I see the point you're driving at, but I don't think the "dark" that many writers/artists are driving at are necessary to the Batman character, or even what people want. How many comics fans are truly pleased with the way Batman's been written for the past several years? I'm not saying there shouldn't be darkness, but Batman can still be dark without being a jerk. Comics can still be dark and have Robin in them. I don't know anyone who actually enjoys the excessive deaths and brooding that define Batman comics today. I wish that the comics today would encapsulate the true spirit of earlier years- adventure, intrigue, and a touch of the macabre, without overdoing it.
I must disagree with you about Jason's death, though. I feel that this event exhibited the resiliency of and need for a Robin. Even after something that clearly illustrated the dangers of being a child superhero, Batman (and the readers) could not give up having a Robin. If they could, we wouldn't have had Tim Drake. Personally I think you should give the kid a little more cred- Robin's plucky enough to have made it through 60 years of mortal peril. He's not going anywhere. ;-)