All of these housemates seem to have been very mentally unstable and fragile, and the traits that drew them to live together made them especially vulnerable to a strong personality. I think the quirky, outsider vibe that schools like Sarah Lawrence tout attracts some students who don’t have the wherewithal to function as adults and thrive independently. And unfortunately, the very mental illnesses that make them so susceptible to bad influences typically don’t fully manifest themselves until the late teens and early twenties, just when kids leave home intending to diminish parental involvement in their lives. So their deterioration is not adequately observed and appreciated. It seems as though there are some young people who just shouldn’t be living on their own, and the problem is in identifying them.