Umbrella in hand, Brooks faces gale force zeitgeist

David Brooks tries a self-deprecating waltz down the dark alley of the new non-conformity, which is a rebellion against decaf, StairMasters, and the general neo-stoicism of American life. Among many good paragraphs, I liked this one the best:

I blame parents. Kids are raised amid foam corner protectors and schooled amid flame-retardant construction paper. They're drugged with a vast array of pharmaceuticals to keep them from becoming interesting. They go from adult-structured tutorials to highly padded sports practices to career-counselor-approved summer internships.

Indeed, interesting children can be very threatening. The column is hilarious, by the way. Something you can read aloud to husbands, wives, or children in their teenage years, if you dare.