The New York Times columnist, David Brooks, wrote a piece titled “The Widening Opportunity Gap.” It dealt with the gulf that separates children who grow up to function successfully and those who don’t. Brooks discussed several reasons for this divide between children, but he pointed out that the amount of time parents spend with their children is a major factor in their success.

This gap between the parented and the unparented has increased since the famous baby boom following World War II. The boom gave way to other generations, born from the mid-1960’s onward. These groups are variously called Generation X, Generation Y (also known as the Millennials), and Generation Z. Until the economic recession that began around 2008, these children were born during an era of unprecedented economic growth, of the two-career family, of the housing boom.

Yet the good times knew a darker side: The high divorce rate of baby boom parents led to the fashion of their children forswearing marriage.  Why bother with marriage at all, since it so often ends in acrimonious breakups? they asked. Casual relationships developed a mainstream following. Babies born of them often appeared an afterthought.

Our emphasis on self fulfilment rather than on responsible membership in society, including parenting children instead of merely birthing them, may stunt an entire generation.