--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the category of perpetual…" description: "\"I think the category of perpetual adolescence, it's a new thing, and it's a dangerous thing. Adolescence is a pretty glorious concept. It's about inten..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/benjamin-e-sasse-24669_adolescence_i-think-the-category-of-perpetual-adoles_2891532.jpg" --- # I think the category of perpetual adolescence, it's a new… ![“I think the category of perpetual adolescence, it's a new thing, and it's a dangerous thing. Adolescence is a pretty glorious concept. It's about intentionally transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Being stuck in adolescence - that's a hell. Peter Pan is a dystopia, and we forget that.” quote by Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/benjamin-e-sasse-24669_adolescence_i-think-the-category-of-perpetual-adoles_2891532.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/benjamin-e-sasse-24669_adolescence_i-think-the-category-of-perpetual-adoles_2891532.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/benjamin-e-sasse-24669_adolescence_i-think-the-category-of-perpetual-adoles_2891532.jpg) > “I think the category of perpetual adolescence, it's a new thing, and it's a dangerous thing. Adolescence is a pretty glorious concept. It's about intentionally transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Being stuck in adolescence - that's a hell. Peter Pan is a dystopia, and we forget that.” [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Staying in adolescence is harmful; true adulthood requires intentional growth **In simple terms:** Avoid lingering in youthful immaturity Key Takeaway Encourage purposeful transition to adulthood Themes psychology development culture literature Mood thoughtful analytical Type psychological cultural When to use this quote - career planning - educational programs - mentorship - creative writing Key Concepts Identity formation social responsibility maturity myths Questions to Reflect On - What defines healthy adulthood? - How can society support constructive growth? A Different Perspective Not all youthful traits are negative ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adolescence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adolescence/) [Adolescence Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adolescence-hell-4063589/) [Adulthood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adulthood/) [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Childhood Adulthood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood-adulthood-1503952/) [Dangerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous/) [Dystopia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dystopia/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Glorious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glorious/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Perpetual Adolescence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perpetual-adolescence-1417627/) [Stuck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuck/) [Stuck Adolescence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuck-adolescence-841474/) [Thing Adolescence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-adolescence-2161740/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [The hardest thing about adolescence is that everything seems too big. There's no way to get context or perspective, … Pain and joy without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/the-hardest-thing-about-adolescence-is-that-everything-seems-too-big/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [The thing about adolescence is that you are emerging from a state of obscurity. You are coming out into the world from your family.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-rosoff/the-thing-about-adolescence-is-that-you-are-emerging-from-a-state-of/) [Meg Rosoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-rosoff/) > [“When you live in New York or any big city, it is easy to fail at growing up. The city is designed to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/when-you-live-in-new-york-or-any-big-city-it-is-easy-to-fail-at/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [“In theory, and in law, childhood and adolescence last up until the age of eighteen. I don't think that's true; lots of us live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-espinosa/in-theory-and-in-law-childhood-and-adolescence-last-up-until-the-age/) [Albert Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-espinosa/) > [I'm sort of stuck in adolescence in many ways, like most artists, and march to my own beat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-m-sort-of-stuck-in-adolescence-in-many-ways-like-most-artists-and/) [Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/) > [Being stuck in adolescence - that's a hell. 'Peter Pan' is a dystopia, and we forget that. Neverland is a bad place to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/being-stuck-in-adolescence-that-s-a-hell-peter-pan-is-a-dystopia-and/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [I wouldn't say I'm stuck in my adolescence, but I think, like a lot of people, I carry my teen years with me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-wouldn-t-say-i-m-stuck-in-my-adolescence-but-i-think-like-a-lot-of/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“I believe our entire nation is in the midst of a collective coming-of-age crisis without parallel in our history. We are living in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-sasse/i-believe-our-entire-nation-is-in-the-midst-of-a-collective-coming-of/) [Ben Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-sasse/) > [At 13 I was someone that didn't have a personality yet. It's a fascinating period in a human life. It's so exciting because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/at-13-i-was-someone-that-didn-t-have-a-personality-yet-it-s-a/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) > [After all, isn't that what really draws the line between childhood and adulthood, knowing that you are solely responsible for yourself? If so, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/after-all-isn-t-that-what-really-draws-the-line-between-childhood-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Families start out, most of the time, with unconditional acceptance of one another. That acceptance starts in childhood and continues into adulthood. Somewhere in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-hopkins/families-start-out-most-of-the-time-with-unconditional-acceptance-of/) [Bart Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-hopkins/) > [I think anytime you're writing to the middle grades, you're writing to young readers who are trapped in a number of ways between two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-think-anytime-you-re-writing-to-the-middle-grades-you-re-writing-to/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [In all times and in all places--in Constantinople, northwestern Zambia, Victorian England, Sparta, Arabia, . . . medieval France,Babylonia, . . . Carthage, Mahenjo-Daro,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-j-kaplan/in-all-times-and-in-all-places-in-constantinople-northwestern-zambia/) [Louise J. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-j-kaplan/) > [The day you graduate from childhood to adulthood is the day you take full responsibility for your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/the-day-you-graduate-from-childhood-to-adulthood-is-the-day-you-take/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [“All people cross the line from childhood to adulthood with a secondhand opinion of who they are. Without any questioning, we take as truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heyward-ewart/all-people-cross-the-line-from-childhood-to-adulthood-with-a/) [Heyward Ewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heyward-ewart/) ## More by Benjamin E. Sasse > [I think I'm one of five people in the Senate who's never been a politician before. And now that I am a politician, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/i-think-i-m-one-of-five-people-in-the-senate-who-s-never-been-a/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [Once we affirm the goal of trying to make sure that you don't have jihadis infiltrating terrorist flows, we need to make sure we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/once-we-affirm-the-goal-of-trying-to-make-sure-that-you-don-t-have/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [Truth affirms freedom of speech. Putin is no friend of reli - freedom of speech. Putin is an enemy of freedom of religion. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/truth-affirms-freedom-of-speech-putin-is-no-friend-of-reli-freedom-of/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ The U.S. affirms freedom of speech.\[Vladimir\] Putin is no friend of freedom of speech. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/the-u-s-affirms-freedom-of-speech-vladimir-putin-is-no-friend-of/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [I don't think we do a great job in America any more of distinguishing between campaigns and governance. We live in an environment that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/i-don-t-think-we-do-a-great-job-in-america-any-more-of-distinguishing/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [The president is the president. And every American, regardless of who you voted for, if you voted for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Donald Duck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/the-president-is-the-president-and-every-american-regardless-of-who/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ Let's be clear: Has the U.S. ever made any mistakes? Of course.Is the U.S. at all like \[Vladimir\] Putin's regime? Not at all. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/let-s-be-clear-has-the-u-s-ever-made-any-mistakes-of-course-is-the-u/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ \[Vladimir\] Putin is an enemy of the free press. The U.S. celebrates free press. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/vladimir-putin-is-an-enemy-of-the-free-press-the-u-s-celebrates-free/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [The real number of the US' obligations, unfunded obligations that we're passing on to our future generates is more like $70 trillion to $75…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/the-real-number-of-the-us-obligations-unfunded-obligations-that-we-re/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [What happens in Senate fight club stays in Senate fight club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/what-happens-in-senate-fight-club-stays-in-senate-fight-club/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ \[Vladimir\] Putin is an enemy of political dissent. The U.S. celebrates political dissent and the right for people to argue free from violence about… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/vladimir-putin-is-an-enemy-of-political-dissent-the-u-s-celebrates/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [ I don't understand what the president's \[Donald Trump\] position is on Russia. But I can tell you what my position is on Russia: Russia… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/i-don-t-understand-what-the-president-s-donald-trump-position-is-on/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [While Admiral Neffenger is an impressive man, it is naive and dangerous to pretend installing one director can heal what ails TSA, the Department…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/while-admiral-neffenger-is-an-impressive-man-it-is-naive-and/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [People think if they voted for somebody, they should reflexively defend everything they do or say. And if you voted against somebody, you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/people-think-if-they-voted-for-somebody-they-should-reflexively/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) > [In the American constitutional system of three different branches, conflict - and I mean that peaceful, vigorous debate - it's a feature of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-sasse/in-the-american-constitutional-system-of-three-different-branches/) [Benjamin E. Sasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) [Explore all 24 Benjamin E. Sasse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-sasse/) ## More Adolescence quotes > [They must move from a psychological state of victimization to a psychological state of accepting responsibility. The Palestinians must leave behind their revolutionary adolescence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-shavit/they-must-move-from-a-psychological-state-of-victimization-to-a/) [Ari Shavit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-shavit/) > [Having children truly ends adolescence. We are all either parents or children: responsibility-takers or those who demand from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/having-children-truly-ends-adolescence-we-are-all-either-parents-or/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [Teenage girls are extremists who see the world in black-and- white terms, missing shades of gray. Life is either marvelous or notworth living. School…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pipher/teenage-girls-are-extremists-who-see-the-world-in-black-and-white/) [Mary Pipher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pipher/) > [Teenagers complain there's nothing to do, then stay out all night doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-phillips/teenagers-complain-there-s-nothing-to-do-then-stay-out-all-night/) [Bob Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-phillips/) > [The idols of one's adolescence tend to endure - you never forget how you worshipped them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/the-idols-of-one-s-adolescence-tend-to-endure-you-never-forget-how/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Being an adult is the ability to postpone a want for the sake of a family need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hogan/being-an-adult-is-the-ability-to-postpone-a-want-for-the-sake-of-a/) [Chris Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hogan/) > [The donning of the ear buds marks the beginning of teen life, when children set off on their own for the passage through adolescence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/the-donning-of-the-ear-buds-marks-the-beginning-of-teen-life-when/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [Adolescence is when the very worst and best impulses in the human soul struggle against each other for possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/adolescence-is-when-the-very-worst-and-best-impulses-in-the-human/) [G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/) > [Most adults would not dream of belittling, humiliating, or bullying (verbally or physically) another adult. But many of the same adults think nothing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-steinberg/most-adults-would-not-dream-of-belittling-humiliating-or-bullying/) [Laurence Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-steinberg/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“He'd possessed all the key elements of a school shooter: hormones, misery, ammunition. People wondered how something like Columbine could happen. Jude wondered why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/he-d-possessed-all-the-key-elements-of-a-school-shooter-hormones/) [Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/) > [ I remember realizing, when I did Little Women \[1994\], that that was the only time girls that age were being written about. It was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-remember-realizing-when-i-did-little-women-1994-that-that-was-the/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [Content without style is propaganda or adolescence. Style without content is decadence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/content-without-style-is-propaganda-or-adolescence-style-without/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [Adolescence is interesting. I mean, all of life is interesting and all of life is transitionary. But I think there is an exponential growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-henson/adolescence-is-interesting-i-mean-all-of-life-is-interesting-and-all/) [Bill Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-henson/) > [“Yet GenX'er teens didn't slow down--they were just as likely to drive, drink alcohol, and date as their Boomer peers and more likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-m-twenge/yet-genx-er-teens-didn-t-slow-down-they-were-just-as-likely-to-drive/) [Jean M. Twenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-m-twenge/) [Browse all 787 Adolescence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adolescence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the category of perpetual adolescence, it's a new thing, and it's a dangerous thing. Adolescence is a pretty glorious concept. It's about intentionally transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Being stuck in adolescence - that's a hell. 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