Who is a Responsible Adult?

Who is a Responsible Adult?
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Who is a Responsible Adult?
A majority of the earlier generation believe the newer generations especially people aged between 18 to 30 are lazy and irresponsible. To them, a responsible adult is one who has a job, a family for which he is responsible for, and a plan for their future. However, what many of them fail to realize is that times, situations, and setups have changed. Conversely, one could argue in their favor and state that indeed some people in the 18-30 age bracket are indeed lazy and have refused to grow up. It is indeed possible to find a man aged 27 or even 30 years who still lives with their parents and depends on them for everything. Some of these individuals are graduates and even though getting jobs is harder than it used to, one should still feel the need to take the next step and leave their parents’ house. This debate often elicits different views and perceptions with some people siding with the so called elders of the society while others side with the young people. One issue of concern though is the lack of a broad agreement on what it means to be responsible adult. How should one conduct themselves, what are some of the dreams a person should have for them to be considered responsible, where should someone be living, and does having a job qualifies one to be considered as a responsible adult or not? There are no widely accepted answers to these questions and therefore, the question is, who should be blamed? Should the so called twixters be blamed or the older and seemingly responsible people who should have set good precedence for the young people to follow?
According to Grossman (2005), “it appears to take young people longer to graduate from college, settle into careers and buy their first homes.” He proceeds to ask, “What are they waiting for?...And why can’t they grow up?” Healy, on the other hand, states that “60 percent of college graduates move home with mom and dad after graduation and the trend is on the rise.” The above statements and questions are worrying and shows that the problem is indeed bigger than how people are projecting it. Is it that the younger people are not serious with life or they simply need more time to get their lives under control? The above question sheds more light into the discussion because there are bright and young individuals who have their dreams and goals intact but are yet to step out into the real world. It would indeed not be wise to call these young men and women irresponsible because maybe some are not genuinely ready while others could be in the process of finding themselves. Both have valid reasons and while some people from the earlier generations would suggest that they ‘get their hands dirty’ or learn while on the craft, this may not have the best or the intended results. The business world has proven to be unforgiving and one may get their dreams crushed or even have traumatizing experiences while ‘getting their hands dirty.’ Being responsible does not necessarily mean that one has to have something to do but that they have their lives under control and understand what they need to do and the steps to get to where they need to go. I...