Why do people think that once you turn 18 you're an adult and fully responsible for your choices?

Question

There is CHRONOLOGICAL age, and then there is EMOTIONAL age. Some people may be mature beyond their years at 10, while others are immature at 50.

It has been my observation... and my own experience that many people who are 18 all the way into their 20s, do tend have the mind of someone who is 10 or 15 and make stupid choices that will affect them for the rest of their lives.

Now, why is it that few people take into consideration a person's emotional maturity when judging another person's actions?

Sleepybuckets says, "If a person doesnt have any common sense or maturity, then they are open targets for any sort of judgement that may be brought upon them."

My answer: Why is immaturity considered a character deficiency?

BAWAGS says, "Although I agree with your position that emotional varies greatly by the person, no matter their chronological age, I don't see how the average person can reasonably take that into account all the time. If I see a 25 year old do something stupid, I shouldn't be forced to wonder about his emotional age. He is an adult and certain behavior is expected."

My answer: Why not? The real problem here is that people are not understanding or empathetic enough of what others experience.

Justice shouldn't have to be a "one-size-fits-all" but rather it should fully take into consideration the circumstances behind what a person does. That's the only way true justice can be administered.

I'm not advocating ignoring the wronged party, but then again, justice should be administered in a way that is fair to BOTH sides, and in recent years, that hasn't necessarily happened.

Ultimately, I'm talking about LIFE in general, and not the legal system.

SMGray99 says, "People should be responsible for their own actions and own choices whether they are 8, 18, or 80. Excusing behavior because of immaturity, "boys will be boys", "everyone else did it", or other flimsy reasons only perpetrates problems. If you are not willing to accept responsibility then don't take the action. "

My answer: I see nothing wrong with justifying our choices, and those who preach at others doing so are no less guilty of doing so themselves. Life is about cause and effect, and both should be taken into consideration when administering justice.

Answer 1

Well, there has to be some sort of legal designation, so I guess 18 was arbitrarily picked as the age of legal adulthood. I agree with you though.

"many people who are 18 all the way into their 20s, do tend have the mind of someone who is 10 or 15 and make stupid choices that will affect them for the rest of their lives." This is the result of the prolonged adolescence unique to western cultures. Financially and emotionally, people are now remaining adolescent well into their 20's. Previously, people had to get a job and grow up emotionally as soon as possible (teens or even before) because there was not so much wealth in the world. Now, people can go to college, switch majors, get married and divorced and ther parents will support them. That didn't used to be the case. Adolsecence as a social class only started in the late 1940's. And in other countries, kids are expected to be on their own at a much earlier age, usually because the family is poor and cannot afford to continue supporting an able-bodied teenager.

People should consider others' emotional maturity, but the law has to be objective. Think how many discrimination lawsuits there would be if Person A is deemed mature and responsible for his own behavior at 15 but Person B is considered immature and gets away with things at age 25. That would just never fly!

Answer 2

Emotional age can be very objective. Even experts will give an emotional age range when more than one expert examine an individual. Chronological age is concrete and provable. So people use that as a basis for comparison. So too, does the legal system. Privileges are granted at certain chronological ages.

Although I agree with your position that emotional varies greatly by the person, no matter their chronological age, I don't see how the average person can reasonably take that into account all the time. If I see a 25 year old do something stupid, I shouldn't be forced to wonder about his emotional age. He is an adult and certain behavior is expected.

Plus, emotional maturity doesn't just happen on its own. An individual must strive to become more mature by taking on responsibilities a little at a time as they "grow up." And unfortunately, if we start pushing the use of emotional age, many will use that as an excuse for dumb behavior, rather than trying to become more mature.

Answer 3

Rather than dwell on when a person becomes an adult as that has been legally established I would rather address the responsible part. People should be responsible for their own actions and own choices whether they are 8, 18, or 80. Excusing behavior because of immaturity, "boys will be boys", "everyone else did it", or other flimsy reasons only perpetrates problems. If you are not willing to accept responsibility then don't take the action.

Answer 4

Turning 18 and being considered as an adult is not a choice. That is the LEGAL age that you are considered to be an adult and therefore you are responsible as an adult for your decisions both good and bad. It's as it should be. Some teenagers don't wait until they're 18 to act like adults and it causes problems for their parents because the law sees them as juvenilles.

Answer 5

Because some people are just dumbasses (experience 'television' for all sorts of examples).

If a person doesnt have any common sense or maturity, then they are open targets for any sort of judgment that may be brought upon them.

SNAP already.


***PS My answer to your answer is that it ISNT a big deal until they do, or say something STUPID which under the circumstances, is inevitable.

Answer 6

I think you are right. I think legally though, you are responsible for your actions as an adult at the age of 18.