It's time to steel ourselves for the coming generation of professional kite-boarders, It girls, life coaches, and "passionate" yoga instructors, according to the New York Times. Gen Y-ers, says Lisa Belkin, have been so coddled by their boomer parents that they think work should be "meaningful" and should, under no circumstances, involve photocopying (insert malevolent cackle here).

This is apparently the fault of parents like Elizabeth Lluch, who says of her children: "I want them to find work that makes them feel good about themselves, helps them define who they are, and helps them find peace within themselves. It's not about making a bunch of money, but finding a little niche for oneself in a world that is very fast-paced, busy, and impersonal."

But, says Belkin, this can be a dodgy message during a recession, when little Phoebe might not get to be a celebrity stylist right now, and Julian might have to defer his love of gaming and, you know, get a real job. Thankfully for these kiddies, a writer named Daniel Pink has published a book called The Adventures of Johnny Bunko, a "career guide cum manga comic" about navigating the work place in your '20s. To which we say, if you can't even read a book about careers unless it has pictures, you're probably not destined for much more than a gig at Kinkos.