First There Was “Quiet Quitting,” And Now “Kidulting” Is A Thing

Remember the good old days when you went to your job, worked to advance, and really cared about what you were doing? They weren’t all that long ago, you know.

Generations of American strived to make a better life for their family. Working hard wasn’t frowned upon, in fact it was respected. Discussing the “American Dream” wasn’t taboo, it was seen as natural for both men and women to want to better themselves.

It went deeper than that. Working men and women respected their employers and felt an obligation to work effectively for them as well. It was a circumstance of mutual respect and reward.

Having said this, I’m sure that everyone has had a period of time at a job when you weren’t putting in maximum effort. There are many reasons this can occur, but usually these are usually short-lived periods of time until something changes. For most of us they are definitely the exception and not the rule.

Not long ago I heard the term “Quiet Quitting.” I came to learn that this was a new term that refers to doing the minimum requirements of one’s job and putting in no more time, effort, or enthusiasm than absolutely necessary.

Several things bothered me about this trend. The people that were buying into this were accepting it as gospel and adapting it into their lifestyle. For them it wasn’t a temporary situation until they moved onto another job or position, it became the way they viewed their jobs on a daily basis.

Imagine a large segment of our population not giving a damn about what they do. Think about what that would do to productivity and service.

Another thing that struck me was all that was required for it to become mainstream was a catchy name, “Quiet Quitting” and a Tik Tok video or some other type of media platform suggesting it. Suddenly, for many it became a good idea and an acceptable thing to do.

Apparently, another new trend, at least for me, is “Kidulting.” This is when an adult chooses to indulge in childlike activities, games, etc.

Now, I don’t want to come off as the old man standing in his doorway screaming at kids to get off of his lawn, but I can see this getting out of hand too. I have a daughter that puts together intricate Lego sets. Things like the Titanic, the Coliseum, Etc. For her it’s a hobby. She’s married has children, and a full-time job. I know other people that put together puzzles with thousands of pieces and then have them framed. Again, this is a hobby. Something that people do in their leisure time that they enjoy.

My father used to tell me, “Everything in moderation,” but this to me feels like another whim that is ripe to be exploited in our culture. We’re seeing a society-wide regression in responsibility, and it’s interesting – according to the famous clinical psychologist, author and speaker Jordan Peterson, his following has grown chiefly among young men because he preaches this very thing and they hear it so little.

Then there are companies that have implemented “Adult Recess.” Promoting things like tetherball, kickball, hula hoops, swing sets & even Lincoln Logs during the workday. I’m all for promoting breaks, but I’m not sure I would want my sales manager and my production foreman that don’t get along playing dodge ball.

Naturally, corporations are getting involved. McDonalds came out with their “Adult Happy Meal.” For $12 you can get a Big Mac or Chicken McNuggets with a drink and, of course, a toy. McDonalds has teamed up with something called “The Cactus Plant Flea Market,” that supplies the toys, which consist of four different character figurines. Guess what? The boxes were sold out everywhere.

To me that sounds like an overreaction, but if that doesn’t sound like one to you, how about this? Since these were a limited edition, the hype has gone stratospheric, to the extent that there are people attempting to sell them on eBay for up to $300,000. Does anyone remember Beanie Babies?

Let’s face it $300,000 is a joke that’s never going to happen. What I find discouraging, is it’s bad enough watching an adult on their phone for an entire meal ignoring their family. Now we may have to watch a grown adult fiddling with a kid’s toy.