Robin Henig What Is It About 20-Somethings Analysis

Improved Essays
Millennials. Often described as, Narcissistic, Entitled, Liberal, Nomadic, and most importantly lazy. But has anyone ever stopped to ask the question why? Why are millennials so different compared to past generations? What is about today's generation that is setting them back in development and advancement as adults? It's arguable that there are exceptions to millennial characteristics. Such as social and economic privileges. However, the consensus is that the lack of growing up is a universal experience. But is it entirely the generations fault? In her essay, "What Is It About 20-Somethings?" Robin Henig provides astonishing facts and explanations on why emerging adults are delaying independence. She goes into detail on how Biological/ Psychological …show more content…
There are no exceptions to who is affected by these influences. As emerging adults question their place in adulthood, so does society. Citizens can vote and join the army at the age of 18. But they can't drink until the age of 21, Drive at 16, Rent a car at 25, Stay under parental insurance till 26, yet are still considered dependents till 24. It's hard to be dependent and consider yourself an adult when society holds you back on feeling like one. "Culture expectations might also reinforce the delay" (Henig 205) Meaning, 20-somethings don't expect to be married, have a family …show more content…
"They haven't braced themselves for adulthood or all that comes with it" (Henig 205). Parents of emerging adults also lack ownership to these expectations. Today's parenting styles are drastically different compared to past generations. Emerging adults are incredibly dependent on their parents. Specifically, dependent on their social and financial support. But the main reason why is because parents allow it. As time goes on parents are becoming less and less strict and disciplined with their children. They are developing a sense of hovering and becoming helicopter parents, Ready to swoop in and solve any problems their child may have. Every parent wants the best for the children and for them to have a better life than they did. Wanting them to not have to worry about finances and adult responsibilities at too young of an age. However, with this method of parenting, it gets harder and harder on when to decide is the best time to cut the cord. Money makes the world go around. As many people would love to debate this statement, there is a certain truth about it. Without money, it is incredibly hard to succeed. Money is something

Related Documents

  • Decent Essays

    In the July 4th, 2016 New York Post article “I’m millennial and my generation sucks” by Johnny Oleksinski, he introduces himself as a member of the millennials and at the same time, describes that generation as the worst one. The author claims in his article that this generation is characterized as procrastinators, irresponsibility, and self-concern. He concludes with a list of some actions which can be useful to break the stereotype about millennials. Oleksinski begins his post by describing some contributions of the baby boomer generation and of the millennials. The baby boomers invented computers, while the millennials, have just contributed with emojis and Tv Recaps.…

    • 307 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The millennial generation is one that began in the 1980s with the first of millennials reaching young adulthood around the year 2000. Although Millennials are said to be more open minded, confident, and accepting they are also commonly described as self-absorbed, unrealistic and materialistic, lazy individuals who lead unstable lives and tend to jump from job to job. In “Clichés, Anyone?”, published on May 8th, 1998 in The Boston Globe, James Isaacs essentially writes a piece that mocks the banality of millennials. Isaacs expresses his views of millennials through clichés, satire, and a short and choppy sentence structure.…

    • 577 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In his book “The Dumbest Generation”, Mark Bauerlein, a social critic and professor, explains his stance regarding the Millennials. Bauerlein claims that students in the last ten years have two major differences compared to previous generations: declined reading habits and declined general knowledge. Bauerlein states these differences, but he fails to clarify the meaning of ‘general knowledge’ and how it is measured. While individuals under the age of thirty aren’t the least intelligent generation, their lack of ambition has decreased along with their interest in acquiring information.…

    • 475 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    "Generation Debt" by Anya Kamanetz is a excerpt that stresses about the growing amount of students in debt. Throughout this passage, Penn researchers insist that there are five milestones of maturity: "leaving home, finishing school, becoming financially independent, getting married, and having a child" (148). They tell us that with every new generation comes new social and economic factors. With much speculation, this topic has become a very intriguing argument. What role does this current generation pertain too?…

    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the editorial “Hunting for Hope in Modern America,” the professor Jeffrey Bosworth discusses the “screwed” millennial generation in three perspectives: the current issues in America, the positive attributes of the millennial generation, and what the millennial generation should do to succeed. He explains that millennials have the potential to be successful if they put the effort into their learning. Does Bosworth provide enough evidence of millennialls potential to be successful, to lead the reader to agree with his argument? The answer is yes, because he provides powerful counterarguments, startling evidence, and a use of pathos.…

    • 740 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Technology and Helicopter Parents Through Kathryn Tyler Throughout Kathryn Tyler’s article, “The Tethered Generation,” she discusses the effects of technology and helicopter parents on the millennial generation. Tyler believes that technology has become an easy way for parents to continue to watch over their children as they age (Tyler 478). Tyler also says technology is helping oppressive parents continue to smother their children and that people in the millennial generation are not becoming adults in every aspect of life in the time frame they should be (478). An enormous factor of growing up is being able to make mistakes and figure out problems and solutions alone.…

    • 1959 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Kathryn Tyler’s, The Tethered Generation suggests that the millennial generation has been so influenced by new technologies their entire lives, that it has made them less independent than their parents’ generation and more likely to hover over their children’s lives as “helicopter parents”. Tyler uses the story of Kate Achille to give readers an example specifically from a millenial in order to connect to the target audience. She also uses comparison and contrast, antithesis, argumentation, and a research study. Tyler intends to help give this generation and the companies that will be hiring this generation a better understanding of the role of technology in their lives and how it affects the way they think and work. Kathryn Tyler suggests that it will take a lot more than it used to in order to successfully transition the millennial generation into the workforce.…

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Generation X was a different story; these kids had to grow up fast and fend for themselves. As the Millennial generation evolved, their parents, the Gen X’ers, wanted to give their children everything, which created a hyper-parenting style. This in turn created the hovering style that the Millennial parents practiced. The social and emotional factors that a generation’s parenting…

    • 1150 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Overall, Abby Ellin makes a good argument why Millenials are bad she also gave some valuable information that they were, in fact, hardworking, open to constructive criticism and willing to invest in their personal time to…

    • 425 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Joel Stein’s article The New Greatest Generation, he gives his opinion on the millennial generation. Those born between the years of 1980s and 2000s are considered millennials. Stein argues that the millennial generation is lazy. An example of Stein argument on the laziness of millennials can be shown when he mentions how they would rather be an assistant instead of becoming a CEO of a company.…

    • 1027 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In the article, “The New Greatest Generation,” Joel Stein talks about the millennial generation and the labels that are put on their generation. Stein tells that over the years, millennials have been labeled narcissistic, lazy, and self-absorbed. Stein proclaims that the millennial generation only cares about themselves and everything they do, say, or think revolves around them. Stein informs that many people, including older generations, believe that the generation is selfish. They are said to not respect authority and worry too much about their self-appearance.…

    • 1097 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Success in a Modern Society How one defines “success” can varies drastically from one person to the next. Michael Sandel and Matthew B. Crawford both tackle the issue of “success” in their individual essays, especially focusing on extrinsic verse intrinsic value and questioning what are the real true joys of life. Sandel with his writing of “Markets and Morals” tackles the issue of how money plays its role in our society. He purposes the question of where as a society we should draw the line to how we value things in a market system. Sandel provides evidence through facts of all items and services one can buy and sell in our modern times.…

    • 1487 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Alana Picard Mr. Santaella Enc 1101 31 August 2017 Society Changes Robin Henig who wrote “What is it About 20-Somethings?” argues that the twenties are a developmental stage for humans that comes before adulthood. She states that to be an adult, a person must have a degree, be married with children, be financially independent, and have moved out. While in 1960 that may have been the case, in 2017 it is not. The economy is nothing like it was in the 60’s, lifestyles have also changed significantly since then and for a person to move out of their parents house these days is nearly impossible until they have a stable and well paying job. Robin says that “reaching adulthood is happening later than ever” (Henig) which I, personally disagree with.…

    • 845 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the Youtube video Millennials: We Suck and We 're Sorry Stephen Parkhurst states “We suck and we know it, we’re self-center, entitled, narcissistic, lazy and immature. And we’re super sorry…”(Parkhurst). MIllennials are so immature and lazy because we get whatever we want without lifting a finger. Back in the time before the millennial, teen have to get jobs to make money if they want to buy something that they want. Now teens will ask their parents for the things that they want, and parents will happily buy it for them.…

    • 1142 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Spiritual Laws Of Money

    • 1099 Words
    • 5 Pages

    I 've never bought into the belief that you can 't be spiritual and rich at the same time. A lot of people I know feel that it 's their obligation to be poor because they are so spiritual. They feel like money will corrupt them and turn them into a greedy and unethical person. I feel like making money doesn 't turn into someone like that - you either are someone like that or you are not before money even comes into the equation. That was a thought reverberated in the Spiritual Laws of Money course that I took.…

    • 1099 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays