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I think it's more the inevitable outcome when students and teachers are forced through endless cycles of tests, evaluations and metrics - from primary school onwards.

A well-written paper on this, which I think has been discussed on HN before: http://www.systema-journal.org/article/view/314 (you can get the general idea by skipping the technical parts in Section 3).

If this theory is correct, then it has less to do with the supposed weaknesses of today's students or a deliberate political agenda to keep them from growing up - instead it's an unintended consequence of the idea that everything must be subjected to constant "scientific" numerical evaluation.

See also "I'm a liberal professor, and my liberal students terrify me" (http://www.vox.com/2015/6/3/8706323/college-professor-afraid) from just a few months ago.

I guess downvoters took my post as a micro-aggression :) Sorry I made you feel uncomfortable...

If I had to guess, I'd say you're being downvoted for the completely unnecessary "nanny-state" remark at the end.

How is it unnecessary? This is a real theory (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanny_state). The term may seem pejorative, but it is a real agenda pushed by some parties/groups.

I'm not saying the US currently has a nanny-state (far from it compared to what is implemented in Europe for example), but this could be a real agenda.

>How is it unnecessary? This is a real theory

Well, the way you put it does sound like a conspiracy theory:

>I'm wondering what is the agenda behind this trend. The author seems to think that it is to make sure students remain babies and stay in college as long as possible to avoid facing the real world. Could it really be something that petty? I started thinking that it could be encouraged by politicians to create a generation of babies that would feel better about dealing with a nanny-state.

fwiw, I live in a country that probably would be classified as a nanny state, and the same dynamics are very well present here, too. My personal theory is that it's far more complicated.

It depends on what you mean by conspiracy theory. I don't believe there is some evil Blofeld patting the cat and pulling strings. I do however believe that the ruling class is trying to remain in control of the oligarchy, and I do believe that they have enough power today to drive major political decisions, including society changes.

So yes, I do believe that if it is true that student infantilization is trending and institutionalized it's because the ruling class can get some benefits out of it.

I'm perfectly ready to admit that I'm paranoid :)

Yeah, I don't know why you were downvoted so hard. Maybe the HN mob mentality just sides with the Uni students on this one, and they don't like being exposed to your differing opinions. ;)