THE DEATH OF THE GROWN-UP. Copyright © 2007 by Diana West. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

www.stmartins.com

Some portions of this book have previously appeared in The Washington Times, The Weekly Standard, and The New Criterion.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

West, Diana, 1961–

The death of the grown-up: how America’s arrested development is bringing down western civilization / Diana West.—1st ed.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN-13: 978-0-312-34048-3

ISBN-10: 0-312-34048-6

1. Youthfulness—Social aspects—United States. 2. Adulthood—United States. 3. Popular culture—United States. 4. United States—Social conditions—1945– 5. United States—Moral conditions. 6. United States—Civilization—1945– I. Title.

HN59.W36 2007

305.240973'09045—dc22

2007014402

First Edition: August 2007

eISBN 9781466840751

First eBook edition: February 2013