What Is It With Twenty-Somethings? Essay Example

This article’s purpose is to explore the idea that “emerging adulthood” is a valid stage of development, akin to adolescence. The author does not openly take a side, but rather presents both the concerns raised by the increase in people in their twenties who do not take on traditional adult responsibilities and the psychological arguments that this stage might lead to better decisions and greater satisfaction when such people do settle down to work and family commitments. The overall tenor of the article is positive towards the new approach.

The primary question is whether there is something wrong with the prolongation of childhood into the twenties or if it is a positive change in the society’s expectations. The author’s point of view appears neutral, but by tone and conclusion she implies an accepting attitude. Her credentials as a writer on psychology for a major newspaper lend her some credibility, but for some readers her implicit liberal bent, such as in her remark that some people cannot fulfill the expectation that they marry because same-sex marriage is still largely illegal (1), will undermine her. Her primary assumptions are that the statistics she presents are correct about the numbers of young adults rejecting the roles of the previous generation. She assumes such people are the “norm” and a resurgence of previous mores is unlikely. She offers statistics about behavior and quotations from scholars as evidence of her statements. Although the scholars she cites appear credible,  she gives no sources for her statistics, which puts the burden on the reader to verify their truth. The concepts addressed are the social constructions of adulthood and how they change.  The article infers that the majority of young people accept this new phase of life and that many older people do not. Its implications are that the way Americans think about adulthood are changing and also that society cannot rely on the contributions of twenty-somethings in the way is has previously.

References

Henig, Robin Marantz. “What Is It With Twenty-Somethings?” NewYorkTimes.com. The New York Times, 18 August 2010. Web. 18 August 2010.