|TITLE| "On The Frontier of Adulthood: Theory, Research, and Public Policy." By Frank F. Furstenberg, Ruben G. Rumbaut, Richard A. Settersten. Chicago University of Chicago Press. 2008, 608 pages (soft cover)
In this, our time of proposed and needed change, more specifically in and during our National Presidential election year. It is empowering to note the stated goals of this text are listed as being focused on, "Theory, Research, and Public Policy." Change, our change as a culture, as a nation, as a people, may well be the raison d'etre of this text. All who serve, as responsible members of our society need this inexpensive, well-referenced thoroughly researched treatise that presents one-of-a kind perspectives on who we - as a culture - are, where we - as a culture - have been and where we -as a culture - are going.
Our most fundamental cultural myths are challenged. For example, we learn that in all reasonable probability, more likely than not, that our so-called good old days probably never existed, except perhaps in our collective wishful memories.
Detailed, statistically significant charts, and graphs do appear to validate the reasonable opinions and reasonable conclusions of the authors so that there can be no doubt as to the veracity and validity of the conclusions and statements of the authors.
So very many questions are both asked and then answered. Is marriage necessary? Is family necessary? Is community service necessary? Is religious affiliation necessary? Are all of these truly necessary for our reasonably healthy role-transitions to adulthood? If so, then, the authors conclude that the absence of marriage, work, family, community service, and religious affiliation represents an inability to complete a healthy role-transition to adulthood.
Above all, this text provides a fair, balanced, all-inclusive perspective. Nothing is awkward. Nothing is sacred. Nothing is left out. For example we all may well know contemporary couples that do marry and in so doing take the equivalent of a marriage vow. Nevertheless just as these couples usually do not check out their respective Rh-Factor compatibility and/or incompatibility prior to marriage these couples do not, generally, address their issue of considering the feasibility of their becoming parents. One member of the marital couple; i.e. one spouse, may well wish to become a parent while the other does not, particularly, wish to become a parent. Worse still-one spouse may well have a profound aversion to becoming a parent. This issue as well as related issues is addressed in this text and well supported by thoughtfully selected references.
. Age 18 years is currently defined as the legal, virtually magic age in our United States at which children, {age-out}, (the term was new to me although the basic principle was one with which I am reasonably familiar); These teenagers, with or without special needs are now newly- minted, newly -defined-by-law as adult children. Suddenly, they supposed to exit foster care or to leave our juvenile justice system without any particular plan for where they will go, for what they will do, for who will provide for their needs and/or for how they will they themselves provide for their own needs.
This paragraph raises an interesting point, i.e. affordability of health insurance for young people with pre-existing conditions previously supported by their parents We all know that more and more of our special needs children afflicted with developmental disabilities, conditions and disorders are reaching the age of 18 years and beyond including but not limited to our children with somewhat reduced intellectual functioning disorders, our children with congenital cardiovascular disorders, our autistic children, and our children afflicted with cystic fibrosis; all of these and more probably cannot usually obtain affordable health insurance. Further our afflicted youngsters - when they are now newly defined-by-law as our newly minted adults - may not be covered under the health insurance plans of their families-of-origin. The authors appropriately wonder what the future holds. .
. Needed change, necessary change may well be the basis of this text. What needs to change? Perhaps the answer is our cultural paradigm needs to shift. Perhaps we, as a nation, as a culture need to consider the task, our task, admittedly a challenge, of endeavoring to ask the hard questions, and providing the needed, necessary taxing responses in order to serve the needs of all of our culturally diverse membership and culturally diverse fellowship. This cannot be easy. This will only begin because our collective hearts call us to begin this job; that will be, necessarily, the work of our lifetime; and perhaps may well be the work of several lifetimes. That is the reason d'etre of the value of this text to our children, our grandchildren and us...and to generations beyond!
The value of this text to present and future generations is immense. I plan to keep my copy handy on my desk for re-reading and for teaching students.
Respectfully submitted by Josh Grossman, Colonel {r}, U.S. Army Medical Corps, M.D., F.A.C.P.
drjosh@embarqmail.com
