Economy deferring adulthood, study says

Washington Times ^ | 1/14/04 | Jennifer Harper

[kattracks]

Once upon a time, a fellow was considered a mature man at 20

[MissAmericanPie]

Depressed wages, loss of industry and manufacturing, due to over taxation and over regulation. Many in their thirties are still living with mom and dad.

[qam1]

Xer Ping

Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social aspects that directly effects Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1982) including all the spending previous generations (i.e. The Baby Boomers) are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.

Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details.

[Prime Choice]

I don't buy it. The only thing delaying adulthood these days is the demand for instant gratification and not wanting to work hard.

When I left my parent's home, I was a youngster by any standard. And yes, my possessions and lifestyle were entirely meager compared to what I enjoyed while living with my folks. But, by God, everything I had was mine by the sweat of my brow.

It took me 10 years of hard work and long-term focus to sufficiently raise my station in life. And it all paid off...and I mean in more than just material desires. I learned disciple, patience, humility, and put my priorities in the simple things that make life great.

Sure, leaving home means you're going to have less spiffy things and you're going to have to live more frugally to save for a down payment on a house. Like it or not, that's just what our parents did in THEIR day as well! Fortunately for them, they didn't have parents who suffered extended childhood.

I don't care what other people say. Any parent who keeps their child in their house after age 22 is doing them no favors; they're only encouraging dependence and irresponsibility.

[kattracks]

I don't buy it.

Ditto.

[Cronos]

Is this such a big deal? 300 years ago, the average age was 30 odd, so people got married in their teens. As lifespans increased, more time was needed for education, etc, so in the 20th century this was pushed back to the 20s. Why is it a surprise that, with lifespans increasing now and education open to all, that folks are marrying later, etc?

[Cronos]

I don't care what other people say. Any parent who keeps their child in their house after age 22 is doing them no favors; they're only encouraging dependence and irresponsibility.

If you were living in the 1700s you would have replaced that 22 with 15/16 (and even lower for girls). Times have changed, lifespans have increased, get used to it, we are progressing.

[Prime Choice]

If you were living in the 1700s you would have replaced that 22 with 15/16

That's because of the simple fact that parents couldn't justify having dependents who were perfectly capable of going out into the world on their own. As for the age, that is the time by which a child should have finished college, so even then, they likely were only spending summers and holiday breaks back at the folks' house.

Times have changed, lifespans have increased, get used to it, we are progressing.

I don't think anyone (apart from socialists) considers prolonging dependence to be "progress"...

[Cronos]

College can now extend well into the twenties as higher educations (Masters and even Phds) are now necessary. A person only holding a high school diploma is practically useless. Higher education is necessary. We know more than our ancestors -- that's progress. our children must know more than us. He**, calculus now is taught to 13year olds and should be pushed even lower.

[Prime Choice]

College can now extend well into the twenties as higher educations (Masters and even Phds) are now necessary.

My wife graduated with a bachelor's degree three years ago and took a job in the defense industry armed only with that. Her wage is in the mid-70s. She is 24 years old and has been on her own since she was 18 years of age.

And as an aside, I have a colleague whose only degree is a high school diploma. Bright guy, highly disciplined, loaded with drive and ambition. He's making six figures.

Sorry, the "Masters and Ph.D's are necessary" excuse doesn't cut it. It's just another lame sob story to avoid taking charge of your own life.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

I don't buy it.

Nor I. Prime, you got it exactly right when you mentioned the lifestyle of "instant gratification".

One can also look at the media and see that Hollywood and the music industry only perpetuate this endless nonsense.

I'm 27. I left my parent's house when I was 17, got married and was a fater at age 23. I never looked back, and I don't regret a single thing. I look at some of my friends who are around my age, still living at home, still partying, still getting drunk and throwing up, and I think "THIS is what I might have 'missed out' on? No thank you!"

[ItsOurTimeNow]

father, that is.

[MissAmericanPie]

You should be more concerned about twenty years ago than three hundred. Twenty years ago a high school drop out could get a job in construction, trucking, or manufacturing, and still do pretty well for himself. Well enough to own a car and afford some type of housing, by the age of twenty.

One by one these jobs have been outsourced, or filled by a wage suppressing immigrant, lowering the expectation and living standard of many Americans. Such is not suppose to be the case. In raising the boat of third world nations we have sunk the boats of many average Americans. Meanwhile those that stick it out through college are finding their jobs outsourced and their options limited.

Why do you think so many people my age are enraged, we know what has happened, we know America is being stripmined, and youth who has never known anything else, raised in the fed propaganda camps, have no clue of how badly they have been robbed.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Why do you think so many people my age are enraged, we know what has happened, we know America is being stripmined, and youth who has never known anything else, raised in the fed propaganda camps, have no clue of how badly they have been robbed.

BTTT!

[new cruelty]

From the article: But the competitive challenges of an increasingly technical and information-based market have made "25-year-old men in all groups more likely to remain single and childless."

I don't buy it. The only thing delaying adulthood these days is the demand for instant gratification and not wanting to work hard.

I think you've got it.

[RiflemanSharpe]

I know of a young woman who is in this situation. She graduated about six months ago from Texas A&M with good grades in IT. She has been looking for a job for over 8 months now and has been able to fine only a few low paying temp asssignments. She can't afford to move out.

[FrankR]

"Depressed wages, loss of industry and manufacturing, due to over taxation and over regulation. Many in their thirties are still living with mom and dad."

Ya know, it may be the reverse...the trend against growing up my be some of the cause of the depressed wages, industry loss, etc.

The reluctance to marry and raise families is a stark contrast to what normally creates a productive society. And now with us Baby Boomers getting older and soon to start dying out, who is going to keep the tax coffers full in the future?

So, marriage and families raised into productive citizens with American values is being replaced by the TAKERS. Generations who spend their time looking for an easy way out, or for a way for the government to support and nurture them when the parents die out.

Allowing immigrants to enter our country illegally and suck off the National teet that generations of our forefathers have worked and died to provide the rest of us a safe, and secure life, is pure idocy.

Actually, I'm almost 60, but if I was young now, and looked out on the prevailing landscape, I'd probably choose the same option as some of today's young people are doing.

Why try to get a good education, and work your butts off, just so a less qualifed person takes your job because of their color or gender?

Why try to be loyal to an employer for 20 or 30 years, when they will send your job to a 3rd World country in the blink of an eye?

Why bring any more kids into this country, where the freedoms and liberties it has known for over 200 years are being slowly eroded and socialism is taking over?

Our leadership seems to be pushing in that direction, but I think the people will rise up sooner or later...I just hope it's not later.

[Aquinasfan]

Schooling also stunts growth, both intellectual and moral. High rates of taxation don't help young families either.

[Aquinasfan]

It took me 10 years of hard work and long-term focus to sufficiently raise my station in life.

I agree with you, but in the 1950s you probably would have accomplished the same thing after a couple of years of work.

[HamiltonJay]

Bull they live with mom and dad because frankly they are being coddled by their baby boomer ex hippie parents!

I lived on my own at 18, and did it working menial jobs while paying my way through college, there is no excuse for living at home through your 20s except flat out laziness and lack of ambition.