The kids are alright

The constant obsession on the part of marketers and such trying to figure out what teens are thinking about/want to buy/are downloading these days, etc., is a bit annoying, but this bit of news from Broadsheet is refreshing (not the part about the country going down the drain, but that "the kids" are sort of paying attention, or so it seems):

According to a new study by Chicago market research firm Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU), "more than half of teens believe the nation is headed in the wrong direction." TRU calls this "surprising news from a generational cohort often described" -- politely -- "as carefree and optimistic."

True dat.