Most youths missing values

As many as 60% of the Maltese population think that contemporary Maltese young people are only interested in their rights; only 35.3% think they are conscious of both their rights and duties (4.7% did not give an opinion).

Also, as many as 86.3% believe that young people in Malta today do not nurture values - a belief shared by 72.9% of those aged 16 to 25. The values which Maltese young people are thought to lack include spirituality, a sense of care, a sense of sacrifice, a sense of duty and a sense of true love.

This lack of values is believed by most people to be the fault of peer pressure, followed by parents, entertainment providers, TV and films, and Maltese society. Surprisingly, many more young persons blame themselves (11.4%) than the Maltese in general do (5%).

These are some of the findings of the latest opinion survey carried out by sociologist Mario Vassallo for The Sunday Times.

For the survey, 300 persons were interviewed by telephone in households in Malta and Gozo between June 22 and 28.

Respondents were asked three questions about Paceville, which is an entertainment and leisure magnet for young people, both Maltese and foreign.

The overwhelming majority (85%) of the Maltese population said they definitely would not allow persons under 16 around Paceville at any time of day or night; 12.7% said they should be allowed, while 2.3% did not commit themselves.

Asked till what time persons aged up to 20 should be allowed in Paceville and similar localities, the great majority of respondents do not want them to be there beyond midnight. Only a few gave times beyond this.

The third question was about the latest time which entertainment places should be kept open. While 25.9% of the total population indicated 2 a.m., 41.3% of those aged 16-25 and 37.4% of those aged 26-35 - the two age groups who are more likely to be Paceville customers - said this should be beyond 2 a.m., and some said there should be no time limit at all.

The survey also sought to find out why young people drink and take drugs. Again, peer pressure was the reason most often given at 32.3%, followed by "they just want fun" (15.3%), "because they feel alienated", "they want to get away from problems at home" (both 10.7%), and "they want to experiment" (9.3%).

The majority of respondents (59%) believe that there are not enough incentives and/or associations that could channel the energy of youth in a good direction; only 34.3% think these exist, while 6.7% gave no answer.

As many as 68.7% think that very little attention is given to sports in Malta in the formation of youth; another 11.3% said that sports is given no attention at all, while 18.7% maintain that a lot of importance is given to sport.

Respondents were finally asked whether the police are enforcing laws about drinking at entertainment sites. Seventy per cent think that the police are failing in this respect; 25.7% say that they are doing their duty, while 4.3% did not commit themselves.

Asked to comment on these findings, Professor Vassallo said: "These statistics cover the total Maltese population, and naturally, young people have different views from those of the adult population in some areas. But surprisingly, on a number of the main issues, agreement was registered across all the age groups.

"In particular, there appears to be the need for more reflection in Malta on how to stimulate people not just by 'fun' and 'immediate gratification' activities, but on a longer and wider basis, to ensure that the identity of young people is built on a solid basis. As things are, many people strive to achieve self-recognition, as attested by the full reports of this study published elsewhere in this issue, but they are not being truly aided by Maltese society.

"It appears that many young people are engaged in a search for meaning, but Maltese society has allowed a laissez-faire mentality to develop too far, and the young are widely exploited by the entertainment caucuses. The young people themselves taking part in this study are clearly asking for a change in direction. The state can do a lot more in this regard. The frequent question one asks oneself is, 'Why is the state providing more the curative services to cater for the needs of young people who have already gone astray, rather than investing in preventive ones, and assist activities and services that can creatively capture the imagination of Malta's young generations?'," Professor Vassallo concluded.