“It is not ethical, but I will do it anyway.” “Artists have become greedy.” “Who’s going to know?” “I can’t afford to pay a dollar a song.” These are some teenagers’ justifications for illegally downloading music, though there are many more. In the information age, it’s easy to get all the music you want, right when you want it.

A class of young graffiti artists stood in an art studio, painting, airbrushing, and observing one another create art. Canvases, paint bottles, T-shirts and sculptures filled the tables and counters. “Get Low” by rapper Flo Rida blared in the background.

Many American teenagers would be uncomfortable joining their mom and dad over a glass of wine at the dinner table but might drive away in the family car to chug beers at a party with their friends. European adolescents, on the other hand, may sip wine at a family dinner and then tell their parents they are going to a teen beer party later -- by subway. Why the differences?