A serious attack on the fantasy story for children comes from those who do not wish children to be frightened,” writes C.S. Lewis in an essay named Three Ways of Writing for Children. Those who say that children must not be frightened mean two things. Firstly, they mean that we mustn’t do anything likely to give children fears, and secondly, they want to keep out of their minds that they are born into a world of death, violence, wounds, good and evil (邪恶). C.S. Lewis says he agrees with the first reason, but not the second.

He goes on to remark, “Since it is so likely that they will meet cruel enemies, let them at least hear of brave fighters and heroic courage. By limiting your child to perfect and nice stories of child life in which nothing alarming ever happens, they would fail to face fears and hardships.”   “It would be nice,”   he continues, “ if   no   little boy   in   bed   ever   hears   a   frightening sound. But if he is to be frightened, I think St. George, or any bright hero in armor, is a better comfort than the idea of the police.”

Bruno Bettelheim, a well-known child psychologist, also points out that fantasy stories provide children with a valuable education about good and evil. He believes that all children have many personal fantasies filled with fears and fantasy stories comfort them and offer solutions. Happy endings tell them that solutions and hope are real and model the kind of happy life children want to find.

A good fantasy suggests rather than teaches possible answers to life. It’s believed that reading fantasies quickens the ability to get and put ideas from books to reality. It’s what good literature does — it makes life larger.

Research found that when people saw others in their herd (群体) hesitating before making a choice, they were about twice as likely to break from the group and make a different choice.

The findings have meanings for group behaviour in finance, fashion—any situation where there might be herd behaviour, Krajbich said. “Even if it appears at first that everyone is following the same trend, hesitation may show that they are not all on the same page,” he said.

The research studied 72 college students. They participated in groups of eight. When their predecessor (前任) responded slowly, participants chose against the herd about 66% of the time, compared to only 33% of the time when their predecessor chose quickly. In cases where the group was making the wrong decision, this often led people to break from the herd and make the correct choice, he said.

“A couple of bad decisions at the beginning can lead everyone to the wrong road. That’s the herd behaviour,” Krajbich said. “But what we found is that if people can see the hesitation in others’ choices, that can help them break the chain and change the course of the herd.”

Fast decisions by others can consolidate one’s own belief. For example, if a person sees their friends quickly choose to get a vaccine for COVID-19, that may make them more comfortable making the same choice, Krajbich said. If friends hesitate before getting a vaccine—even if they eventually get one—that may make a person less sure about whether to get the shot, he said.

Krajbich said the findings in the research aren’t necessary a universal rule. There may be some decisions for which taking longer to choose could indicate a more thoughtful choice. “It will be important to figure out when fast decisions signal confidence or when instead they signal thoughtlessness,” he said.

Most Americans believe that someone isn’t grown-up until the age of 26 and they should complete their education, have a full-time job, have a family to support and be financially independent. They also believe that becoming a real grown-up is a process which begins at about the age of 20 and takes about five years, according to the report from the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center.

The findings are based on a representative sample of 1,398 people over the age of 18 who were surveyed in person. The survey found that people expect the transitions to grown-up status to be completed at the following ages: age 20.9 self-supporting; age 21.1 no longer living with parents; age 21.2 having a full-time job; age 22.3 education completed; age 24.5 being able to support a family financially; age 25.7 getting married; and age 26.2 having a child.

“There is a large degree of agreement across social groups on the relative importance of the seven transitions,” said Tom Smith, director of the survey. The only obvious pattern of differences is on views about supporting a family, having children and getting married. Older adults consider these more important than younger adults do. This probably shows in large part a change in values across generations away from traditional family values. The most valued step toward reaching adulthood, the survey found, is completing education, followed by full-time employment, supporting a family, financial independence, living independently, and marriage.