Dependence and Independence

Bourdieu (2003) remarked that it is erroneous to speak of young people 

as if they formed a single social unit or group in view of the fact that major 

differences exist among them. To illustrate this, he called attention to 

 same-age young adult workers and students, emphasizing that these two 

subgroups have few interests or characteristics in common. He claimed that 

students, for example, are characterized by a kind of provisional irresponsi-

bility; for some things they are adults and for others they are children. This 

apparent contradiction is reflected in the way adult society positions stu-

dents and the way students position themselves. Bourdieu noted that, even 

among the working classes in France, young people are given a ‘margin’ as 

long as they are studying, after which time they are expected to assume full 

adult responsibilities. The same holds true in contemporary Latin America 

where young urban workers, peasants and members of indigenous communi-

ties move almost seamlessly from childhood to adulthood. For students, 

however, this transition is delayed as long as possible. Even in homes with 

less than favorable economic conditions, young adult students in Mexico 

often expect their parents to provide them not only with basic necessities but 

also with leisure time goods and luxuries, and the parents comply as a matter 

of course. At the same time, these students typically turn down part-time 

jobs, considering them too poorly paid to be worth their while.

David’s situation fits this pattern to a large extent for he is entirely 

dependent on his mother for economic support. Interestingly, while he never 

mentioned feeling any concern about the burden this might represent, he 

criticized his sister for continuing to receive help from their mother after her 

marriage and the completion of her university education. In this, he is 

acknowledging what Flores (2002) has indicated, namely, that at the end of 

their student years, young people are expected to assume their responsibili-

ties as adults. That David envisions achieving his own financial indepen-

dence after graduation is made clear in his description of the life course, as 

was seen in the previous section.

While still economically dependent on his mother, David exercises a 

great deal of autonomy in his personal life. He is no longer accountable to his 

family for his conduct or decisions, and instead looks to his circle of friends 

for guidance and approval. Like most of his contemporaries, David’s subject 

position as a university student is characterized by the rather curious inter-

play of emotional independence and economic dependence.

Living in the Present and Living in the Future

David lives very much in the present moment, as is typical of most young 

adults. According to García Canclini (2004), young people have little or no 

sense of history or connection with the past. The sensation that everyone is 

Cons t r uc t ing Age in Young Adulthood  143