Exploring Presumptions on

the Odyssey Years

Happiness for Gen X and the Millenials

Gabi Linares
12/7/2012
Honors CLQ: The Ethical Brain


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There used to be four life phases childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. Now there
are at least six childhood, adolescence, odyssey, adulthood, active retirement, and old age
(Brooks, Social Animal 190).
In a section of David Brooks book, The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love,
Character and Achievement, he introduces and describes a new life phase termed the odyssey
years. Re-examining a new period in the modern lives of younger generations first studied by a
small number of social researchers, Brooks describes this decade of wandering that occurs
between adolescence and adulthood (Brooks, Social Animal 190). First explored in an article
in the New York Times by Brooks in 2007, he explains an odyssey period in which young
people in their early twenties through early thirties are taking time to explore their options in
education, career choice, and romantic partners (Brooks, Odyssey).
Although previously examined by other researchers, it was Brooks article and his echoed
exploration in The Social Animal, which gained mainstream awareness, sparking commentary
from all generations. Whether or not intended by Brooks, his examination of this new phase in
the lives of young adults, generated assumptions about the past, present, and future state of the
X-generation and those to come. These assumptions encompass general ideas about who is able
to participate in this exploration phase, why they are taking on the new norms Brooks observed
(the reasons one would take on the odyssey years), and how the shift affects the participants
overall well-being. This paper will explore these assumptions within the context of social ethics
and the implications for general happiness as described in Sissela Boks Exploring Happiness:
From Aristotle to Brain Science.
There are two main assumptions about which people have the opportunity to participate
in the odyssey years. Though it is unclear if Brooks agrees entirely with the first assumption,
others seem to suggest that the odyssey years are being exercised by a majority, if not all
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Generation X-ers and Millennials. According to Brooks and other researchers, part of the
odyssey years is spent in and out education and jobs, with very little commitment to either
(Brooks, Social Animal 190-192). Doing so could be very costly. Nevertheless some believe
that these younger generations can afford to explore, Between the ages of eighteen and thirty-
four, the average American receives $38,000 subsidies from Mom and Dad" (Brooks, Social
Animal, 192). Statements like these give the impression that the ability to borrow money from
ones parents is a sign of wealth, overlooking factors that may be telling the opposite. For
instance, the current economy is leaving fewer jobs for those already entered into the workforce,
and even fewer jobs for those barely graduating. As noted in a reply-letter to Brooks article by a
professor of Psychology at Temple University,
For young people from the upper-middle class, whose parents can afford to bankroll them
while they experiment with careers, relationships and identities, the period between
adolescence and adulthood may in fact be an odysseyBut research shows that this trend
is far from universal Recent empirical analyses indicate that about 40 percent of
American young people follow this pattern. Poor inner-city and rural youth, as well as
young people who live in the so-called red states, are far less likely than their advantaged,
suburban and blue-state counterparts to delay the transition into conventional work and
family roles, both because they choose not to and because they simply can't afford to
(Finding).

Within Brooks book the narrator follows two characters, one who takes part in the
odyssey years and one who does not. Harold, a upper-middle class, East Coast graduate in his
early twenties, joins in almost every aspect of the odyssey years Alternatively, Erica who is
lower-middle class, does not participate in this period. Though Ericas background is a constant
theme throughout the book, the other emphasis on her type-A and independent personality may
lead others to overlook the socio-economic factors which do not allow her to participate. There
seems to be a widespread generalization within this topic discussion that most, if not all, younger
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generations are taking advantage of this new life phase and the few who do not participate
are simply choosing not to because of personal preference. The result is a complete lack of
recognition for those who would otherwise appreciate a journey-period, but have other
responsibilities demanding their attentions and efforts, like Erica.
Another assumption made about those participating in the odyssey years is the level of
responsibility and general life awareness held by those who do choose to hold off on the
traditional norms of post-graduate life. Some believe that younger generations are simply
refusing to acknowledge the responsibilities that come with being adults, [young people] want
the security and stability adulthood brings, but they don't want to settle into a daily grind (qtd.
in Brooks, Social Animal 191). However, by simply inserting odyssey years into a standard
Google search engine, a growing number of sites appear with reference to this new life phase
that are designed to help people prepare for the workforce. Young adults are portrayed as non-
committal, citing drops in marriage rates and high workforce turnover (Goudreau). On the
contrary, many young adults are recognizing the responsibilities of adulthood to such a degree
that they would rather put off taking care of family life until they can adequately do so, when
you were secure and could afford a wedding, you got married (Brooks, Social Animal 191).
The responsibility factor is there, so much so, that young people are recognizing the pressures of
being economically stable and are willing to sacrifice personal aspirations until they are stable.
Nevertheless, this logic of irresponsibility extends to some of the assumed reasons for
participating in the odyssey years.
Despite a fairly thorough description of some of the factors that contribute to the
odyssey years by Brooks, both in his book and his news article, others continue to justify the
new life phase with simple assumptions on the state of mind of the Gen-Xers and Millenials.
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Robert Wunthow is quoted in Brooks discussing how young students today take longer to
graduate, The average college graduate in 2000 took 20 percent longer to earn a degree than the
average student in 1970 (Brooks, Social Animal 191). He however fails to acknowledge the
increasingly high costs of attending college and the decreased number of classes that would
otherwise make it easier for a student to graduate sooner. Jenna Goudreau, however, explains the
economic factors that can contribute to an almost forced exploration period, They are the 20-
somethings that graduated into one of the worst economies in decades, saddled with some of the
highest debt burdensThose who are working earn less than their 1970s counterparts, when
adjusted for inflation. Her research then explains that some young people are inadvertently told,
whether by others or the overall prevailing circumstances of their economic situation, to wait it
out (Gourdreau). Goudreau does see this as a growing problem however, and warns that young
people should not willingly avoid preparation into the workforce and should not stop trying, at
risk of falling behind. Brooks also understands that The odyssey years are not about slacking
off and this new life phase comes with its own pressures. Therefore it would be important to
acknowledge that what make look like a wandering stage is more so a getting situated stage
in which young people are attempting to be better prepared for adulthood. Though some young
people may be voluntarily wandering, others are accepting and trying to work within, a new
economic environment not seen by their 1970s counterparts.
Brooks also cites other reasons for the emerging odyssey years: increased lifespan,
increased number of career options, a more segmented society, and more educated women who
no longer need to depend on marriage to fulfill a stable life (Brooks, Social Animal 190-191).
Yet, he also claims that young people are more ambivalent to adulthood and its
accomplishments (Brooks, Social Animal 190-192).
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Brooks does point to assumed side-effects of the odyssey years, explaining that this
new life phase is adulthood without its accomplishments. According to Brooks, Adulthood
can be defined by four accomplishments: moving from home, getting married, starting a family,
and becoming financially independent (Brooks, Social Animal 190) While most would agree
that moving from home and becoming financially independent are signs of becoming fully
responsible for oneself, adding marriage and family assumes that such decisions are in the cards
for everyone. Brooks notes that some young people are delaying marriage and starting families
until they are more secure, but does not believe complete abstention can make anyone truly
happy. In an interview with Charlie Rose, Brooks explains that young people now have a choice
between an On the Road-lifestyle and an Its a Wonderful Life-lifestyle, the latter including
settling down within a marriage and family. Brooks sees the decreased number of marriages and
families as non-committal and against his research, which shows that long-term relationships
with others contribute to happiness. However, his research and the general theme of his book
only determine committed relationships, in general, as the key to happiness (Brooks, Social
Animal; Odyssey; Rose) Strong long-lasting relationships among romantic couples, and even
friends can fulfill the standards of long-term relationships Brooks finds as the surest path to
happiness.
In Sissela Boks Exploring Happiness, she also points to evidence that a defining key to
happiness is social relationships, whether with marital partners, family or friends. She regards
the need to have significant social relationships as requirement for happiness, but does not hold
marriage and starting a family as the only ways of fulfilling those relationships (Bok 103). Boks
evidence for this is simply that those who describe a state of unhappiness also describe being
lonely, referencing the authors of Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection
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(124). Charlie Rose also questions Brooks on whether, connections in general make people
happy, to which Brooks answers yes and the only caveat being that those connections are not
superficial (Rose).
The agreed conclusion: human nature strives for social connections. The odyssey years
do not neglect connections, however. In an era in which people are becoming more engaged,
tolerant and globally aware, the connections are more about connecting with others outside of the
traditional relationship labels (Dalton; Bok). It is again seen when Bok questions whether or not
studies are showing that marriage is causing happiness, or rather that people are getting married
because they are particularly happy with the connection made with another person (103). Though
Brooks may disagree, others of the younger generations would point to the later.
Based on the description of the odyssey years written by David Brooks, both in The
Social Animal and his New York Times article, there have generated many assumptions about
the genreations supposedly participating in this new life phase. First, it assumed that most, if
not all, Generation-Xers and Millenials have the opportunity to take advantage of this explorative
phase. However socio-economic statuses may prevent many from doing so. Second, it is also
assumed that those who are participating are doing so based on an ambivalence to adulthood.
However, the pressures of adulthood are being realized by young people to such an extent, that
they would rather stabilize themselves before taking on responsibilities that are harder during
these tough economic times. For instance, many are putting of marriage and having kids at the
risk of being unprepared to provide adequately for their families. Third, it assumed that because
young people are putting off experiences like marriage and having kids, that they are missing out
on the accomplishments of adulthood. However, over the last several years committed
relationships are not reserved for married couples, and family does not always mean the same
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as it did only decades ago. Redefining the types of relationships that can make someone just as
happy as traditionally believed, arguably, has actually enriched the lives of young people
nowadays. Only by widening the definitions of happiness, as Sissela Bok has in her book, then
can we clarify these generalizations and assumptions.

































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Works Cited

Baxter, Sarah , Washington. "The odyssey generation just won't grow up." The Sunday Times,.
Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
Bok, S. Exploring Happiness, from Aristotle to Brain Science. New Haven: Yale University
Press, 2011. Print.
Brooks, David. "The Odyssey Years." New York Times 09 Oct. 2007: 31. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 20 Nov. 2012
Brooks, David. The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement.
New York: Random House, 2012. Print.
Dalton, Russel J. The Good Citizen: How a Younger Generation is Reshaping American Politics.
Revised 1
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ed. Cq. Press, 2008. Print.
Goudreau, Jenna. "Why We Need To Take 20-Somethings Seriously." Forbes.Com (2012): 56.
Business Source Complete. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
"The 'I'm Just Finding Myself' Decade." New York Times, 11 Oct. 2007: 30. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
An odyssey toward meaning." National Catholic Reporter 28 Dec. 2007: 24
Academic Source. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
Rose, Charlie. "Interview With Author David Brooks." Charlie Rose Show (MSNBC): Academic
Search Complete. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.