FIVE WAYS WE RUINED THE OCCUPY WALL STREET GENERATION. Most of ’em aren’t ruined, of course. They’re out working, or looking for jobs, or doing things other than squatting in tents somewhere. That’s how it was in the ’60s, too, actually, despite the media portrayals.

But here’s an excerpt: “We’ve extended the awkward teenage years into the mid to late 20s. Now, I would not be apologizing for this if it was just the result of social and economic factors outside our control. But the problem is that we made a hero of that person. Think Kelso in That ’70s Show, or Joey from Friends. My generation aspired to be that guy, the kid in a grownup body with simple, childish appetites and aspirations. I was that guy for years — a dude can get very popular doing that. But let me tell you from experience, the longer you put off adulthood, the harder the transition is.”

UPDATE: Reader Troy Hinrichs emails:

I agree wholeheartedly that this generation isn’t ruined. I’m a professor at a small liberal arts university and every time I make a snide remark about OWS in class — which is quite often — I get a lot of nodding heads and laughs (when the comments are funny). This generation is willing to work hard often and values authenticity even if they don’t always know what that means.

I also agree with Dr. VDH that this group is worried — and rightly so — about debt and the long term cost. They’re also very skeptical of institutions. I’ve been a professor for 13 years now and I’ve never heard so many students utter the word “retirement” in relation to their own futures — and not in a good way. The Penn State issue (along with any NCAA problems of decidedly lesser evil) also highlights the larger problem with institutions of higher education — insulation and isolation from normal people — including most of the students who attend college.

Indeed.