling for child labor. What I am saying is that "adolescence" is a hoax.

By the age of thirteen most kids are long past the time when they should be earning money of their own to dispose of as they please --- like every other person in a free society. (I know, my Libertarianism is showing again. Tough!)

And listen up, Soccer Moms, cleaning your room is not work. I'm not saying you need the boy or girl out there baling cotton every day, but give them something to do that's important and that is worth paying for.

Even if it's something as simple as using his well-honed computer skills to keep your household accounts in order, isn't it worth $8 an hour to have somebody else take over that headache? I know a lot of parents who would pay somebody's teenager to come in and tutor their nine year old in Math. In the process, young Morty has some change in his pocket to use on stuff he likes to do that he earned --- instead of being humiliated about having to sponge off you all the time and have you approve his every move.

And --- here's a wild idea --- what if we did reinstitute something along the lines of apprenticeship systems in the West? Think about it.