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Tony Judt argued in Postwar that "teenagers" as a demographic date pretty much back to the Marshall Plan. Prior to massive Cold War-driven investments in universities, factories and infrastructure, you were a kid and then pop you were an adult. With the advent of secondary school and modern mass media you ended up with an entire demographic that had money but no life essentials to pay for. I used to brag about one set of grandparents didn't finish 8th grade while the other got kicked out of Harvard and Radcliffe respectively. However, when my grandparents were in 8th grade 8th grade was it. They took their free education to the limit. And really they did fine, thanks.