<p>If I recall correctly (it was a couple of years ago that I read the book), Levine is addressing a broader swath of parents than just the upper 5%, as someone suggested. It is not just the “Ivy or Die” parents and their kids that are caught up in this cycle of emptiness. Even if your sights are set at lower, on more realistic schools, there can be a pressure to achieve, to stand out in some way, that leads kids to engage in activities robotically, without a real passion and without getting a real sense of fulfillment from them. I believe she suggests there is kind of symbiotic relationship between parents and kids–maybe the parents are the original source of the standards, but kids themselves take on the goals while never really feeling a deep satisfaction in their pursuit. </p>
<p>Levine associates this phenomenon with wealth, or at least sufficient means that lots of resources can be put into a kid’s education and extracurricular activities. Lots of these parents, who may work long hours, just want their children to take advantage of their time and opportunities to be in a position for “success” in the real world. They equate this with heavy involvement in activities and skill development. The problem is the general deemphasis on fostering certain values and character traits, which in itself requires time and dedication. Levine bemoans that there has been a loss of focus on these aspects of education in a certain swath of society. For example, there are many kids that engage in community service or even have jobs, in order to meet societal (and parental) expectations, yet are unable to gain a real sense of purpose and fulfillment from them. Hence the general feeling of emptiness, and all the problems it can lead to.</p>