As I was reading a recent story in Slate on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruining their life plans, I couldn't help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled children who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them.
As
I
was
reading
a
recent
story
in
Slate
on
20-somethings
complaining
about
how
the
economy
was
ruining
their
life
plans
,
I
could
n't
help
but
think
the
20-somethings
sounded
like
a
bunch
of
spoiled
children
who
grew
up
expecting
everything
to
be
easy
for
them
.
As a 20-something myself, I certainly share their disappointment: my husband and I probably won't be able to buy a house until we're in our 40s, and we too are burdened by student loans.
As
a
20-something
myself
,
I
certainly
share
their
disappointment
:
my
husband
and
I
probably
wo
n't
be
able
to
buy
a
house
until
we
're
in
our
40s
,
and
we
too
are
burdened
by
student
loans
.
But why should it be any different?
But
why
should
it
be
any
different
?
Being young persons in America, shouldn't they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?
Being
young
persons
in
America
,
should
n't
they
take
up
all
of
the
challenges
and
opportunities
that
this
country
offers
?
Consider some of these views shared in the Slate story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won't be able to have children for at least a decade because they can't afford to buy a house yet.
Consider
some
of
these
views
shared
in
the
Slate
story
:
Jennifer
,
29
,
owner
of
a
two-bedroom
apartment
with
her
husband
,
worries
that
she
wo
n't
be
able
to
have
children
for
at
least
a
decade
because
they
ca
n't
afford
to
buy
a
house
yet
.
I read that, and I thought, what planet is she living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids?
I
read
that
,
and
I
thought
,
what
planet
is
she
living
on
where
you
need
to
own
a
house
in
order
to
have
kids
?
Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one?
Has
she
ever
visited
a
developing
country
,
or
even
downtown
areas
in
this
one
?
Home ownership is a luxury, not a fertility requirement.
Home
ownership
is
a
luxury
,
not
a
fertility
requirement
.
A 26-year-old in the story despairs that he can't afford to get a Ph.
A
26-year-old
in
the
story
despairs
that
he
ca
n't
afford
to
get
a
Ph
.
D. in literature.
D.
in
literature
.
Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.
Well
,
that
sounds
a
bit
like
expressing
disappointment
that
no
one
will
pay
you
to
write
poetry
on
the
beach
in
Thailand
for
five
years
.
Yes, it's sad that these young people feel so lost.
Yes
,
it
's
sad
that
these
young
people
feel
so
lost
.
But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality.
But
I
think
the
problem
is
their
extremely
high
expectations
,
not
economic
reality
.
Beth Kobliner, author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people's expectations are slowly adjusting, but today's 20-somethings grew up at a time when everyone's wealth appeared to be expanding.
Beth
Kobliner
,
author
of
Get
a
Financial
Life
:
Personal
Finance
in
Your
Twenties
and
Thirties
,
says
that
she
thinks
people
's
expectations
are
slowly
adjusting
,
but
today
's
20-somethings
grew
up
at
a
time
when
everyone
's
wealth
appeared
to
be
expanding
.
Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments.
Their
parents
probably
saw
their
home
values
rise
along
with
their
investments
.
"So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means," says Kobliner.
``
So
you
have
people
who
have
grown
up
in
an
environment
where
people
had
great
expectations
of
what
living
well
means
,
''
says
Kobliner
.
This recession will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group.
This
recession
will
certainly
play
a
role
in
forcing
those
expectations
into
more
realistic
group
.
In the meantime, it seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful-for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day-than on longing for some kind of luxury life.
In
the
meantime
,
it
seems
a
lot
better
for
our
mental
health
to
focus
on
being
grateful-for
our
one-bedroom
apartments
,
for
living
in
modern
cities
,
or
perhaps
just
for
being
able
to
eat
three
meals
a
day-than
on
longing
for
some
kind
of
luxury
life
.
As I was reading a recent story in Slate on 20-somethings complaining about how the economy was ruining their life plans, I couldn't help but think the 20-somethings sounded like a bunch of spoiled children who grew up expecting everything to be easy for them. As a 20-something myself, I certainly share their disappointment: my husband and I probably won't be able to buy a house until we're in our 40s, and we too are burdened by student loans. But why should it be any different? Being young persons in America, shouldn't they take up all of the challenges and opportunities that this country offers?  Consider some of these views shared in the Slate story: Jennifer, 29, owner of a two-bedroom apartment with her husband, worries that she won't be able to have children for at least a decade because they can't afford to buy a house yet.  I read that, and I thought, what planet is she living on where you need to own a house in order to have kids? Has she ever visited a developing country, or even downtown areas in this one? Home ownership is a luxury, not a fertility requirement.  A 26-year-old in the story despairs that he can't afford to get a Ph. D. in literature. Well, that sounds a bit like expressing disappointment that no one will pay you to write poetry on the beach in Thailand for five years.  Yes, it's sad that these young people feel so lost. But I think the problem is their extremely high expectations, not economic reality. Beth Kobliner, author of Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties, says that she thinks people's expectations are slowly adjusting, but today's 20-somethings grew up at a time when everyone's wealth appeared to be expanding. Their parents probably saw their home values rise along with their investments. "So you have people who have grown up in an environment where people had great expectations of what living well means," says Kobliner.  This recession will certainly play a role in forcing those expectations into more realistic group. In the meantime, it seems a lot better for our mental health to focus on being grateful-for our one-bedroom apartments, for living in modern cities, or perhaps just for being able to eat three meals a day-than on longing for some kind of luxury life.