Today's youth are a product of the lessons of Hollywood. In "Legally Blonde," a bim stumbles out of the cheerleading squad into Harvard Law School. There's a lesson in the work/study ethic disguised as "native talent." Then, get this: she hasn't even graduated yet and her first case, FIRST case, is before the United States Supreme Court! And what do you suppose happens? Does she win? Huh? What do you think? "Native talent."

Peter Parker has just figured out how to flip his first wristful of sticky goo. What does he do? Immediately tests it... by jumping off a 20-story building. There's your lesson: "You'll never know if you don't try." "Shoot for the moon." "Don't be afraid of failure." "Get 'er done! Go for it!"

That's what these kids know. Why, the magic boards actively promote this agenda to one another! "Take a chance. Take the bull by the horns. Get out there and do it." Today's youth believe that the Wright Brothers just slapped some rubbish together in their bike shop and it flew first time. Why? Because they had "the courage of their convictions."

That's why you're seeing so much crap out there, poorly-thought-out, poorly executed and poorly received. These are what used to be called "first attempts", "youthful exuberance" and "embarrassing foolhardiness" disguised as "courage" and "native talent." If it doesn't work, they say, so what? I tried.

Houdini would have drowned.