DC Cookie: Quarter Life Crisis

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Quarter Life Crisis

We've been called 'Twixters,' and spent a lot of time analyzing how it's 'different' for us in this generation than it was for our parents. I have read several essays on the subject, including a few blog posts. Since I'm in training for the next few days, and won't have time to write, I figured I'd leave it up to your imagination to feed the content here.

I have some friends who are compiling thoughts on the topic to put together a book. Honestly, it could be really good. Check out this link and if you find the concept fascinating, get in touch with them. Even within the DC blogosphere we could provide them with a TON of fascinating content.

13 Comments:

At September 28, 2005 9:02 AM, Johnny said…

Twixters need consensus and immediate feedback?

Consensus?
Feedback?
At September 28, 2005 9:29 AM, Asian Mistress said…

There are tons of books out there now that address this issue...really I think it all boils down to we have a lot more choices (maybe) than our parents had...and we're constantly plagued with the question of "am I living it right?" (to quote John Mayer)

Interested to see what you come up with Cookie! I've posted here and there about similar topics...so if you need any insight then you know where to find me. Haha. :)
At September 28, 2005 9:32 AM, Anonymous said…

How was your quarterlife crisis, Cookie? Mine's going pretty well, I can't wait for the real thing- mid-life. Will you update all us youngsters when you eventually get there?
At September 28, 2005 10:47 AM, Anonymous said…

AM, nailed it with the JOhn Mayer verse, "Am I living it right?"
That question seems to plague our generation. With so many options and the world constantly changing I think we question ourselves more than previous generations. At the same time, although we are encouraged to be diverse and open-minded...failure seems to be a foreign word.
Our generation does not like to fail...we are over-achievers.
At September 28, 2005 10:49 AM, Anonymous said…

There may be tons of books on the topic in the "How TO" genre. However, from reading the content on the site I gather that this project aims to dive deep into the minds of twentysomethings via thier written expressions. I am certainly excited about it. It seems like a chance for someone like me who is a non-writer with lots of thoughts and ideas, to challenge myself and put some of them on paper. Cookie your friends or whomever are on the right page. Wish them luck.
At September 28, 2005 10:59 AM, Anonymous said…

There have been interesting studies done on that "not fail" generation thing, Chase. High school and college youth today apparently receive praise for mediocre efforts, then go forth into the world expecting praise for every performance/act, and "surprise"...it's not forthcoming. The Washington Post did a big article on this subject not that long ago and wrote about how college students entering the work force want immediate results and want to go straight to the top without delay. The implication was in the article that they were hitting walls when their desires weren't met. I think I had my first mid-life crisis at five, and I'm still working on it. It's called "living."
At September 28, 2005 12:22 PM, Phil said…

I thought this was going to be on "Twizzlers".

Oh well.

I am trying to talk Tac into purchasing a 1977-78 Pontiac Trans Am. Tac is in his early 30s. Does this constitute 'quarter-life crisis'?
At September 28, 2005 12:38 PM, Anonymous said…

Maybe they don't mean crisis in true respenct of the word. Living can be a crisis for some. In some places, people are displaced, refugees living in a poor village. For them life is tough. However, everyone around them is the same.We may look at it and say that's a crisis. To them it's living. So living can be a crisis. We shouldn't belittle the quarterlife crisis and just call it life. I think it's much more than college kids entering the workplace. It's women facing the challenges of balancing work and love and family life. It's the stress of buying the first house. It's the stress of car shopping. It can be even the young bachelor growing up and realizing he is ready to settle down, yet has no clue how to do it. Interesting topic.
At September 28, 2005 12:52 PM, Anonymous said…

My interpretation of the quarter-life crisis has always been the sense of disappointment once you reach 23-27. You're done with college grad school, you've started your career, and you've realized that everything you've been working towards your entire life kinda sucks. Work sucks. The world is fucked up. Our leaders are making it worse. We're still in lowly positions so we have no real power to effect change.

The fact is, work is hard, relationships are hard, and you begin to question just how fulfilling your life is. Sure, you can get married, have a baby, get a dog, run a marathon. But is any of this stuff making us happy. A smoke and glass of wine: that's what make me happy.
At September 28, 2005 3:54 PM, The Senator said…

Wait. Seenster is only 22. That is funny.
At September 29, 2005 1:01 PM, Anonymous said…

CHIP read the reviews for this book. It failed to capture a diverse audience. The goal here is to capture those from different demoraphics. I read this book and it seems to fall short of that.
At September 29, 2005 3:31 PM, The Senator said…

This book was written by my Criminal Law professor's daughter. Great class. I'm happy to see she got "her" idea published first. I think many people had this idea...
At October 04, 2005 12:04 PM, Adam said…

RCR...you nailed it. Reminds me of a passage from Quitting the Paint Factory:

"It is this willingness to hand over our lives that fascinates and appalls me....You must hand over the rainy afternoons, the light on the grass, the moments of play and of simply being. You must give it up, all of it, and by your example teach your children to do the same, and then – because even this is not enough – you must train yourself to believe that this outsourcing of your life is both natural and good.

The young (the Twixters) for a time, know better. They balk at the harness. They do not go easy. For a time they are able to see the utter sadness of subordinating all that matters to all that doesn't. Eventually, of course, sitting in their cubicle lined with New Yorker cartoons, selling whatever it is they've been asked to sell, most come to see the advantage of enthusiasm."

More of my thoughts on the QLC.