I watched a YouTube video the other day that brought up (almost as a side note) how many of the rising generation (the Millennials shall I say) prefer not to grow up. They even use the term "adulting" to discuss how hard "real life" things like insurance and having a full time job are. I have been guilty of this myself.
This made me start thinking about how in the past and/or other cultures have dramatic and significant coming of age rituals/customs/etc that often involved a change of dress or other physical appearance (short dresses to long dresses, braids to free hair and/or buns, tattoos, etc), and actions of independence (prestige hunting, overnight camping alone, earning money outside the home, courting etc.).
Now however, it seems like most rituals that involved change of dress and appearance have entirely disappeared from our Western culture. And the rituals involving independence have been assimilated into the benefits of teenage years without the responsibility. For example teenagers date and have jobs but the jobs are predominately to pay for things like recreation and their own car not for the support of their family or themselves and dating is not generally with the view of marriage (at least anytime soon... not that that is a bad thing but that used to be the only time you courted).
I wonder if this lack of ritual change from childhood to adulthood that makes the transition to adulthood so undiscernible has lead to the increased attitude that adulting is just hard and not something that is desirable...
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