The Death of Adulthood in American Culture
nytimes.com
The Death of Adulthood in American Culture
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Re: The Death of Adulthood in American Culture
#2"Noting that nearly a third of Y.A. books were purchased by readers ages 30 to 44 (most of them presumably without teenage children of their own), Graham insisted that such grown-ups “should feel embarrassed about reading literature for children.”"
When I was a kid adults read lots of books that were very pulpy, low-brow, "genre" kinds of books - mysteries, westerns, etc. I don't see how Y.A. books are in any way a step back from those books.
Re: The Death of Adulthood in American Culture
#3Interesting, if rather woolly, little essay. The subversion of adult authority, especially male authority, in media is an interesting topic, though it has (as Scott notes) been happening for a long time. Before it was the successful father figure, it was something else that succumbed to a good hard look that asked whether it had any actual authority, or whether we were choosing to submit to it. That goes back a long, long way.
Re: The Death of Adulthood in American Culture
#4"Noting that nearly a third of Y.A. books were purchased by readers ages 30 to 44 (most of them presumably without teenage children of their own), Graham insisted that such grown-ups “should feel embarrassed about reading literature for children.”" When I was a kid adults read lots of books that were very pulpy, low-brow, "genre" kinds of books - mysteries, westerns, etc. I don't see how Y.A. books are in any way a s…
I agree that it's not necessarily a step backwards in the sense of quality of writing or plot, but I do think the subject matter makes a difference. The detective stories, espionage tales, or even the Harlequin Romance novels were different in that although certainly pulpy and low-brow, the characters were _adults_ facing (moreless) adult situations...not wizards, demons, and dragons.
Re: The Death of Adulthood in American Culture
#5"Noting that nearly a third of Y.A. books were purchased by readers ages 30 to 44 (most of them presumably without teenage children of their own), Graham insisted that such grown-ups “should feel embarrassed about reading literature for children.”" When I was a kid adults read lots of books that were very pulpy, low-brow, "genre" kinds of books - mysteries, westerns, etc. I don't see how Y.A. books are in any way a s…
I agree that it's not necessarily a step backwards in the sense of quality of writing or plot, but I do think the subject matter makes a difference. The detective stories, espionage tales, or even the Harlequin Romance novels were different in that although certainly pulpy and low-brow, the characters were _adults_ facing (moreless) adult situations...not wizards, demons, and dragons.
How is that different? There is a lot of "serious / adult" literature that includes wizards, demons, and dragons, and that is not a recent development. (Or in older times, ghosts, spirits, and monsters in general).
Re: The Death of Adulthood in American Culture
#6I would not expect the average HN reader (foosball-playing, video gamer, etc) to agree with this.
Sometimes I think tech is the epicenter of the "permanent adolescence" phenomena.
Re: The Death of Adulthood in American Culture
#7"Noting that nearly a third of Y.A. books were purchased by readers ages 30 to 44 (most of them presumably without teenage children of their own), Graham insisted that such grown-ups “should feel embarrassed about reading literature for children.”" When I was a kid adults read lots of books that were very pulpy, low-brow, "genre" kinds of books - mysteries, westerns, etc. I don't see how Y.A. books are in any way a s…
Cory Doctorow's novels are in the Young Adult section and they have a lot to offer for adult readers.
Re: The Death of Adulthood in American Culture
#8Arrested development has seemed for quite a while to be a main source of movie humor. "Sideways" comes to mind that way.
Considering the way adult male authority appeared in a lot of TV shows (60s and 70s) led me to think that the screenwriters were enacting their own conflict with their bosses, men who made them cut down on risque jokes, nixed plot lines, etc. And those weren't great years for adult male authority in politics.
Re: The Death of Adulthood in American Culture
#9This is pompous drivel. Instead of lamenting the reading habits of people that work hard and take care of their families maybe we should try to get everyone with children to be responsible parents. The author mistakes the hard won victories of modern society for some nondescript juvenilism.
Re: The Death of Adulthood in American Culture
#10This isn't the strongest case for the statement (entirely based on media to represent public will). But let's assume he's right (media is probably a close enough proxy)...
What's interesting to think about is that not everyone is failing to become an adult. I'll assert that a big difference between a 'responsible' adult behavior and childish behavior is delaying gratification and getting the outcome you want. If many people are acting like children now, the few that are acting like adults are going to run circles around them. Perhaps the people acting like children don't realize that they're still under heavy selective pressure, just from the 0.1% and not from nature?