2007-09-01 21:00:54 · 12 answers · asked by small 7 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Yes, in effect it is. But we must never fall into the trap of believing that this is due to the adult condition itself, it is in fact due to that way that people view themselves and their lives.
An example of this is when I turned eighteen, I went to a pub with the family for dinner and ordered a beer. The waitress commented the I was 'an adult now'. Now since I had only had shandies before (lemonade/coke and beer mix) I could not drink the beer strait and had to order a lemonade to cut it with. This brought home the concept that although I was now in the eyes of society an adult, nothing in fact had changed for me. I was still the same person who I was the day before.
It is in fact peoples egos, the I have this and you don't attitude that brings this inflexibility on. They may talk to children (who of course do not have as much experience as them) and if the child makes a mistake they feel it is their prerogative to correct them. This then leads to a I know everything and you know nothing attitude. This is not in fact due to age but the effect of age, that being increased knowledge and ability, that leads to a heightened sense of ego and self importance.
Hope this helps.
2007-09-02 14:01:02 · answer #1 · answered by Arthur N 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
What the young do not know, is how much they don't know. patois nailed this one.
A 16 year old knows why they rarely, if ever, take advice from someone who's 8.
They are however frequently baffled why someone who's 32 would treat them the same way.
They conclude that adults must just be inflexible, because it's a lot easier on the ego than the likelihood that their parents know at least twice as much as they do.
TV shows reinforce this view. Lisa is brilliant, Homers is an idiot.
Also with rapid technological change a kid will sometimes know more about something specific, like a computer, than their parents; but this rarely translates into knowing more about life in general.
Don't get me wrong, sometimes the 8 or 16 year old does know best. But seriously, it's not the way to bet.
Here are a few quotes:
When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around.
But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned….
-Mark Twain-
In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few.
-Shunryu Suzuki-
The young believe they are smart, because they are not yet smart enough to know they are not.
-Quill-
2007-09-02 06:46:50 · answer #2 · answered by Phoenix Quill 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Joy Marie Diane Ann Margaret
2016-05-19 01:52:08 · answer #3 · answered by katharine 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If something is termed "adulterated" it refers to impurities. All ego-driven adults are at the mercy of inflexible belief systems which control their thoughts, feelings and perceptions, making them delusional and incapable of learning anything 'better.' Unlearning one's imprinted illusions is extremely challenging unless one is motivated by misery. Eventually it happens.
2007-09-02 11:15:27 · answer #4 · answered by MysticMaze 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe adulthood for all pratical purposes means you're screwed. It means you have to accept the world the way it is and live your life with other people always depending on you. It means you can't quit your job or you'll lose your home. You can't do whatever you want because of the responsibility that is tacted onto you. You'll be expected to conform to how every other adult is and start to be invited and expected to go to things you don't want to. It means you've lost most of you hope and most of the possiblities you had a child. It means you'll become who you're pretty much going to be for the rest of your life. Atleast, that's what I think it means.
2007-09-01 23:11:36 · answer #5 · answered by seidler_sureshot 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Actually, the opposite is true. The passage from the concrete thinking of childhood into more adaptive, flexible thinking is the course into adulthood. Not all people progress completely from concrete thinking into conceptual thinking. It's the residual concrete thinking of childhood that causes maladaptive behaviors in adulthood.
2007-09-01 21:12:48 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
The name or word is not adulthood, it is "aged". Ever hear the expression "You can't teach an old dog new tricks"?
2007-09-01 21:20:05 · answer #7 · answered by michelebaruch 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I think they stick to what they've already learned before and do not listen to youth any longer.
2007-09-01 21:26:56 · answer #8 · answered by Captain Jadeinne Sparrow 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
learning is a continuous process.
2007-09-01 21:28:22 · answer #9 · answered by ♥Slide♥ 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
no, it's supposed to be another name for knowing when to be close-minded and when not to be
2007-09-01 23:02:29 · answer #10 · answered by Jean Anderson 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋