The thing I don't quite get about this argument is why Flaming Ostriches arguments indicate that he is entirely self-centered. As far as I can see, he put forward a relatively reasonable argument. As did Daniel. However, saying that the argument that this could well be a case of parents (or other adults) living vicariously through their children is not without merit. This band has an extremely proffessional set-up: wesbite, press pack, mobile phone downloads, tours, proffessional videos, etc. Yes, their age may not imply anything about their promotional abilities, however, minors cannot sign legal contracts. The fact that they are signed to a record label and are playing concerts in places other than their school hall indicates that there is a fairly strong adult presence behind them. Notice also this sentence: 'The concept of the song was born when the band's music coach always found the three playing video games when not practicing music.' Also, the fact that the child has been playing guitar since the age of about 7 may say something as well. Now, this is not to say that I am agreeing with Flaming Ostrich that this is some sort of cynical manipulation of children by adults. They could simply be very lucky to have some very dedicated parents (and/or teachers) who want to push forward these childrens ambitions. Or it could be that a music promoter is just trying to make a quick buck off a novelty act. To call the argument in either direction is somewhat presumptuous given the information available. Having endured a private education, I can tell you from long personal experience that parents can and will shoe-horn their children into doing the most ridiculous stuff. I can also tell you that the children often enjoy it, because they like gaining their parents approval, and because their parents have instilled their values into them, thus making their measures of success similiar. It is entirely possible that these children simultaneously want to be and enjoy being in a rock band, and have been pushed into being in a rock band by adults to some degree. I can further tell you, by the way, that whatever way they're wired, a lot of these children become completely insufferable cunts.
I also find it fairly interesting, Daniel, that you seem to be trying to link pretty much everything in this thread to one study on developmental brain chemistry. If there's one thing that can be truly said about the practice of profiling people by their physical characteristics (age, gender, sexual orientation, race, whatever), it is that it doesn't really work. If you can say that all people under a certain age are completely and utterly self-centred based on brain wiring, then you can say that all women can't read maps and desire to bear children, and that all men are competitive and can't multi-task. Such things, at best, describe generalities. You also seem to, somewhat strangely, imply that people automatically stop being self centred when they pass the age of 23, and you really don't need a scientific study to see that that isn't the case.