The Case Against Adolescence

http://jseliger.com/2011/04/11/the-case-against-adolescence-rediscovering-the-adult-in-every-teen-robert-epstein/

by jseliger • 15 years ago

22 7 15 years ago

jseliger.com

ilkhd2• 15 years ago

The problem is that american adults are really not.

krakensden• 15 years ago

> There isn’t really such a thing as code that is “avant garde” or otherwise susceptible to influence and taste.

Oh... if only he knew.

JonnieCache• 15 years ago

I'm sure he does know. Going into a long parenthetical aside about the IOCCC wouldn't really have improved the article would it?

westicle• 15 years ago

Interesting review.

I didn't find your "economic argument against child sexuality" convincing however. (I understand you are positing claims about societal beliefs as opposed to your own)

"... we’re unhappy when people reproduce and can’t afford their offspring. So we call people who mostly aren’t economically viable children, even when they’re physiologically and psychologically not..."

Being under 18 may be one indicator of financial viability - although many children are born into privilege, are beneficiaries of trust funds, are financially self-sufficient.

Living on welfare benefits (or perhaps even minimum wage?) is a much stronger indicator of financial viability, and yet we don't see wholesale sterilisation of the unemployed or even any organised public policy discouraging sex between employees of the fast food industry.

I suspect that (as usual) there are more complex factors behind "age of consent" legislation than rational economic principles.

sliverstorm2• 15 years ago

although many children are born into privilege, are beneficiaries of trust funds

Many? MANY!?!

I'd like to meet your friends. I'm guessing they are the ones who gave you this impression. I, for one, would LOVE to finally get some kickbacks from the 'many' trust fund kids out there.

sliverstorm2• 15 years ago

Did anyone else do a double-take at the domain name?

I guess I just find it funny that the seminal 'teenager' book was written by J.D. Salinger, and this critical review was written by J. Seliger. Especially when I couldn't remember at first exactly how Salinger's name was spelled.

jseliger• 15 years ago

Funny—when I was in high school, some guys in a youth group would call me "Salinger" because they couldn't or didn't want to remember or pronounce my last name ("Seli-ih-gurh"). And people chronically want to put an "n" in my last name ("Selinger").

The Case Against Adolescence

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