"Don't Trust Anyone Under Thirty"

Sam Crane says "a Confucian would invert the old sixties saw" — Confucian Thirtysomething. Of course, he's referring to The Analects II.4:

The Master said, "At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning.
"At thirty, I stood firm.
"At forty, I had no doubts.
"At fifty, I knew the decrees of Heaven.
"At sixty, my ear was an obedient organ for the reception of truth.
"At seventy, I could follow what my heart desired, without transgressing what was right."

Prof. Crane's exegesis:

For Confucius, adulthood is all about moral learning and achievement. We have to cultivate our inner ethical sensibilities, teach ourselves and learn from others how to do the right thing. It is a conscious, constant effort. It begins when we are young, fifteen, and start to turn our minds to it. But we do not reach the first stage of adult moral maturity until we are thirty - it is then that we can "stand firm." Of course, moral development does not end there; it is a lifelong pursuit and performance. But notice how thirty looms large here.