In the article “The Go-Nowhere Generation,” the Buchholzes argue that the present generation of youths has taken a turn for the worse, losing the sense of spirit that were once synonymous with people of their age and settling for meager jobs in their hometowns instead. The target audience of “The Go-Nowhere Generation” is educated older adults and parents, who are most likely to share the authors’ views. The authors implement a series of comparisons, which include statistics and descriptions, between the past and present generation of young adults to illustrate their position. However, though the authors make several valid points that are supported by solid evidence, the article falls short of being truly convincing due to its narrow views and assumptions.
Statistics is a straightforward way to make a point, and the authors put it to good use in this article. They state that the “likelihood of 20-somethings” leaving their home state has “dropped well over 40 percent since the 1980s,” choosing instead to live at home. They even point out that bicycle sales have been following the same regression, linking this fact to their claim that young people are indeed “going nowhere.” They continue using data to prove the loss of vitality in young people, bringing up that the percentage of 18-year-olds getting their driver’s licenses—and thus gaining a newfound freedom—have fallen nearly 15% and suggesting that it is due to the increased use of the internet, which they claim delays the acquirement of driver’s licenses. They are building up a rather unpleasant picture of the modern young adult: he chooses to live at home, spends far too much time on the internet, and is resultantly limited in his opportunities. More important than the numbers the Buchholzes provide are where the numbers come from. The sources of these data are esteemed figures: economists at UCLA and Yale,