Nightfall: I have to disagree. This has been a very long term problem.. and is so ingrained in human society that its hard to speak out against it. I mean, how exactly do you speak against teaching children 'proper values' ?
With only one or two VERY rare exception no major religion is actually about acceptance and love. They all seem to be about... obey. fight the infidels. Convert others. Then you'll be accepted and loved. But don't you dare ever leave or stop giving us money for you'll burn in hell!
Most people want their kids to be younger, mirror images of themselves. Religion, beliefs, culture are all force fed to them and the complexity of what they are fed seems to have increased proportionally to technology. So despite more tools and logic being avaliable to them... their basic 'values and culture' just wash away critical thinking skills and faith in thier own thought processes.
Some people are capable enough to see past it and use it as an enslavement tool. Others just sorta waddle forward and recreate younger versions of themselves. A few of us are raised to be independent (or close enough to break out)... but to do what?
And thats back to what I said originally. Lots of people can't think or do for themselves, and lack any compassion or thought of how their lives affect others....
If you can't understand your own equipment.. can't comprehend (or be bothered to) the effects your life has on others... how are you self aware? Isn't that the definition of sentience, being aware of self and your actions? How are they any different than birds eating rocks to grind seeds in their gullet.. or squrrils and racoons opening doors to get at food?