Final answer:
Carson did not directly state that today's youth are naive; however, the passages suggest youth may be naive due to their inclination to compare the present to an idealized future and a disconnection from the real world. Historical references and scenarios imply concerns about the naive influences on young people's perspectives.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the provided excerpts, Carson did not directly say that today's youth are naive. Instead, references to youth's naivety might be inferred from the described passages. The second excerpt discusses how youth's felicity and insufficiency lie in the inability to live in the present and constant comparison of present days against a radiant imagined future. This could imply a form of naivety, as it suggests a disconnection from real-life challenges and a focus on idealized scenarios.
Comparisons are made to historical perspectives, such as Tacitus' belief in the corruption of youth by the popular forms of entertainment of his time, drawing a parallel to modern concerns about the influences on young people. In the contemporary scenario provided, the child raised in a commune by racial supremacists and shielded from the world's realities could also point to a form of naivety, stemming from a lack of exposure to diverse perspectives and experiences.