I believe our society sorely lacks a coming of age moment for young people. What do you think?

Question

I believe our society sorely lacks a coming of age moment for young people. What do you think?

Answer 1

I also don't feel like an adult, and keep thinking young and doing things to keep me young.



So many today haven't grown up.



There is such thing as eighty year olds taking care of their fifty year old kids.



Amazing.



We don't want to grow up.



Growing up means accepting responsibility and taking on duties which are downplayed and ridiculed in the new world.



Also, many can't land good jobs, so they feed off of their parent's income.



This trend will continue for a long time.



It's also an important business trend which took on more steam soon after 1980.

Answer 2

You feel old -- that is funny. Life is "life" - I PERSONALLY HAPPEN TO BE 49 YEARS YOUNG and I will be okay at 50 and okay at 60 and so on. Don't worry about age and ya know WHY we don't feel our age? Because we all stil have the "kid" spirit in us - we just get wiser. My father-in-law is in his 80s and HE still has the "kid spirit" in him.....we are who we are - no matter how "old" we get.

Answer 3

I don't think it has to be a circumstance that spurs it on, I think there's a choice as well. Whenever you feel ready, you need to begin it. I agree that many adults have never really known themselves, sadly, and I think that in place of that, they try and gain a feeling of worth from other places. (I think the reason many adults are in this position is because the society frowns on individuality. People are afraid to be even slightly different.) I've devoted the past few years to finding exactly who I am, and I'm nearly there. Maybe because of that, I actually feel about seven years older than I actually am, instead of vice versa. Dare to be different, that's what I say.



PS. Happy b-day!



~Tiger

Answer 4

Society has avenues for that but most people Post Baby boom (in the US) don't have those institutions built into their cultural understanding because for most of us our parents shunned those institutions (mine are an anomoly)

Answer 5

Just so you know, "intringent" is not a word; and, you're right, society doesn't have a coming-of-age moment. This means you have to put the remote down and get off the couch and be proactive, as scary as it it...

Answer 6

Whoa, good question for a women that has never come of age. Think about the society we live in, we are constantly bombarded w/ superficial bull. We are basically dumbed down everyday by stupid celebrity gossip, bombarded w/ the never ending gas prices, bombarded w/ buy this new gadget; it will forever change your life (until next month when the newer gadget is released to the masses). Then think, how many Americans are actually avid readers. How many of us step outside of our circle to learn about each other, and the world around us. How many of us actually still worship at a church, seek spiritual enlightenment. I think that as a society, as a whole , things are really watered down. Things aren't getting better in my opinion. So I say all of this to say, yes, there is a possibility that a large group of people feel like children. We are not being encouraged to grow. So, I guess you must take initiative to reach that "coming of age experience," yourself. BTW I turned 28 in June, and it's funny just like you I really started to examine my life and found a lot of empty spaces. I'm trying to catch up before I'm 40. I really don't want to go through a mid life crisis!!!