Our society has taken a shocking turn. In the 1950's we saw the development of a subculture that was peculiar to young people. This was the first time the Western World had ever seen an age exclusive subculture. Now, a little more than a generation later, that youth subculture has become the dominant culture in our society. In terms of culture in all its forms, art, dress, music, etiquette, and entertainment, we train up our little ones to make the most of their youth.
High school is the pinnacle of life.
Young people dream of being high school seniors, and when they reach the age of eighteen they are on top of the world. What's worse, the world, old and young, bows down to them. By age thirty we are already past our prime. Late twentieth century America is not allowing itself to grow up. We have established a pattern of perpetual regress that is tearing down the last vestiges of maturity that our fathers labored to achieve.