|
Kidults first ambushed me last summer—figuratively, that is. We were pitched a piece on “kidulting”: adults paying for experiences that permit them to act like children in venues called things like Dopamine Land and Bubble Planet. It was a light summer piece, the sort that make you smile but also mull weightier concepts, such as how young adults find it harder to achieve the traditional benchmarks of adulthood. That is why some crave a nostalgic, Instagrammable way to unwind.
Fast-forward to this summer, and I was sorting through the towering piles of books sent to The Economist for review, one of my rituals whenever I am in London. “Infantilised: How Our Culture Killed Adulthood” caught my eye. Keith Hayward, who teaches at the University of Copenhagen, was making the argument that kidulting is not just a lark that 20-somethings indulge in on the occasional weekend. It is, he argued, a cultural phenomenon—and a worrisome one.
I gave a copy of the book to Robert Guest, who, in addition to being The Economist’s deputy editor, often writes fun and funny takes on big ideas for Culture. His piece
is a romp. What I was not expecting is how much Robert would come to the defence of maligned young adults. Knowing a lot of millennials and some Gen Zers who have delayed adulthood by accruing many years of advanced degrees to put off “real life”, or who think partying in fancy dress in a desert counts as grown-up networking (sorry, Burners), I was inclined to be sympathetic to Mr Hayward’s case. But Robert makes a convincing argument that those who bemoan kidulting are being a bit too grumpy, and that there’s something welcome to Western culture’s embrace of the adage “I don’t want to grow up.”
Whatever side you come down on, kidulting is not only a cultural force, but a commercial one. Around a quarter of toy sales in America are now attributable to “kidults”, who are the biggest source of growth for the industry.
Thank you for reading Plot Twist. What other pastimes are an unexpected window on the young (or old)? Please write to us at plottwist@economist.com. Thanks to those who shared their thoughts on reality TV. Bill Lutz takes issue with the terminology: “Every show is rigorously edited. In the real world there is no script, no editing, no retakes, no preferred camera angles, and no sound track with background music and enhanced special sounds.” Eduardo Guevara
says that “reality TV could be a force for good and be a vehicle for entertainment. However, in Mexico, it is a source of distraction from more (in my opinion) relevant news and events.”
Elsewhere in The Economist this week: | | |
Editor’s picks
Must-reads this week | | |
The Economist recommends
What to read, see and listen to | | |
|
-
What to see: Connor Burns. This Scottish stand-up, touted as an exciting new talent on the comedy circuit, deserves the hype. In his new show, “1994” (which he will soon be taking on tour across Britain), he reflects on a range of subjects, from changing generational tastes in music to wasting hope on the national football team to the anxiety-inducing experience of proposing to his girlfriend. He is an assured storyteller and performer and he keeps the laughs coming—which is welcome at a time when many stand-ups seem to focus on rumination rather than mirth.
-
What to see: “The Real Thing” at the Old Vic theatre in London. The play has won plaudits since its debut in 1982, taking Best Play at the Tony awards in 1984 and Best Revival in 2000. Now James McArdle will star as Henry, the too-clever-by-half playwright at the marital drama’s centre, and Bel Powley will play Annie, his lover and an idealistic younger actress. “The Real Thing”—a tale of romance, deceit, storytelling and performance—is seen as Sir Tom Stoppard’s most autobiographical work. It may not be his finest, but it is a reminder of the playwright’s skill in dramatising the tragicomedy of life.
-
What to read: “Circle of Hope” by Eliza Griswold. The Pulitzer-prizewinning journalist (and wife of The Economist’s visiting senior editor) first encountered Circle of Hope in 2019. The radical outpost of evangelicals was trying to reclaim moral authority from the Christian right by following Jesus differently. They preached Christ’s socialist teachings, renounced wealth, set up in poor, violent areas and established food banks. Ms Griswold immersed herself in the Circle as a means of understanding the radical evangelical movement. She ended up chronicling the church’s demise, and pointing to a
broader trend in religion in America.
| | |
|
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This email has been sent to:
account@kait.dev. If you'd like to update your details please
click here. Replies to this email will not reach us. If you don't want to receive these updates anymore, please unsubscribe
here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright © The Economist Newspaper Limited 2024. All rights reserved.
|
|
Registered in England and Wales.
No.236383
Registered office: The Adelphi, 1–11 John Adam Street, London,
WC2N 6HT
|
|
|
