The Spoiled Generation

Are we a spoiled generation? Was it our parent's who had nothing, and in return, gave us everything? I know this is not the story of my life, but it is the story of a lot of people I know, and a struggling dilemma for a lot of parents. It seems as though society makes it difficult for parents not to spoil their children... commercials, advertisements, school... toys, fashion, and new inventions are all around our pee-wee generation, and it is undeniably easier to give in than to hold one's ground. 

What kind of people do we grow up to be if we always had what we wanted?... how do we cope through times of failure without having the past ability of knowing how to react? 

I have been thinking about this a lot lately...not because I am ready for children, but because I see this disconnect everyday. All I have to do is walk down the street to the local stores around me and listen to the mommy's, daddy's and grandparent's giving into to demands placed on them by their little munchkins when they find something they want. 

And sometimes it is not the parents at all, but the outside world that spoils children. A family friend just took her little ones to a birthday party, and the toys they came back with in their goodie bags were nicer than other children would receive from Santa at Christmas. 

I am not saying that it is a bad or good thing, I am just letting you know what I have been thinking about and want to know your thoughts on the subject... Were you spoiled? Do you think it is a pro or a con for societies youth to have all the glitter and gold they could possibly want? 

All I know is that, amidst the plethora of toys my god-child has, her favorite one is still her "toy rock" that she found in her back yard...now what does that tell us?