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Why are today's teens putting off driving, dating and drinking?

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Re: Why are today's teens putting off driving, dating and drinking?

#201

Post by andai »

guyt00 wrote: post #180
spodek wrote: post #91

I wonder what it's like to grow up in a world you know was trashed -- likely to have more plastic in the ocean than fish, wars over resources, hundreds of millions of people displaced from their homes, population decreases, etc... all consequences of past generations' carelessness. Maybe not all those things will happen, but some will. That has to factor into your world view and behavior.

The world is more prosperous and peaceful now than any time in human history. To be born now in a developed country (of which there are far more of than even ten or twenty years ago) is an incredible advantage compared to what the vast majority of humans ever experienced.

I heard an interview with Warren Buffet yesterday where he said that the average person today has a better life than J.D. Rockefeller (1839-1937), who was in his time the richest man in the world.

He also says that "the luckiest person in the world is the baby born today in this country [USA]."

He's a tremendously optimistic fellow, still working as far as I can tell, and reading 5-6 hours a day at age 87. Highly recommend his interviews on talks.

Re: Why are today's teens putting off driving, dating and drinking?

#202

Post by TheAdamAndChe »

andai wrote: post #201
guyt00 wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The world is more prosperous and peaceful now than any time in human history. To be born now in a developed country (of which there are far more of than even ten or twenty years ago) is an incredible advantage compared to what the vast majority of humans ever experienced.

I heard an interview with Warren Buffet yesterday where he said that the average person today has a better life than J.D. Rockefeller (1839-1937), who was in his time the richest man in the world. He also says that "the luckiest person in the world is the baby born today in this country [USA]." He's a tremendously optimistic fellow, still working as far as I can tell, and reading 5-6 hours a day at age 87. Highly rec…

What is considered "better" varies from person to person. I know personally, I'm deeply worried about whether or not my children will have a better life than me. I don't know of anyone my age(23) that actually has any close friends. The companies I work for don't even pretend to be loyal to me or anyone else at my income bracket. An unexpected illness could bankrupt me and my wife. Testosterone levels for men are significantly lower now than then, which sure affects a man's quality of life.

People today may have more things, and may be more healthy, but that doesn't mean their quality of life is greater unless they're part of the upper middle/upper class, and even then, it's often very stressful.

Re: Why are today's teens putting off driving, dating and drinking?

#203

Post by soared »

spectrum1234 wrote: post #70

I thought the article was great and am surprised by the comments here. This theory is obviously true and quite fascinating: According to an evolutionary psychology theory that a person's "life strategy" slows down or speeds up depending on his or her surroundings, exposure to a "harsh and unpredictable" environment leads to faster development, while a more resource-rich and secure environment has the opposite effect,…

Another comment mentioned kids have to work more, you mentioned they work less. I couldn't find a good source either way, but still interesting.

Re: Why are today's teens putting off driving, dating and drinking?

#204

Post by enord »

brad0 wrote: post #195
enord wrote: post #151

Teens are living in an isolated socitety from us that can seem like a strange stasi-germany enforced through guilt. Expectations are set for them to perform in measures that are unrelated to personal growth and developement, and from a young age. Different parties observe them and intervene on almost any deviation from expectation. The path is narrowing. Underperform on a standardized school test, intervention. Spend…

I enjoyed reading this. Have you experienced this directly or noticed this as a third party?

Some of it are my own frustrations from first or second hand experience. I'm just young enough that I was a teenager during the later years of the statistic (allthough I probably weighed against the trend except for the driving part). Yet I've had time to teach since I came of age, and talk to people.

Most of it though is just empathic (pathetic maybe?) outrage towards what I perceive-- no, feel is a steady devaluation of diversity in people, children in particular. Diversity of experience, of interest, of priorities and values. Diversity of stories.

The collective narrative we impose on children is that we're going to give them this great education, they're gonna have such great opportunities ('yuuge opportunities), and we're gonna make extra double sure that that it's the greatest education bestowed on any generation. We'll know it's the greatest education because we're going to test them relentlessly. And they will be grateful. They had better be grateful, and make something from this invaluable opportunity.

I'm exaggerating (and sprinkled a little Trump in there) to make it more obviously self-serving, because we are not helping them grow, were growing them. And we're weeding the meadow of anyone and anything that doesn't fit the mold. And I need to get off my soapbox, because I'm rambling.

Re: Why are today's teens putting off driving, dating and drinking?

#206

Post by thatfunkymunki »

pjc50 wrote: post #153
spectrum1234 wrote: post #70

I thought the article was great and am surprised by the comments here. This theory is obviously true and quite fascinating: According to an evolutionary psychology theory that a person's "life strategy" slows down or speeds up depending on his or her surroundings, exposure to a "harsh and unpredictable" environment leads to faster development, while a more resource-rich and secure environment has the opposite effect,…

Can we distinguish between "have to work" versus "can't find work" at this distance?

Agree 100%. I graduated high school a little while ago (2008) but was absolutely unable to find anywhere that would hire me as a high school student, even though I would have loved to have a job and have some spending money of my own.

Re: Why are today's teens putting off driving, dating and drinking?

#207

Post by brad0 »

enord wrote: post #204
brad0 wrote: post #195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I enjoyed reading this. Have you experienced this directly or noticed this as a third party?

Some of it are my own frustrations from first or second hand experience. I'm just young enough that I was a teenager during the later years of the statistic (allthough I probably weighed against the trend except for the driving part). Yet I've had time to teach since I came of age, and talk to people. Most of it though is just empathic (pathetic maybe?) outrage towards what I perceive-- no, feel is a steady devaluati…

Have you read Paul Graham's essay on schools? http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html

I think you'll find it interesting. Email me at bcurran421@gmail.com if you want to continue the convo

Re: Why are today's teens putting off driving, dating and drinking?

#208

Post by ehnto »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #194
ehnto wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it's the direct relationship of the news stories, but rather the general atmosphere of fear and dread. Where I remember being care free and adventurous as a teen, which translates into a less inhibited and more adventurous social life. I also didn't have hours of endless entertainment at my fingertips, just lame country town TV.

But that atmosphere was also here during and after WW2 up to the late 80's (the cold war and impending global thermonuclear war), the 60's / 70's (Vietnam war and being drafted). And yet there was the sexual revolution during that era. I don't think it's global fear because I think that used to be worse.

That is true, perhaps it's not much of a contributing factor. I also assumed teens were worried by the news but thinking about it more I wonder if they even watch it or if the same kind of news is in the newer media distribution.

Re: Why are today's teens putting off driving, dating and drinking?

#209

Post by Gustomaximus »

PrimalDual wrote: post #85
Gustomaximus wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> less money to spend on sex This one doesn't need money ;) I would suspect other things being equal, hanging about with little to do would that costs money would encourage socialisation and sex. Anecdotally, I feel kids are more mature in many ways than my generation (I'm late 30's). They have total access to information and I suspect this helps them learn to see the world faster. As for less drinking/drugs, I wonde…

I am not sure about your claim that sex doesn’t require money. At least the male side courtship seems to be rather expensive both in terms of time and money. Granted that depends on what side of the pareto distribution you fall under. I agree with your point that having the breadth of human knowledge at your fingertips helps you make better decisions especially with how inforgiving the internet’s memory is. It does c…

I suspect the expensive side goes to the type of women your after and expectations you place on yourself. In my long past single days (and friends) you'd spend time with girls at parties, beaches, picnics, go to a museum, gallery, hike or home cooked meal.

While opinion only here I feel these are the best places to spend time vs the expensive restaurant/bar type deal. For the latter you sit still hoping the converstation is smooth vs doing something that keeps things relaxed and flowing. And the invariable dinner is finishing do we take it further moments vs having more easy access to take a moment when it feels right. So i dont get that dating has to be expensive unless you want it to be.

...I know this is very anecdotale.

Re: Why are today's teens putting off driving, dating and drinking?

#210

Post by wvh »

Mz wrote: post #200
wvh wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So your ex preferred sex over social contact with you, as the poster above mentions the use of pornography over social contact; and between the lines, you prefer a free social life over the dominance of sex (apart from other issues your marriage might have had). Sounds like a familiar source of contention... Without wanting to generalise individual needs, I wonder if men and women are having trouble bridging their di…

So your ex preferred sex over social contact with you...you prefer a free social life over the dominance of sex No. And your inaccurate inference is obnoxious. I wonder if men and women are having trouble bridging their differences now there is less pressure of being a married couple. This is heteronormative. I see no reason to believe that it is only heterosexuals who are putting off sex. It wasn't all that long ago…

So I assumed wrong. I assume my own life experiences filtered through then – my apologies.

Of course any discussion about popularity of and reasons for marriage over the last century or so is "heteronormative", for obvious reasons. Still I think men and women experience sex differently, even beyond individual needs. I have several gay friends, but I can't really tell whether any differences they have in sexual needs would be amplified if they were a different gender, potentially influenced by different biological needs.

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