Are 18 year olds really adults?

It really depends on what we mean by adult? Legally? That depends on the country and the law(s) in question. Morally or ethically? That also depends on the culture and historical context. Developmentally? Depends on what sort of development we’re talking about? Responsibility and decision making wise? Not typically here in the US, but you can say the same about some 30,40, etc year olds too.

TL;DR: it’s complicated.
 
muscleupcrohn said:
It really depends on what we mean by adult? Legally? That depends on the country and the law(s) in question. Morally or ethically? That also depends on the culture and historical context. Developmentally? Depends on what sort of development we’re talking about? Responsibility and decision making wise? Not typically here in the US, but you can say the same about some 30,40, etc year olds too.

TL;DR: it’s complicated.
Click to expand...

This covers it.

I've met 16 year olds that are more "adult" than some 40 year olds.
 
I was. Moved out and lived on my own. A very serious young man I was. Of course, I thought those were the manly virtues I had to emulate.

How often do 16,17 year olds work part time now? I just looked it up, much less than when I was in my teens. That makes a difference in my view. We were considered little adults then. Not children.
 
muscleupcrohn said:
It really depends on what we mean by adult? Legally? That depends on the country and the law(s) in question. Morally or ethically? That also depends on the culture and historical context. Developmentally? Depends on what sort of development we’re talking about? Responsibility and decision making wise? Not typically here in the US, but you can say the same about some 30,40, etc year olds too.

TL;DR: it’s complicated.
Click to expand...

This about sums it up. The definition is different and subjective because what I think an adult is, could be different from someone else. Legally, yes, 18 is an adult.
 
Far too many variables for a definitive answer but it terms of developmentally i think theres been a generational shift (at least in the uk anyway).

20 years ago 18 year olds were working (at least part time), getting married, moving out of home etc they understood personal resonsibility.

Nowadays its really common for mid to late 20 somethings to still live at home, not work, dont know how to cook or clean or look after themselves - in my opinion thats not an adult. Of course there is always ex exceptions but seeing it more and more
 
Try discussing anabolics in here if you are under 21.
You are not an adult according to Anabolic Minds, and I'm ok with that.

Most developmental stages of life are not complete well into one's mid 20's, and later.
I don't care about perceived maturity. It's a fallacy.
 
justhere4comm said:
Try discussing anabolics in here if you are under 21.
You are not an adult according to Anabolic Minds, and I'm ok with that.

Most developmental stages of life are not complete well into one's mid 20's, and later.
I don't care about perceived maturity. It's a fallacy.
Click to expand...

This I see is a problem as there are definitely standards which separate adulthood from childhood. There can and should be overlap. There should also be a clear demarcation between one and other. Typically self-awareness vs. self-absorption is the key. Long range planning rather than immediate need/want satisfaction. That appears to me to have been the determinant.

There does appear to me to have been a tendency to term an undesirable belief as a fallacy to end all conversation. We had similar with our "whatever" back in my youth. Previous gen to mine no doubt had their own idiom.
 
UCSMiami said:
This I see is a problem as there are definitely standards which separate adulthood from childhood. There can and should be overlap. There should also be a clear demarcation between one and other. Typically self-awareness vs. self-absorption is the key. Long range planning rather than immediate need/want satisfaction. That appears to me to have been the determinant.

There does appear to me to have been a tendency to term an undesirable belief as a fallacy to end all conversation. We had similar with our "whatever" back in my youth. Previous gen to mine no doubt had their own idiom.
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We aren't far apart, but it is about a culture of change which can happen.

At the present:
Because momentary lapses in childishness should not be received as maturity.
It's a consistency that cannot be held by someone that remarks their inability to be termed mature.

We have bell curves for a reason, wether it be accurate or not, the data proves itself over time. Forcing someone into adulthood doesn't make them adults, it makes them incomplete; and lacking in what should have been a more sizable and healthy childhood.

There is a good reason for drugs being abused and later adults being placed on prescriptions for depression more and more, and it's not just the growth of population. Where I would agree with you is, we have legislated youth to death.

There are drugs and education that should be addressed. Marijuana should be legal.
The baby boomers have destroyed this country with regard to jailing non-violent offenders.

Moving forward:
Educate, and lift them up.

When I was young(er) in my late teens, I had access to a full bar (huge) at home, and was raised drinking with wine with my meals in moderation, and was told. You can have whatever you want, in our home but not outside it. I never drank to excess but two times in my life which I regretted. Much the opposite to my friends whom lived in very conservative homes who placed themselves in harms way, too numerous to count. Some almost died.

Change the culture, and you will change everything. Sounds easy.
 
justhere4comm said:
Because momentary lapses in childishness should not be received as maturity.
It's a consistency that cannot be held by someone that remarks their inability to be termed mature.

We have bell curves for a reason, wether it be accurate or not, the data proves itself over time. Forcing someone into adulthood doesn't make them adults, it makes them incomplete; and lacking in what should have been a more sizable and healthy childhood.
Click to expand...

Above basic needs our entire society is a situational construct and there are different perceived values depending on culture, geography, class or social order. etc. A massive 3D table with inputs.

I cannot fathom my father's generation, b.1926, although they appear similar to ours. I also cannot understand today's gen. again although there is similarity. I know my own and our standards because I lived it.

I do notice the rationalization for pushing maturity deeper into the 20s than previously although we would not want that condition or label to be imposed on ourselves. It is for others who cannot fit into society.
 
Look at who's making the laws of our land. OLD FARTS.
Get some young blood in there then!

Moving sideways:
Women. More women!
Do you think marijuana would still be illegal if more women were in places of power?
NO WAY.

This world needs more of a woman's perspective on life in the laws.
It can only be a good thing as I see it.


Way sideways towards another topic and an ironic observation (sorry)
I don't have all the answer, and probably maybe not many, but we need change
from what we have now, and drastically / desperately in the direction of more freedom
and less restrictions.

I'm astounded at how many conservatives there are in here yet,
for the purpose of what? To take away your freedom to choose what to put in your body?

Then you act shocked when they legislate your favorite whatever into a drug classification
and take it away in lieu of the Pharmaceutical Industry of idiots.
 
See, that was being immature.

Time for me to put away the cigarette and highball and pull my belt out.

I will beat that progressive crap out of you. Damn it.
 
justhere4comm said:
How so? I presented a logical argument based on a system that has failed, and offered up a possible solution.
I'm agreeing with you, or so I thought.
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Somewhere along the way someone has to standup and say "get your **** together". Usually it is Dad or Mom when we are in those ages where we can be left alone with tasks-maybe ages 12-17. Progressively more responsibility with age and positive results.

I added some humor into that post to lessen the blow. I have become magnanimous that way in my old age. Dale Carnegie would approve I hope.

As for more women in control, my mom was/is a Tiger Mom. Pure female Sgt. Rock. Still is at age 83. To paraphrase an old saying about strong women "she was the only real man in all of Spain".
 
UCSMiami said:
Somewhere along the way someone has to standup and say "get your **** together". Usually it is Dad or Mom when we are in those ages where we can be left alone with tasks-maybe ages 12-17. Progressively more responsibility with age and positive results.

I added some humor into that post to lessen the blow. I have become magnanimous that way in my old age. Dale Carnegie would approve I hope.
Click to expand...

It's for Mom and or Dad to put that in place early and often but subtly.
Heck yeah, I was working for my dad at 14 in the warehouse, but I had a childhood in parallel yet learned to respect liquor without abusing it.

It was my parents that dosed the adulthood in the right amounts.

I don't need the law to tell me what is right or wrong, as I had good parents.
I don't need a priest to tell me about heaven or hell, it isn't necessary if you live a good life based on good parents.

Being thoughtful was imparted to me early in my life.
We all die. Be nice anyway.

We have this disconnect between family and law, and a misconception of taking people out of society because they smoked a plant. Yet, at a certain age they can buy alcohol and smoke a cigarette that will most certainly age their bodies and minds prematurely.

Sidebar
My father died from cancer and he smoked Camels. Another irony. He sued them and won $200 posthumously through me carrying on the suit. They spam my email with ads for cigarettes on a weekly basis. I don't block them because I never want to forget what they did, and continue to do to others. I know, holding grudges is not mature.
 
justhere4comm said:
Look at who's making the laws of our land. OLD FARTS.
Get some young blood in there then!

Moving sideways:
Women. More women!
Do you think marijuana would still be illegal if more women were in places of power?
NO WAY.
Click to expand...

I'm all for more women and legalizing marijuana, but what gives you the idea that it would already be legal if there were more women in power?
 
rascal14 said:
I'm all for more women and legalizing marijuana, but what gives you the idea that it would already be legal if there were more women in power?
Click to expand...

A few reasons.
I'd like to hear why you think maybe otherwise.

1. Overturning a large product that serves a privatized prison for profit system would end.
2. It was made law by men taking money from big Pharma lobbyists
3. It would actually end a waste of money spent on a war on drugs that could be spent elsewhere, and think women specific

I can probably think of some more reasons aside from less war when women would be in power.
The ish that happens now would not.

Budgets suddenly would look to be balanced.
Think of the best families and it's all based on a strong woman propping up a man.
 
justhere4comm said:
A few reasons.
I'd like to hear why you think maybe otherwise.

1. Overturning a large product that serves a privatized prison for profit system would end.
2. It was made law by men taking money from big Pharma lobbyists
3. It would actually end a waste of money spent on a war on drugs that could be spent elsewhere, and think women specific

I can probably think of some more reasons aside from less war when women would be in power.
The ish that happens now would not.

Budgets suddenly would look to be balanced.
Think of the best families and it's all based on a strong woman propping up a man.
Click to expand...
Because only male politicians accept money from lobbyists? And female politicians never support unnecessary war and military intervention? Where is your evidence that female politicians are better able to balance budgets than their male counterparts?
 
justhere4comm said:
A few reasons.
I'd like to hear why you think maybe otherwise.

1. Overturning a large product that serves a privatized prison for profit system would end.
2. It was made law by men taking money from big Pharma lobbyists
3. It would actually end a waste of money spent on a war on drugs that could be spent elsewhere, and think women specific

I can probably think of some more reasons aside from less war when women would be in power.
The ish that happens now would not.

Budgets suddenly would look to be balanced.
Think of the best families and it's all based on a strong woman propping up a man.
Click to expand...

Number 2 is a complete lie, but feel free to post citations if you can support it. Nixon hated hippies (don't disagree with him) and that's how pot became a controlled substance. It had nothing to do with big pharma lobbyists.

As for this belief that women would have made marijuana legal by now, you're ignoring a lot. Woman have historically been more vocal about removing vices from society, especially ones that might affect children. It was Tipper Gore, not Al Gore, who led the attack on offensive lyrics in music. It was Nancy Reagan, not Ronald, who started the Just Say No campaign.
 
muscleupcrohn said:
Because only male politicians accept money from lobbyists? And female politicians never support unnecessary war and military intervention? Where is your evidence that female politicians are better able to balance budgets than their male counterparts?
Click to expand...
But....but...Hillary Clinton!
 
Aleksandar37 said:
Number 2 is a complete lie, but feel free to post citations if you can support it. Nixon hated hippies (don't disagree with him) and that's how pot became a controlled substance. It had nothing to do with big pharma lobbyists.

As for this belief that women would have made marijuana legal by now, you're ignoring a lot. Woman have historically been more vocal about removing vices from society, especially ones that might affect children. It was Tipper Gore, not Al Gore, who led the attack on offensive lyrics in music. It was Nancy Reagan, not Ronald, who started the Just Say No campaign.
Click to expand...
Going way back didn’t the lumber industry feel threatened by potential use of hemp for paper and it all started back then?
 
I was. Ironically, I made more incorrect decisions later in life when I had much money and life experience than I did then when I was poor.
 
You are as adult as you need to be and you will never adult more than that, IMO.

I've met 60yr olds who seem 13 to me.
But I would trust my 15yr old with any adult task in the world, including driving me to the hospital in an emergency.
 
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