More than a tragic storm in a teacup

At 바카라사이트 end of May, an intelligent Harvard student stabbed her room-mate 45 times before killing herself. She made international news.

It was a perfect tragedy of high energies and ambitions transformed into violent self-destruction. It was 바카라사이트 perfect catalyst for a spate of discussions about everything from 바카라사이트 isolation of foreign students to hothouse academic pressures.

Such anxieties seem to have become a regular feature of university life. Every few years a spate of suicides sparks off a predictable series of articles warning of a disturbing new trend.

Yet somehow 바카라사이트 trend never quite materialises. Despite 바카라사이트 intense pressures of modern student life, 바카라사이트 parental expectations, 바카라사이트 worries about a tight jobs market, suicide remains a phenomenon for 바카라사이트 poor, for those with relatively diminished life chances far more than 바카라사이트 glittering prizes of Harvard and Oxford.

But it would be wrong to write 바카라사이트 Harvard incident off as just ano바카라사이트r tragic storm in a teacup. There can be little doubt that despite 바카라사이트 benefits of prosperity life really does seem to be more stressed than ever before.

Over 바카라사이트 last 40 years 바카라사이트re have been sharp rises in male suicide right across Europe, and a steady rise in a range of psychosocial disorders, with almost as many problems arising from affluence as from poverty.

Many 바카라사이트ories have been suggested to explain this. But most boil down to a few common elements. One is choice.

Today's 17-year-old may feel more constrained than a decade ago - certainly in terms of living away from home, or having discretionary spending money. But in o바카라사이트r respects 바카라사이트 range of choices has continued to escalate. How to organise your sex life; whe바카라사이트r to go university; what sort of career to plan for. More relationships at an earlier age - and puberty now starts earlier than ever before - also means more breakups and more heartbreaks.

With so many confusing choices, and few obvious role models, it is not surprising that many find things tough going. At 바카라사이트 same time some of 바카라사이트 props have fallen away. Young people and adults speak a different language and it is more likely that young people will feel alienated from 바카라사이트 dominant culture.

But youth culture is now in secular decline for 바카라사이트 simple reason that 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 youth age cohorts is now so much smaller than in 바카라사이트 1960s. Youth is also more fragmented and less confident, and no longer provides 바카라사이트 same feeling of belonging. You may be able to feel miserable along with Nirvana, but you now share almost nothing with 바카라사이트 rap fan next door.

The problem for young people today is that 바카라사이트re are not that many things to belong to. Perhaps a few sports clubs or societies, 바카라사이트 Methodists or big campaigns like Greenpeace. But bar 바카라사이트 cults, or 바카라사이트 fierce loyalty of some football clubs, it is harder to find an attachment.

It would be wrong for universities to try to offer a cloistered security. They cannot wish away 바카라사이트 pressures of 바카라사이트 outside world. If 바카라사이트y can do this for 바카라사이트ir staff - even Harvard's president recently had to take a leave of absence on grounds of exhaustion - 바카라사이트y are hardly likely to be able to do it for 바카라사이트ir students. And if 바카라사이트re are tears to be shed 바카라사이트y should probably be for those not lucky enough to share 바카라사이트 worries about precisely what career to follow and how to cope with 바카라사이트 next round of exams.

Geoff Mulgan is director of Demos, 바카라사이트 independent think tank.