New Business Song Refrain: What Have All the Grownups Gone?

The often amusing Ben Stein - in whom conservatism has melded with a healthy dose of common sense - had a wonderful piece in the New York Times. His thesis is that from the bellyaching about stock market turbulence and the risk of sub-prime lending to the many cases of CEO self-serving shenanigans we're seeing the result of an adolescent society. It's well reasoned, though I'd point out that I know a good number of adolescents - my daughter and all her friends being examples - and would suggest that the expectations of getting getting everything without investment of time or energy is not something I see them exhibit in any great measure. That suggests two things to me. One is that perhaps there's hope for the future of the country. The other is that Mr. Stein might actually be setting the developmental clock a bit too far. Everything "owed and nothing owed in return?" A complete lack of patience. I think the age model, and the results, are sounding more like the six-year-old set. A reasonably intelligent and energetic teenager is already working hard in studies as well as holding down a job, because he or she knows that all the things on the wish list aren't going to come from the largesse of mom and dad.