Excellent article on quarter-life crisis

Well, this hit closer to home than I would have liked, but I'm glad to see some of my feelings and those of my peers put into words so effectively. While I'm sure it will get a lot of snarky responses from older, grouchier members, I think it's useful to share with the forum. I'm sure others in their mid-20s will be able to relate.

http://www.eyeweekly.com/features/article/55882

The only thing I hate about my generation is the lack of parental guidance. "you can be anything you want to be" is damn confusing at times. I need help. And my wisdom tooth still hurts...

Originally Posted by Aperipan

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The only thing I hate about my generation is the lack of parental guidance. "you can be anything you want to be" is damn confusing at times. I need help. And my wisdom tooth still hurts...

I think you have to be over 20 to understand quarter-life crisis.

I read the article and initially pooh-poohed the premise, but then I got to wondering: I didn't really do much on the web until I was 30 or so: before then I just went with what was in front of me, which made life a LOT simpler. I wonder what would have come of things had I been presented with all these choices in all these areas of life. Would I have married who I married if there were a constant procession of women on-line for my perusal? Would I have taken the career choices I've taken, had there been monster.com?

But another part of the issue behind quarter-life crisis is that parents and people have completely whiffed on the idea of opportunity cost: you can't have everything and do everything. Life is a series of trade-offs, and it seems that this generation doesn't quite accept or even acknowlege this. If the whole world if a buffet table laid out in front of you, how do you deal with a stomach of limited size?

Well MS, you probably have me nailed as one of the older, snarky posters. I'm really not far past that stage, and eight years ago, when they "identified" QLC, I was 31. I think my generation, Gen X, had it too. In fact, many generations had it. Flappers, swing kids, flower children, etc. I think Gen X had it to a higher degree than preceding ones, and Gen Y has it to at least the degree we did.

I think this ties in with Kunk's thread on the rudderless.

No grand answers from me though. You either eventually get some direction or you don't. Not saying which is better, as long as you can support yourself, I say travel the path that suits you.

One observation though: when I stopped seeking anything other than a pay cheque from my job, life started to make more sense. Sure, sometimes work will make you feel good. Keep that secondary though and remember you work for money, not some touchy-feely aim.

Wow, I'm rambling here, but I can tell you the age of my QLC was 24. Neil Young. Old man, take a look at my life, 24 and there's so much more...

30 was tough too. Decided I needed to kick things into over drive. I did, and I'm happy I did.

That article described me in creepy detail.

There does seem to be a lack of direction in the lives of many Gen-Ys, including mine. I think combined with our lack of attention span, perhaps due to too much channel-flipping and exposure to rapid successions of chunks of media and information in our youths, we have a bit of a problem. I also think there is a related problem with the way we form relationships with the opposite sex, and I definitely know a lot of couples that may not be in open relationships, but who certainly are drifting, and I wonder if they're really satisfied with each other.

This rings true but I'm really not so upset about it. While I'm still struggling with finding the direction I want to take, I feel like I've moved past the despair/malaise phases. I'm 25 fwiw.

Thanks, neat article. I think the internet thing makes sense, our generation has so much more access to info/people/things that maybe it makes it harder to finalize our decisions. Maybe 'ignorance' really is bliss, only knowing the real-life people you know and the real-life area you live in, as opposed to being able to access the entire world in a blink.

This might help. http://current.com/items/89804942_a-...isis-goals.htm

I have trouble understanding this phenomenon. If you want something, go out and get it. If you're unhappy with your current situation, get up and change it. Don't people realize they have the power to make their dreams a reality? Are they unwilling to put in the work necessary?

Originally Posted by flashback

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I have trouble understanding this phenomenon. If you want something, go out and get it. If you're unhappy with your current situation, get up and change it. Don't people realize they have the power to make their dreams a reality? Are they unwilling to put in the work necessary?
You're right, you do have trouble understanding this phenomenon. Its most salient characteristic is indecision, not impotence. Either way, the situation is probably not going to be helped by obtuse platitudes on self-empowerment and work ethic.

Originally Posted by dusty

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You're right, you do have trouble understanding this phenomenon. Its most salient characteristic is indecision, not impotence. Either way, the situation is probably not going to be helped by obtuse platitudes on self-empowerment and work ethic.
when you follow your heart, it usually takes care of the decision-making for you. food for thought, from me to someone who admittedly knows nothin

Originally Posted by flashback

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when you follow your heart, it usually takes care of the decision-making for you.

food for thought, from me to someone who admittedly knows nothin

Following your heart doesn't put food the on the table. Unless your heart is all fucked up and you want to go into a soulless corporate job for life.

Originally Posted by MetroStyles

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Following your heart doesn't put food the on the table. Unless your heart is all fucked up and you want to go into a soulless corporate job for life.

I maintain, that for all intents and purposes, jobs qua jobs are soulless.

I worked in the student program at Chrysler when I was a kid. You'd do the Friday afternoon shift, double back for the day shift. The money was insane. While, one day on the line, a guy a few stations over dropped dead. They pulled him out of the way, covered him with card board, and one of the absentee guys took over his station. The line never stopped.

Gave me a view on jobs that has never left me.