Our Young Must Aim for Adulthood
“Kids these days.” We often hear older generations complaining about the younger generation because of how they’ve gotten softer and had much easier lives than previous cohorts. Young people respond with “OK Boomer,” blowing it off as something the old, cranky generations always say. It’s as universal a phrase as “back in my day.”
But this time, the complaint might carry more weight. There’s evidence that young people are truly maturing more slowly than previously.
The kids are staying kids for far too long.
I’ve seen it in my own experiences with my Gen Z peers how young Americans have been infantilized — and the cultural implications of it.
We laugh at the videos of hysterical young (and old) Americans reacting to President Trump’s landslide victory and stories of college campuses canceling classes and providing “safe spaces” for students. It’s funny, but it’s also a troubling result of our culture’s chronic coddling of young people.
According to Pew Research, young Americans are reaching key life milestones — getting a full-time job, being financially independent, getting married, and more — at a much later age than previous generations. The trend of delaying full-time jobs, financial independence, and marriage reflects a culture that encourages prolonged dependence rather than independence.
In 1980, 64 percent of 21-year-olds had gotten their first full-time job compared to the 39 percent in 2021. And the 32 percent of young people married at 21-years-old in 1980 dropped to a measly six percent. Both metrics have decreased by 25 percent.
Think about it.
It’s no wonder the average age for a groom is 30 and for a bride 28 when they’re being provided legos, mindfulness exercises, hot cocoa, and milk and cookies as students at the elite Georgetown University were offered post Trump-win.
Our nation’s elite universities are establishing a norm that a self-care day and “safe space” is necessary and normal when you don’t get your way. They’re being treated like children who can’t deal with emotions.
So why is it surprising that they’d act how they’re treated? Just like parents who don’t want to discipline their children and hand them an I-pad instead.
Obviously, these students aren’t ready to get married, have kids, and raise the next generation. Just like I-pad kids aren’t ready for the real world without Bluey.
Those who’ve been coddled might be surprised to find out that family responsibilities don’t pause because they’re upset. Kids still need to be fed, clothed, and cared for when they’re sick or sad. And the university won’t be there to provide hot cocoa to ease their emotional pain after.
But my generation isn’t the victim of just bad parenting and universities catering to their every emotional need — we’ve also pushed marriage off due to hook-up culture, dating apps, pornography, and the decline of religion.
Delayed financial independence and moving out from parents’ houses is also, in part, the result of higher college attendance rates and steep housing prices. Either way, it doesn’t foster maturity in young people. And it doesn’t push them to grow up.
It’s an indicator of a culture in decline.
This decline is clearly demonstrated in our falling birthrate. In 2023, the U.S. hit of 1.62 children per woman fertility rate — lower than the 2.1 children per woman rate required to keep the population level steady.
But again, it makes sense. If women are getting married later, they have far fewer years than previous generations to have children while still able to conceive and carry a baby to term.
Now, I understand that marriage isn’t a calling for every individual. But as a single woman who’d like to get married young, I’ve personally seen the effects on my generation of not being forced to grow up. I’ve been startled by how many marriage-aged men on dating apps are presenting as frat boys who live for the weekend and spend Sundays recovering rather than at church — at age 30.
We can’t just blame the men. Many women pursue hookups and partying well into their mid-to-late-20s. And then it hits them. If they want children, they’re going to need to settle down ASAP.
Maturing the Young
Now that I’ve spent 700 words complaining about the problems, let’s talk solutions.
We must promote maturity and responsibility among young people. This means shifting the cultural narrative, calling out universities for infantilizing students and encouraging young people to join the workforce early.
First, conservatives must start leveraging whatever cultural power we have to shift the Overton window back toward normalcy.
We should call out, mock, and shame the universities that continue the infantilizing of students. Donors should leverage contributions to these higher education institutions until they stop the insanity.
We should celebrate students who decide to go straight into the workforce after high school. College isn’t a necessity for everyone, and these young Americans learn about the real world sooner and avoid the spoiling (and indoctrination) of American higher education. While undecided college seniors apply for an often-unnecessary post-graduate degree and $100,000 in college loan debt, other young Americans have been working and building real-life skills for five years already.
Lastly, we should promote the beauty and pride that comes from maturing. Boys becoming men and girls becoming women in their early to mid-20s is normal. It’s good. And it’s what our nation needs to reverse the decline.
READ MORE from Libby Krieger:
12-Year-Old Student Sent Home Over Conservative T-Shirt
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