'Quarter-life crisis' label breeds culture of self-entitlement

That our young people can now afford to have a quarter-life crisis is proof that life is indeed good in Singapore (4 in 5 young adults experience quarter-life crisis, says study; May 17).

They would certainly be singing a different tune if they had to struggle to put food on the table and provide for their families.

It is perfectly natural every now and then, especially when we are young, to want to step back to take stock of our lives and recalibrate ourselves to find our bearings or just smell the roses. This has manifested in anything from job-hopping to taking a sabbatical.

However, to label it as some sort of life crisis might be overdoing it.

This sort of labelling breeds a culture of self-entitlement among our young people at a time when we should be encouraging them to be resilient, especially with economic challenges and disruption looming large both locally and globally.

Will those who signed up for scholarships after their A-level exams start breaking their bonds, and legitimise it by saying that they are having a quarter-life crisis and have discovered that they prefer pursuing their passions over fulfilling their obligations?

Our founding fathers and the pioneer generation did not have the luxury of having a quarter-life crisis because, for them, it was simple - they had to get busy living or get busy dying.

Woon Wee Min

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 21, 2018, with the headline 'Quarter-life crisis' label breeds culture of self-entitlement. Subscribe