Speaking as a 23-year-old who graduated a year ago...
-Because we came out into a terrible economy our professional lives are naturally chaotic.
-Because we have little regard for the 'status quo,' the 'way things are done.' We've been told all our lives that nothing is 'normal'--we grew up thinking that attitude was normal to the extent of never questioning it. See: http://xkcd.com/150/
-Disregard similarly for vaguely Western assumptions. From the article: "Sociologists traditionally define the transition to adulthood as marked by five milestones." As someone else noted, leaving home isn't a global thing.
To put a bit of Angry Young Man spin on it, why should we be concerned with "growing up?" Why should we follow your (this is directed more at the NYT than at anyone here) roadmap? It's not like you did such a great job as far as we can see. (And I know that sentence has been said in some form throughout all of history.)
Since the article includes people throughout their 20s, such as 28-year-olds who "came out into" the boom economy of the mid-2000s, the first reason doesn't really ring true to me.
-Because we came out into a terrible economy our professional lives are naturally chaotic.
-Because we have little regard for the 'status quo,' the 'way things are done.' We've been told all our lives that nothing is 'normal'--we grew up thinking that attitude was normal to the extent of never questioning it. See: http://xkcd.com/150/
-Disregard similarly for vaguely Western assumptions. From the article: "Sociologists traditionally define the transition to adulthood as marked by five milestones." As someone else noted, leaving home isn't a global thing.
To put a bit of Angry Young Man spin on it, why should we be concerned with "growing up?" Why should we follow your (this is directed more at the NYT than at anyone here) roadmap? It's not like you did such a great job as far as we can see. (And I know that sentence has been said in some form throughout all of history.)