Adulthood

[guywithashovel]

Essentially, when does it officially begin? Can we set a definite boundary between childhood and adulthood? Can we say that people are adults when they turn 18, 21, or any other age?

Lately, sociologists have coined a term called "Emerging Adulthood" which refers to the transitional period that many young people nowadays go through between adolescence and what most people would consider to be full fledged adulthood.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/ma...pagewanted=all

There is an article that discusses that in a little more detail.

It has been found that people are now taking longer to do many of the so-called "adult" things (e.g. finishing school, getting married, living on your own, having kids) then they have in the past. As the article points out, in the late seventies, the median age for marrying was 21 for women and 23 for men, but nowadays those numbers are in the late twenties. People are also waiting longer to have kids. Some people cite these things as harbingers of kids clinging to immaturity. Personally, I see it as people taking on big responsibilities when they're older, wiser, and more mature and possibly more financially stable.

[Amanita]

^This, SO this. I really hate marriage and having kids being considered an essential part of adulthood. Not everyone is suited for marriage or childcare, and if anything I think it's more mature to really recognize in yourself the fact that you may be one of these types not suited for either, than to blindly do it "because it's what you do".

I work full time and can't afford to live on my own. Even in my town, rent for a place not falling apart or in an unsafe neighborhood is steep, and getting moreso. Due to a past really bad experience, I won't take a stranger as a roommate (I've seen what damage one person can do to an otherwise happy household), and none of my friends need roommates either. That, and my job (security) is kind of unpredictable- I've gone long lengths of time between full time jobsites, which would be untenable if I were paying rent.

[Greenday]

I'd say adulthood starts when you become fully independent. It's when you no longer have to rely on your parents to supply everything for you. For instance, my sister and I (27 and 23 respectively) both still live at home. Yet we pay rent and pay all our own bills. This would qualify us as adults.

Some college kids like to think they are adults just because they are 18 or older. This is simply not true. If you are 22, living in an apartment paid for by mommy and daddy, your car is completely paid for by mommy and daddy, your phone is paid for by the parents, etc., that makes you not an adult.

[bara]

I have to agree with you three. Being an adult is taking on full responsibility for yourself, your decisions, choices, and consequences.

I dont think my nephew is ever going to grow up.

[Andara Bledin]

Some people cite these things as harbingers of kids clinging to immaturity. Personally, I see it as people taking on big responsibilities when they're older, wiser, and more mature and possibly more financially stable.

The idea that this is a sign of adolescents refusing to grow up is bullshit.

All it really amounts to is that some people are more willing these days to go after their own personal goals as opposed to following the expectation of the requisite spouse and 2.3 kids.

My ex was one of those "get married, have kids, live happily ever after" types, and I'm not sure he's ever actually become a real adult. I blame his mother, who was a smothering, helicopter type. His second wife, like him, is also incredibly immature (I suspect her parents are the enabler types, who are always there for her to run back to) and I'm sorry to note that he's going to an early grave because neither of them is willing to act responsibly and he's diabetic. >_<

As for when you reach that state: It differs for everyone. Some people are mature, responsible, and capable of taking care of themselves in their early teens. Others never really get there at all.

Generally speaking, the late teens are close enough to the mean to be a useful guide, but it's good for people to have a support network to fall back upon for 5 or so years because starting out on your own will include missteps, and it's easier to have confidence in what you're doing if you know that if you make an honest mistake, it won't cripple your ability to try again.

^-.-^

[anakhouri]

I don't see it as immaturity; I see it as a result of the fact that people live longer, well into their 70s or 80s or longer, and are probably not going to die at 60 anymore, so they don't have to rush into things. I married at 26 and had my son at 30, which seems to be the norm for my social group.

[jackfaire]

I see it as a harbinger of humans finally reaching maturity. In the past Adulthood was "Do what your parents expect never question if your happy just do what your told"

Adulthood becoming cycle of forcing your world view on your kids and expecting them to relive your life who in turn was reliving your parents life.

What they are seeing is more and more kids going, "Wait why do I have to live my life the way my parents will be happy with? They don't have to live the life I do and if it makes me miserable how is that a good thing"

This was all done under the mythos that if you are your own person with your own thoughts, opinions, and ideas that you are being disrespectful to your parents.

[bhskittykatt]

I see adulthood as becoming independent and legally responsible for yourself.

I'm not sure that's the same as "growing up". Yeah, I'm an adult. I work. I'm married. I do taxes and crap like that. But if I want to eat chocolate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, then dammit that's what I'm going to do! If I want to sit on my arse and play video games all day, and then go clubbing all night, I'm an adult, I can do that, but am I really "grown up?" F**k no. Grown-ups are boring. Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!