Want an infantilization problem? Look at Japan. They’re way ahead of us in that department. A surprising number of 30+ year-old males haven’t even kissed a woman, and many don’t even want to try.
Wanting some nostalgia is a little different than pure infantilization, but a large number of people 18-25 are stuck in, “high school” mode, and don’t want to grow out of it. My ex is 37 and is a really good example.
My husband and I are stuck living with my mom because of the garbage economy and the fact that neither my mom nor us can afford to keep living in our area without the other. It doesn’t help that kidney failure which began in my childhood and went unknown for about a decade peaked when I was 21 and took about fifteen years of real income from me. I scraped by on disability - $400 a month for the first few years, then up to $760, then $1100 when my dad retired. I often had as little as ten cents in my bank account as a result after bills and gas for the car.
My sister in-law wants to apply for disability with two children, one under ten, and I keep cautioning her against it. I told her it will ruin her financially. She CAN work, despite some back issues, so I don’t think she’d qualify anyway.
Life sucks, it’s true, but there have been far worse times in history to be alive. At some point, you have to grow up.
Sure, when I feel sick I throw Fantasia or other (good) Disney movies from my childhood to boost my morale a little, and I vent my stress by playing video games online with friends, but at least I’m trying to better my situation. I work my aß off.
I blame shows like "Friends" for that.