They seem to have a very narrow focus. Get through school and training as effortlessly as possible, find a career that pays really well with little hard work required, and walk as narrow a line as possible by avoiding anything that isn't part of the mainstream.

I remember when I was a young person (a million years ago), it was simply not like that. Sure, people have wanted money for a long time, but it did not seem to be the primary focus with myself or my peers. Now, granted, I went to a music university, and most musicians were aware they were following their artistic passion, not embarking on a career of monetary bliss. But still, we were all more interested in enjoying our lives through a meaningful pursuit rather than one made only of money.

Obviously, we didn't care much for walking a straight and narrow line back in the '70s. We had just emerged from the chaotic '60s and still carried a bit of that "live life free" vibe with us. The Vietnam War was ending, so at least the young men of my early adult era felt that the future ahead held more opportunities for pursuing passions—which were typically not focused on getting filthy rich.

The school years, too, were not filled with searching for easy courses (now called "bird courses"); most of us actually wanted to learn something. Sure, a good grade was a nice thing, but we were not willing to sacrifice an opportunity to actually strengthen our skill set for an easy high grade. Maybe I am only speaking for myself here, but it did seem like different times than now.

Career choices also had nothing to do with how easy the work would be. It had little to do with looking for a career that would require a minimum amount of daily effort—with the hope of getting home early so we could party until the wee hours of the morning, drinking, snorting, and smoking whatever we could get our hands on in order to reach that continual high.

What is going on today always reminds me of the culture in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, with the population persistently high on "Soma," anesthetized from the emotional and physical tribulations encountered in a normal human life.

Of course, this bleak observation doesn't accurately describe everyone. There are still kids today who possess and are in touch with their soul. Kids who want to pursue lives with meaning and purpose. It just seems less of a thing you see day to day than it used to be.

Today, there are formulas to follow. Go to school, get a required degree that leads you to a high-performance, highly paid career. Go to law school, medical school, dentistry school, pharmacology school, or maybe even an MBA so you can pursue business. Get on track, reap the rewards of staying on track. Buy a house, buy a few cars, and keep the blinders on so nothing distracts you from the formula. Walk the straight and narrow.