I expected a lot from adults. Now that I classify as one, I feel let down by my peers and myself on our social responsibility. Growing up in a working class house, I saw my parents work all the time to support the family. My parents would have friends over or help friends out, but never went on a weekend outing without the kids. It could be a cultural difference, but I think it's a changing value system between my parents' generation and my generation.
I grew up thinking that adults were always role models. I imagined adults continuously hungry for knowledge and leading the way for new ideas. I pictured adults helping others. Now, it seems like adults are big kids. Their personal problems aren't different from teenagers' problems, just more complex. Adults are driven by money and self-interest. This is the adult survival mode, and I understand that, but it is still disappointing.
I'm trying to understand why my friends still go out to drink and party. It seems that we could accomplish so much with our time other than planning out ugly sweater parties and party bus birthdays, but this is how I socialize with my friends. I admit that it is fun and everyone needs a break. Maybe it's time to steer these events in a different direction.
I've had these thoughts for years, but I convinced myself that this is how the youth of the 20-somethings capitalize their time.
My generation has to be doing something all the time. It could be worthless and meaningless, like tweeting, but we are constantly moving. We just need to dedicate more solitary time to think and reflect. We need to digest the important events in our life, instead of jumping from one event to another and not remembering what just happened.
