Yes, and there are probably a lot of immediate factors leading to that.
But this is the overall the result of an "anthropological reversal", meaning the society switch its focus on older generations rather than the younger ones.
Most policies in the last decades had the goal of favoring the silent and boomer generations ("boomers always win": ZIPR, assets inflation, etc.).
Millennials and Gen Z got wreaked, plus they know they might have to pay the debt left by the previous generations one way or another. So why not just dying, it is easier.
jerlam · 5h ago
> Among those aged 25 to 44, a group we call “early adults"
A 40 year old is federally protected from age discrimination (for being too old) and can have children which are legally adults. No one is calling this age group "early adults".
helpfulfrond · 5h ago
The "we" in the article does not include you - it refers to the authors who are mortality researchers and looking to differentiate between different groups of adults.
ompogUe · 3h ago
I discriminate adulthood 2 ways:
"legal"/"federally protected" adulthood - 21 - can vote, drink, etc.
"biological" adulthood - brain is not fully developed until ~25, and takes a few years to "activate/realize" those "powers", so ~30 for "actual, mature" adult processes to start taking place. ~40 seems appropriate within that as an outer boundary of "early" adulthood.
llbbdd · 3h ago
It's an aside but age 25 being full development of the brain is a pop science myth
But this is the overall the result of an "anthropological reversal", meaning the society switch its focus on older generations rather than the younger ones.
Most policies in the last decades had the goal of favoring the silent and boomer generations ("boomers always win": ZIPR, assets inflation, etc.).
Millennials and Gen Z got wreaked, plus they know they might have to pay the debt left by the previous generations one way or another. So why not just dying, it is easier.
A 40 year old is federally protected from age discrimination (for being too old) and can have children which are legally adults. No one is calling this age group "early adults".
"legal"/"federally protected" adulthood - 21 - can vote, drink, etc.
"biological" adulthood - brain is not fully developed until ~25, and takes a few years to "activate/realize" those "powers", so ~30 for "actual, mature" adult processes to start taking place. ~40 seems appropriate within that as an outer boundary of "early" adulthood.