CNN's John Sutter looks at some of the confounding factors about middle age. Child rearing has multiple effects, including tiredness and expensive by necessity. Maybe you happen to have young children at home or older parents that you are taking care of. That is also an explanation for why perhaps mid life in the united states is different than it is in other cultures.
How is aging different today than it was in the past? What do young people get wrong about happiness? And what does it mean if you impulsively decide to get your ear pierced in an unusual place?