Teens Expect to Be Doing Fine at Age 25

The recession has been tough on young adults as they try to establish themselves in the working world. However, a newly released Barna Group survey of 13-17-year-olds indicates it has not squelched the optimism of teenagers, whose tender age has given them some distance from the economy's ill effects.

As you can see from the chart, a majority of teen respondents to the poll (fielded in December) are upbeat about their prospects as 25-year-olds-to-be. Notwithstanding the American Idolization of America, though, fewer think they will definitely (7 percent) or probably (26 percent) "be famous or well-known" by the time they reach that age.