Young men in college

[Aging Booster]

I think the evolution of our economy has something to do with it. We have transitioned to a service economy that on average requires a higher level of education for an individual to achieve economic independence. Given that, kids are expected to be in school longer and consequently be on their parents dime longer. That has impacted/delayed the whole maturation timeline that parents have for their kids.

Reading the various responses to my post has encouraged me to define what I mean by adulthood. For me it is the beginning of the period of life in which one has intellectual autonomy - by which I mean, the determination of one's own moral judgments, philosophical truths, and social attitudes - what we used to refer to as a philosophy of life. It is the time at which one rejects the truths of one's parents, teachers, and ministers for one's own truth and sets out to live in accordance with it. For me, this happened at age 16 and I felt truly adult when the voting, drinking, and other laws confirmed my position at age 18. Economic independence came later and was incidental to me. I had reached adulthood mentally years earlier.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Reading the various responses to my post has encouraged me to define what I mean by adulthood. For me it is the beginning of the period of life in which one has intellectual autonomy - by which I mean, the determination of one's own moral judgments, philosophical truths, and social attitudes - what we used to refer to as a philosophy of life. It is the time at which one rejects the truths of one's parents, teachers, and ministers for one's own truth and sets out to live in accordance with it. For me, this happened at age 16 and I felt truly adult when the voting, drinking, and other laws confirmed my position at age 18. Economic independence came later and was incidental to me. I had reached adulthood mentally years earlier.

Congrats?

 

[RhabdoWildcat]

I think the evolution of our economy has something to do with it. We have transitioned to a service economy that on average requires a higher level of education for an individual to achieve economic independence. Given that, kids are expected to be in school longer and consequently be on their parents dime longer. That has impacted/delayed the whole maturation timeline that parents have for their kids.

Reading the various responses to my post has encouraged me to define what I mean by adulthood. For me it is the beginning of the period of life in which one has intellectual autonomy - by which I mean, the determination of one's own moral judgments, philosophical truths, and social attitudes - what we used to refer to as a philosophy of life. It is the time at which one rejects the truths of one's parents, teachers, and ministers for one's own truth and sets out to live in accordance with it. For me, this happened at age 16 and I felt truly adult when the voting, drinking, and other laws confirmed my position at age 18. Economic independence came later and was incidental to me. I had reached adulthood mentally years earlier.

Now we’re getting to “get off my lawn territory”.

 

[Deeringfish]

You are only young once, but you can be immature forever.

I guess we all owe you a drink for that.

 

[corbi296]

Congrats?

Didn't your mom teach you that sometimes it's ok to not say anything?

 

[pawildcat]

Think about all of the technological advances and cultural shifts that have occurred in the past 40 years. The PC, the laptop, the smartphone, social media, artificial intelligence, the 24/7 news cycle, advances in medical technology that are extending life expectancy, psychiatry, massive amounts of college debt, and a more global awareness: just to name a few. New doors have opened that never existed before, and any mistake that you make could be remembered forever.

I wasn’t alive 40 years ago, but I am an older millennial and even my childhood was much simpler than “kids these days” - age 12 and on were similarly difficult with the explosion of the internet. When you consider how much things have changed, it’s easier to understand why adulthood could take longer to develop and the maturity curve lengthens. But I do agree that a 26 year-old is not a kid and he shouldn’t think of himself as such.

I’ll get off the lawn now...

Actually, life expectancy in the U.S. has fallen for three straight years now — stress, the obesity epidemic, drug overdoses, gun deaths by homicide and suicide, and many other factors cited as reasons. HBO currently has a special running on it.

 

[NURoseBowl]

You're as old as Football Phil tells you you are.

Right you are, St. Paulie. I miss the man. Er, The Man.

 

[CatManTrue]

Actually, life expectancy in the U.S. has fallen for three straight years now — stress, the obesity epidemic, drug overdoses, gun deaths by homicide and suicide, and many other factors cited as reasons. HBO currently has a special running on it.

True, the last few years the expectancy has been decreasing. But over the past 40-80 years it has increased steadily, albeit not as much as Canada’s, all-the-while our medical costs and overall debt keep rising which increases the stress.

I think the main driver of the recent decline has been the opioid crisis across America, at least per an article I read about a year ago. I heard some counties in the Midwest were renting out refrigerated warehouses to store all the bodies. So let’s add that to the list along with general stress.

I’d better hit the gym before I get to work.

 

[pawildcat]

True, the last few years the expectancy has been decreasing. But over the past 40-80 years it has increased steadily, albeit not as much as Canada’s, all-the-while our medical costs and overall debt keep rising which increases the stress.

I think the main driver of the recent decline has been the opioid crisis across America, at least per an article I read about a year ago. I heard some counties in the Midwest were renting out refrigerated warehouses to store all the bodies. So let’s add that to the list along with general stress.

I’d better hit the gym before I get to work.

The opioid crisis has been huge. Obesity, especially among younger people, is going to create huge health problems. There are more and more reports of diabetes and other ailments, even heart diseases, among young people. When I look at group pictures of students now, the number of clearly overweight kids jumps out at me in many cases. This is not good for the long term, either for the people involved or for the cost of health care.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Didn't your mom teach you that sometimes it's ok to not say anything?

Likewise.

 

[stpaulcat]

I'm in college. I'm a kid till I graduate or start living on my own supporting myself fully. In my eyes at least. Although I doubt I'll ever truly feel like an adult

Only if you're from Holland, Michigan, not the actual Holland.

 

[thewildcat2011]

And they're destroying the workplace!

The workplace needs to be destroyed.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

The opioid crisis has been huge. Obesity, especially among younger people ... When I look at group pictures of students now, the number of clearly overweight kids jumps out at me in many cases. This is not good for the long term, either for the people involved or for the cost of health care.

A direct correlation to increased screen time and video game preoccupation?

 

[CatManTrue]

A direct correlation to increased screen time and video game preoccupation?

Those don’t help, but I read a paper by a mathematician a few years ago who pretty much proved the causation between America’s easy access to cheap bad calories (food / drink) and the obesity epidemic. We evolved to store fat when it was easy, and with developments this century it’s never been easier (or cheaper) to obtain sugar / fried foods / empty calories to get them.