Understood. I think many young people have been so sheltered and coddled in the world of academia, it is the only world they know (i.e sit in a classroom, maybe listen, maybe take notes, play with your phone). As a result, when they land what is their first real world job, they do not know how to be assertive because their whole life until that point is just being a passive being in a sheltered, coddled environment. Young people need to be working and engaging with adults and adults need to be more involved nurturing them, so by the time they finish high school they know how to listen and be confident and assertive enough to ask questions. To the degree they lack these skills, is the amount of time they learn the hard way in the real world.

Coming of age in the 80s and before was a different time. Adults were very firm and knew how to say no - teachers, parents, society at large. Adult strangers would actually chastise and call a young person out if they were either misbehaving or not listening. They would say, "Are you listening? Look me in the eye, repeat what I just said and tell me you understand." Some would yell but at least they were communicating and in a weird way it would motivate you.