I know now that almost everyone wonders something like that, sooner or later and no matter what he or she is doing, but one of the mixed blessings of being twenty and twenty-one and even twenty-three is the conviction that nothing like this, all evidence to the contrary notwithstanding, has ever happened to anyone before.
In her essay "Slouching Towards Bethlehem," Joan Didion reflects on the universal experience of questioning one's place in the world, particularly during young adulthood. She highlights that people often grapple with existential doubts, fearing that their struggles are unique, despite the reality that many share similar feelings. This introspection is common among those in their early twenties, who may feel isolated in their experiences even when surrounded by others.
Didion emphasizes...
