Adultolescence

Kevin DeYoung cites Robert Wuthnow’s After the Baby Boomers reporting that in 1960, by the time they were 30 years old, 77% of women and 65% of men had completed all the major transitions into adulthood: leaving home, finishing school, financial independence, and having a child. Just 40 years later, just 46% of women and 31% of men had done the same by age 30. I’ve had a number of conversations with people who can’t believe someone could be ready for marriage in their early 20s. Wuthrow’s interest is the future of American religion. The consequences of the new “adultolescene” are far reaching. Not only does smaller post-boomer generation need to provide for the aging boomers and their increasing healthcare needs, it has to do it with less productivity. These transitions are largely those that mark the change from a consumer-student into  producer. The fact that half the men (or possibly less by now) don’t live with their mom, have wives, jobs, a kid and financial independence indicates a lot less is being produced in every way.

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