To think our economy infantilises young people

[HurryupwiththeteA]

I’ve got a DS who’s 18 and I’ve been thinking a lot about this. I love history and learning about different time periods and when I think what some of the 18-25 year olds used to have vs now it’s stunning. Henry VIII became king when he was 18. Slightly more realistically, up until not so many years ago young people were able to move out, get jobs that actually pay money you can live on, get married, have children, etc. I know some can especially closer to 25 but for many that’s simply not a reality.

Today minimum wage jobs (which are absolutely necessary and often quite skilled) are simply not enough to live on meaning that for many they feel their only option is university.

The student loan system requires you to be dependent on your parents (especially if they earn more) as the maintenance grant simply will not cover living expenses and (back to my last point) they’re only option is minimum wage will does not pay.

After graduating in most areas home ownership is not realistic given the exorbitant cost. This leaves them with the option of living at home for many years to try and save up (or rent and most likely never be able to afford a house deposit).

Because they don’t have their own place, relationships are often either causal hookups or quite short lived. This means that marriage or children if usually out of the question until they are much older.

Many other things such as being treated like they’re not really adults by older people, being marketed crap they don’t need keeping them in the rat race, calls to raise the age to smoke, so many other things.

Sadly I think the answers to these problems just aren’t going to happen. Major house building, distressing the importance of degrees for jobs that simply don’t need them, making the minimum wage enough to actually live on, controls on rent, stopping interest on student loans and raising the repayment threshold. None of these will ever happen, for political reasons, but frankly they should.

Aibu to think that young adults (18-25) are pretty infantilised today. It seems like 25 is the new 18 and until your mid 20s now society often still sees you as a child. Furthermore, Aibu to think this

@unlimiteddilutingjuice

Nikita Khruschev's words are well worth repeating.

However, it's worth pointing out that most of the key players throughout history (at least in the modern era) have been old or at least middle aged men. JFK was unusually young for a President.

My sister grew up in the 80's left school at 16 , did an apprenticeship (although I think it had a different name) moved out at 23. I grew up in 90's left school at 18 and moved out at 19. My dd grew up in00's left uni at 21 and moved out at 21.

I think a lot of parents don't see their children as young adults. I was desperate to be independent at 16, my brother is two years older and was quite happy to be babied.

A few years ago I pulled a friend up, she'd come round for dinner with her son and when the food was on the table she picked up the salt and pepper, seasoned her own food and then her son's.

He was 20!

"...every bit of green space built on..." is a stretch, given that the vast majority of land in the UK is undeveloped.

From Fullfact: "29% is pastures, 27% is non-irrigated arable land (or land where crops are planted), 24% is forest and other natural land (such as beaches or moors), and 11% is wetlands."

That's 91% of land being, essentially, 'green'.

And boring, unused fields at that. If it were lush forests I'd understand the (still wrong) assumption, at least they're econologically diverse.

Everyone's infantilised now. When this current cold snap began, BBC News had a headline and major segment telling people to heat their living rooms during the day and their bedrooms at night. This was a SEGMENT, with the newsreader interviewing an expert and everything. On the NEWS. I was utterly flabbergasted.

At this rate, the six o clock news will soon be headlined with segments suggesting that it's a good idea to eat food two or three times a day and to cover the soles of our feet when going outside.

The rolling 24 hours updates on what a good idea it is to oxygenate our blood by inflating our lungs can surely not be far behind.

entropynow · Yesterday 10:40
MrsSkylerWhite · Yesterday 09:05
Dr Ramirez was no doubt talking about life expectancy at birth and as you say yourself your recollection is faulty.

“How about "sorry, my error" instead of this passive aggressive nonsense?“

not sure I’m the passive aggressive person here, you sound quite cross.

Dr. Ramirez. That’s it, thanks. Like her, knows her stuff.

have a nice day.
More pass agg ( 'have a nice day'? That it?) . I care about history and the facts. You are wrong. Deal with it“

Ok. You really need to calm down. Such anger with an irrelevant someone not as knowledgeable as you really isn’t good for your life expectancy.

I meant have a nice day. Hope you do.