Thanks GGG for your examples - good for them and you! I know we all generalize and look at the 'norm' when these kinds of questions arise. I appreciate Aimee's disclaimer about 'generalizations'
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While I have been exposed to the 20sh profiles mentioned earlier, and agree that's fair to say there are some like that. However, I have also been fortunate to meet some very responsible, compassionate and independent 20 year olds. Just tonight I was with three social service outreach workers, two females and one male, dedicated to helping homeless teens - making peanuts, but doing it because they cared and wanted to be part of a system that was proactive rather than reactive and built aroud blame and punishment. I admire them for their courage to face the pain they see, the strength to build boundaries and the hope that maybe a fraction of their clients will survive to be middle-aged.
The question here should really be - 'what kind of society, parental development and educational system produces these generalized 20 year olds?'..they aren't this way for NO FRIGGIN REASON! And, I see lots of 50-60 year olds with the same narcissistic qualitites. I'm not denying that we have a problem, just would like to see some constructivity. Was it Mandella that said, 'be the change you want to see?' Why can't this wealthy, educated nation nurture children to be 20 year olds filled with integrity?! We can produce lots of sophisticated weapons and high tech media devices...but, when it comes to developing healthy, vital, whole self-realized compassionate humans - I guess we are blind to the long-term investment!