Monday, September 07, 2009

Generation Sloth
But the problem is not the kids. Well-meaning government meddling doesn’t help the poor, deprives the young of real, maturing work experience as well as money and continues the unnatural prolongation of childhood (in societies approaching the ideal, non-state support such as extended family makes it possible for young adults to be just that — adults with jobs, marriages and kids — when they hit their sexual prime, that is, when physically they become adults)
August data show that more than a quarter of teenagers looking for work cannot find employment at the existing wage floor. Many have just stopped trying. The teen unemployment rate is nearly three times the national rate and it is four times the rate of skilled and experienced workers over the age of 55.

This is the highest rate ever recorded in the United States. The data have only been kept since 1948, but we can be quite sure that never in US history have so many teens been so alienated from gainful employment and work experience. These are the years in which young people learn valuable skills and ethics that they will carry with them until they die.

These young adults are seeing as much as a full decade of life experience pretty well stolen from them.

The college grads themselves are pretty well befuddled as to why the great promise of future riches if they “stay in school” is not panning out. Rather than be angry at government, most of these kids are merely cynical and dependent on periodic parental bailouts.

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