The Case Against The Lingering-Adolescent
How to fight a rising epidemic

With the end of child-labour came the concept of adolescence. Lately, I’ve been wondering about the existence of a new phase: the lingering-adolescence.
A lingering-adolescent is in their 20’s but still parent dependent. Struggling to find a job, they wait for the right opportunity. They neither work nor study. Society labels them lazy and unproductive.
The lingering-adolescent has spent early-life dulled by Facebook feeds, distracted by online chatter — a time of intellectual discovery now dedicated to nuisance. The end-product is an undecided brain inside an adult body, aimless, in oblivion, and wandering. Lost while holding a map.
It’s not their fault. The problem is deep within society, given their role in shaping youth.
The school system is a good example: engineered to favour the focused, the obedient, alienating the creative and the eccentric. Then, the ones who don’t fit, rebel and lose their interest. By the time they‘re 20 they still haven’t found themselves.
What the lingering-adolescent gained in education he lost in purpose. Their parents were bestowed purpose. It made them lead stable lives. Now their offspring lost it.
And these are the sorrows of a lingering-adolescent.
How can we fix it?
Adults who found their path cannot judge them harshly. Instead, they ought to help towards a purpose: show a lingering-adolescent your passion. It can be a favourite novel or a good movie. These small actions can trigger their path.
So they can see light. And light is always good. It leads to bigger dreams, not shallow hopes.
