[entropi]

>So I'm genuinely intrigued: what could be the underlying cause(s) of that feeling of hopelessness?

As another commenter pointed out, the teenagers are already well aware of the world around them. But for the kids, the point stands.

Maybe it has something to do with the other adults' attitude? When I was a child, my parents were poor and I was a rather bright one. I distinctly remember adults around me viewing education as a ticket to a better life. Nowadays, it feels like this is not really the case. Maybe the children don't understand what is going on, but maybe they do understand what adults/teenagers around them feel?