Here is my latest column, featuring wunderkind Ben Casnocha; it has been titled "The Loose Reins on U.S. Teenagers Can Produce Trouble or Entrepreneurs." Here is an excerpt:
The longstanding criticism of the American school system is that even
in the better schools, too many students just “get by” rather than
engage in a rigorous curriculum. This academic leniency is bad for many
average or subpar students, but it also allows some students to
flourish. Relatively loose family structures have similar effects;
American children are especially likely to be working on their own
projects, rather than being directed by parents and elders.
American philanthropy is also a significant and unheralded factor behind American youth entrepreneurship; many young entrepreneurs used elders as mentors or asked them for financial assistance. Furthermore "selling to the young" is much derided by critics such as Juliet Schor or Benjamin Barber, but it has its benefits. Sometimes advertising inspires the young to start marketing themselves, as did Ben Casnocha.
You can read more about Ben, who started his successful company at age 14 (he is now 19), in the article. Here is Ben’s blog. Here is the web site for Ben’s new book. Ben will soon be attending Claremont McKenna college, I am curious to see whether or not it drives him crazy.
Does Epstein cite any data like this in his Case Against Adolescence book? It seems to fit right in with his primary thesis.
Somewhat like GeorgeNYC, I found it interesting that the article title acknowledges the costs of adolescent freedom, but the article glowingly describes only the successes. However, it is the rashness and rejection of rules embodied by kids that spurs creative development in the form of those relatively few successes by the most brilliant youngsters. For many of those that have the “loose reigns” but lack the vision and drive, there is a quintessentially American rise and fall with its apex somewhere between senior year of high school and senior year of college.
I think it must be acknowledged that this is the reality of the American Way in practice. We live and die by high-stakes innovation, and the game produces many losers. And also, daring failure has a unique ability to produce canny, productive adults. To throw the whole thing out would come at a great cost.
I also attended Claremont McKenna College. I think it’s a perfect school for a budding entrepreneur, and Ben will be respected by many students for trying to do it. We had several students start successful businesses in my college class of just 330 students.
Nonegalitarian? Depends on what you think “egalitarian” means, Tyler. If you think it means that society believes it’s OK to start your own business and get ahead, then sure. But if egalitarianism means “equal opportunity for all,” then egalitarianism is exactly what has allowed America to be so entrepreneurial. In many societies, only the rich are able to start businesses; in America, anyone can. That’s been to our advantage.
You must know different teenagers than I do if you think they have loose reins. I concede the vast disposable income, but most of the (largely suburban, wealthy) teenagers I know are scheduled to the hilt, because God forbid they be allowed unstructured time (they might do something rash with it or, perhaps worse, not have devoted every second to getting into Harvard).
I agree…but the vast majority of this biz kids are the sons and daughters of lawyers and high up business men who have the financial resources and know how on how to start a business and wade through the specter of regulation and tax code. I know several people who have the ideas and talent for great business ideas, except they all get bogged down trying to get past all the legalese. There would be a whole lot more of them if we stopped strangling and mangling our entrepreneur startups with all that rigamarole. Disclosure: I have helped two businesses start up, and even with a degree in business and finance, it was a daunting process.
Young people want to succeed, and the majority realise that working 9-5 at a big corporation won’t get you success until you retire with your 401k and stock options aren’t restricted any more. Young people want to be responsible for their own success, so they start businesses on the side, and many take the plunge into self employment or running a business of their own. What you learn in school has very little to do with what you need to know to succeed in life, so young people teach themselves.
In my research, I am finding evidence that colleges are a great place to start a new business — for a variety of reasons. From time shifting and institutional structures to free technology and open marketplaces, there are many reasons why young entrepreneurs (especially those on campuses) have a some great advantages.
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