Thirtysomethings Just As Delusional as Twentysomethings

But in a new poll released by Clark, among the 655 thirtysomethings who were asked whether they agree with the statement, “I’m confident that eventually I will get what I want out of life,” a startling 87 percent said yes. More than three quarters said they still feel like “anything is possible.”

This from NYMag’s Science of Us blog, “The Unshakeable Optimism of Thirtysomethings.” I think if anything it’s the unshakeable optimism of human people, who want to feel like anything is possible for long as is possible. When do we lose that? I hope not any time soon, but if you have, please let us know in the comments.

I read this and felt buoyed by it. It’s such a nice day out! Summer turning into fall! I am 30 and anything is possible! Then I hit the next paragraph:

Arnett told me that their optimism is amazing and admirable, but it’s also completely unrealistic. He’s not sure where it comes from. It’s not because life has worked out well for them so far. Fifty-six percent of respondents (born between 1975 and 1984 — roughly the first wave of Millennials, with some overlap of late-cresting Gen X) said they haven’t gotten as far in their careers as they’d have hoped to by now. Seventeen percent said they are not in a relationship now but would like to be. Yet Arnett’s impression is that most of the thirtysomethings he polled still believe there’s a perfect job, and a perfect soul mate, out there somewhere.

Arnett seems to believe we should all just give up. The piece also mentions that “only 77 percent of the thirtysomethings said they feel like adults “all the time,”” which seems high to me. What does adult even mean? What a stupid construct to feel like all the time. Who are these people? Do they not sometimes assume the fetal position and call out for their mothers?

How are you guys feeling today? Feeling like you will eventually get what you want out of life? I personally am feeling like at the very least I will manage my expectations accordingly, as the possibilities for my life narrow.

Speaking of narrowing, I am sending my birth story out via a newsletter today, if you care about that sort of thing. It has nothing to do with money, except in the sense that everything has something to do with money.

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