--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wealthy societies, for reasons largely…" description: "\"“Wealthy societies, for reasons largely well-intentioned but now producing unintended consequences, are making it easier for their teens to avoid the r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/ben-sasse-4268_identity_wealthy-societies-for-reasons-largely-we_353895.jpg" --- # Wealthy societies, for reasons largely well-intentioned… ![“Wealthy societies, for reasons largely well-intentioned but now producing unintended consequences, are making it easier for their teens to avoid the rigors and responsibilities of becoming a grown-up. Arnett calls those years the “self-focused age,” when there are few real responsibilities, few…” quote by Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/ben-sasse-4268_identity_wealthy-societies-for-reasons-largely-we_353895.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/ben-sasse-4268_identity_wealthy-societies-for-reasons-largely-we_353895.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/ben-sasse-4268_identity_wealthy-societies-for-reasons-largely-we_353895.jpg) > ““Wealthy societies, for reasons largely well-intentioned but now producing unintended consequences, are making it easier for their teens to avoid the rigors and responsibilities of becoming a grown-up. Arnett calls those years the “self-focused age,” when there are few real responsibilities, few “daily obligations,” limited “commitments to others.” In a stage when young people were once supposed to learn to “stand alone as a self-sufficient person,” they find themselves increasingly paralyzed by over-choice. There are nearly unlimited personal-social options yet too few concrete work-related accomplishments. A”” [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern affluent societies often shield teens from real responsibilities, leading to a self‑focused, indecisive stage with many choices but few achievements. **In simple terms:** Teens lack real duties, causing indecision. Key Takeaway Encourage real responsibilities for teens. Themes responsibility independence choice overload development societal impact Mood concerned reflective optimistic Type advice observational critical When to use this quote - parental guidance - school curricula - community service - career internships - mentorship programs Key Concepts self‑focused age over‑choice paralysis social options work achievements Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance choice with accountability? - What real duties can teens take on now? A Different Perspective Too many options can still overwhelm without guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Unintended consequences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unintended-consequences/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/) ## Related quotes > [“In fact, if you're not prepared to die when you're almost sixty, then I would say you've been falling down on your philosophical responsibilities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/in-fact-if-you-re-not-prepared-to-die-when-you-re-almost-sixty-then-i/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [“In a review of more than two hundred studies, researchers concluded that the more self-focused we are, the more anxious—and also the more depressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-cuddy/in-a-review-of-more-than-two-hundred-studies-researchers-concluded/) [Amy Cuddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-cuddy/) > [I admit that when I first entered the league I didn't fully understand the enormity of the situation. It's easy to stay self-focused, doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-cunningham/i-admit-that-when-i-first-entered-the-league-i-didn-t-fully/) [Randall Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-cunningham/) > [And there are so many people in the third world suffering so horribly right now, and we are so focused on ourselves and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/and-there-are-so-many-people-in-the-third-world-suffering-so-horribly/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [“I encourage you to try the “so what” test. Listen to another salesperson on the phone attempting to earn an appointment with a tough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-weinberg/i-encourage-you-to-try-the-so-what-test-listen-to-another-salesperson/) [Mike Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-weinberg/) > [“A good improviser is someone who is awake, not entirely self-focused, and moved by a desire to do something useful and give something back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-ryan-madson/a-good-improviser-is-someone-who-is-awake-not-entirely-self-focused/) [Patricia Ryan Madson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-ryan-madson/) > [I kept trying to write music that felt like I was asking myself questions. It sounds kind of selfish or self-focused, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-kahan/i-kept-trying-to-write-music-that-felt-like-i-was-asking-myself/) [Noah Kahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-kahan/) > [Healthy striving is self-focused: "How can I improve", Perfectionism is other-focused:"What will they think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/healthy-striving-is-self-focused-how-can-i-improve-perfectionism-is/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“Being others-focused instead of self-focused changes your worldview. Living in a selfless manner and seeking to help others enriches our very existence on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-anthony-smith/being-others-focused-instead-of-self-focused-changes-your-worldview/) [Miles Anthony Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-anthony-smith/) > [“The whole world is now one vast uncontrolled experiment - the way it always was, Crake would have said - and the doctrine of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-whole-world-is-now-one-vast-uncontrolled-experiment-the-way-it/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The A.M.T. is much reviled by tax experts across the political spectrum for its unintended consequences and fiendish complexity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-b-stewart/the-a-m-t-is-much-reviled-by-tax-experts-across-the-political/) [James B. Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-b-stewart/) > [If we continue to ignore the unintended consequences of our decisions, we will continue to face adverse consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/if-we-continue-to-ignore-the-unintended-consequences-of-our-decisions/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [It is not enough to simply dismiss policy, because it's too complicated or we're scared about what the unintended consequences might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-wu/it-is-not-enough-to-simply-dismiss-policy-because-it-s-too/) [Michelle Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-wu/) > [Most of us tend to be swayed by what we read. Judges are not superhuman. They, too, are mortals. This is why they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-sibal/most-of-us-tend-to-be-swayed-by-what-we-read-judges-are-not/) [Kapil Sibal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-sibal/) > [As a teenager, my dad taught me about the idea of unintended consequences, and I've had the experience, and how to deal with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-feld/as-a-teenager-my-dad-taught-me-about-the-idea-of-unintended/) [Brad Feld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-feld/) ## More by Ben Sasse > [“If a free people is going to be reproduced, it will require watering and revivifying and owning anew older traditions and awaking the curiosity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/if-a-free-people-is-going-to-be-reproduced-it-will-require-watering/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [The nature and scope of security threats in the cyber era are four-dimensional compared to the early nuclear age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/the-nature-and-scope-of-security-threats-in-the-cyber-era-are-four/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [We lack an educated, resilient citizenry capable of navigating the increasing complexities of daily life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/we-lack-an-educated-resilient-citizenry-capable-of-navigating-the/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [Politics matter, but politics can't come first. If politics come first in your life, something is wrong with you. It's a sad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/politics-matter-but-politics-can-t-come-first-if-politics-come-first/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [Government never adapts quickly to new challenges, but our slow-footedness on cyber is unparalleled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/government-never-adapts-quickly-to-new-challenges-but-our-slow/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [“At one level, happiness is an equation that has "needs met" as the numerator and "presumed total needs" as the denominator. One way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/at-one-level-happiness-is-an-equation-that-has-needs-met-as-the/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [Modern technology gives us surprising glimpses into human development. It helps us plan for and celebrate new life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/modern-technology-gives-us-surprising-glimpses-into-human-development/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [An institution of higher education is a partnership among students and alumni, faculty and administrators, donors and trustees, neighborhoods and more, to build a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/an-institution-of-higher-education-is-a-partnership-among-students/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [“I'm a conservative but not because I care very much about the marginal tax rates of the richest Americans, rather I'm a market-oriented localist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/i-m-a-conservative-but-not-because-i-care-very-much-about-the/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [Since arriving in Washington in January 2015, I have pushed for a strategic framework that clearly articulates how we'll tackle threats in cyberspace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/since-arriving-in-washington-in-january-2015-i-have-pushed-for-a/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [If you're not ten minutes early where I'm from, my dad chews you out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/if-you-re-not-ten-minutes-early-where-i-m-from-my-dad-chews-you-out/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [Look at trade and automation: two competing but slightly overlapping forces in the shrinking of the duration of jobs right now. We have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/look-at-trade-and-automation-two-competing-but-slightly-overlapping/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [Members of the Supreme Court have lifetime tenures because they're not supposed to do politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/members-of-the-supreme-court-have-lifetime-tenures-because-they-re/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [From the first-year students' fall orientation to the board's annual budget-approval meeting, everything a healthy college does requires a shared sense of mission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/from-the-first-year-students-fall-orientation-to-the-board-s-annual/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [A family's desire to be able to keep its health insurance when changing jobs or geography (a problem that Obamacare doesn't make any better,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/a-family-s-desire-to-be-able-to-keep-its-health-insurance-when/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) [Explore all 113 Ben Sasse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) ## More Identity quotes > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [You have expressive nationalism, I mean very identity driven, which shaped each other a lot of that in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/you-have-expressive-nationalism-i-mean-very-identity-driven-which/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think everybody, or the great majority of human beings, have this aspiration to become other: to live a different identity, at least for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-think-everybody-or-the-great-majority-of-human-beings-have-this/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/) [S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/) > [Tell me how much a nation knows about its own language, and I will tell you how much that nation knows about its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ciardi/tell-me-how-much-a-nation-knows-about-its-own-language-and-i-will/) [John Ciardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ciardi/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“In the worldly life, due to maadakta (intoxication of the ego of ‘I am Chandubhai’), one has completely lost awareness of everything about one’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/in-the-worldly-life-due-to-maadakta-intoxication-of-the-ego-of-i-am/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [“Self-realization or self-knowing or awakening is about knowing/ becoming conscious of our true nature and living in harmony with the universe in an ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-vazhakunnathu/self-realization-or-self-knowing-or-awakening-is-about-knowing/) [Thomas Vazhakunnathu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-vazhakunnathu/) > [“There are some things that one individual can do for another, and there are some things that one race can do for another. But,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/there-are-some-things-that-one-individual-can-do-for-another-and/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [“Why were there no words that spoke positively about being concerned about the self? Why was there only negative connotation in terms like "selfish",…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-dalton/why-were-there-no-words-that-spoke-positively-about-being-concerned/) A.J. Dalton [Browse all 11,949 Identity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Wealthy societies, for reasons largely well-intentioned but now producing unintended consequences, are making it easier for their teens to avoid the rigors and responsibilities of becoming a grown-up. Arnett calls those years the “self-focused age,” when there are few real responsibilities, few “daily obligations,” limited “commitments to others.” In a stage when young people were once supposed to learn to “stand alone as a self-sufficient person,” they find themselves increasingly paralyzed by over-choice. There are nearly unlimited personal-social options yet too few concrete work-related accomplishments. A”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Sasse" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/wealthy-societies-for-reasons-largely-well-intentioned-but-now/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Identity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/wealthy-societies-for-reasons-largely-well-intentioned-but-now/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/ben-sasse-4268_identity_wealthy-societies-for-reasons-largely-we_353895.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/ben-sasse-4268_identity_wealthy-societies-for-reasons-largely-we_353895.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c8/ben-sasse-4268_identity_wealthy-societies-for-reasons-largely-we_353895.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Wealthy societies, for reasons largely well-intentioned but now producing unintended consequences, are…” — Ben Sasse", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ben Sasse", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Wealthy societies, for reasons largely well-intentioned...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/wealthy-societies-for-reasons-largely-well-intentioned-but-now/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/wealthy-societies-for-reasons-largely-well-intentioned-but-now/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```