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Interestingly, the article TxAPhi posted is sort of up for debate, especially in the community in which I work. There's little to no empirical data to support it, and it's an amazingly superficial and stereotypical reading of such a massive sample size, in spite of one of the pillars of this reading coming in the form of 'don't read a book by its cover' - the whole 'now even virgins have green hair and tattoos' phenomenon. It's a mishmash of contradictions, right up to studies showing more and more social conservatism among youth.
Some have gone so far as to imply that there is some reverse-engineering of the biases of older generations going on in the studying and especially reporting.
As far as college - of course it's insulating, just as any other self-contained group of people would be. Even joining a trade union would have this effect, it just wouldn't encompass your social circle. Since college is now fully a 'lifestyle' for those in it (or just barely out), I'd say it's definitely a retardant to maturity. I can say this, because I still giggle at poop jokes, denoting my massive immaturity.
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