Perhaps a modern society can remain stable only by eliminating adolescence, by giving its young, from the age of ten, the skills, responsibilities, and rewards of grownups, and opportunities for action in all spheres of life. Adolescence should be a time of useful action, while book learning and scholarship should be a preoccupation of adults.

Summary

This quote suggests that in order for a modern society to be stable, it may be necessary to eliminate the concept of adolescence. Instead, young individuals should be given the skills, responsibilities, and rewards usually associated with adults from the age of ten. They should have opportunities to actively participate in different aspects of life, while adults focus on book learning and scholarship. The idea is to make adolescence a productive and action-oriented phase rather than solely focused on academic pursuits, to foster a more stable society.

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