One young man explained, “I chose management consulting because it is filled with sharp people—the kind of people I want to be around.” Another said, “I realized that if I stayed in education, I’d be embarrassed when I got to my five-year college reunion, so I’m going to law school now.” Where one’s identity in prior generations might come from being the son of so-and-so or living in a particular part of town or being a member of a church or club, today young people are seeking to define themselves by the status of their work.
