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Brain maturity: Should we re-examine when we let kids loose onto the world?

radcen

radcen

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Brain Maturity Extends Well Beyond Teen Years

Brain Maturity Extends Well Beyond Teen Years : NPR
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There's a lot of talk and growing research regarding when a person's brain is fully developed. The general consensus right now is roughly 25 years of age. (YMMV) The link above is one example of many.

So, the question for this thread is: She we as a society re-examine when we allow people to do things like join the military, graduate from high school, enter into contracts, and so on? Or, should we leave things as they are? If we leave things as they are, age 18-ish for most things, then are we being fair in holding them accountable if they ostensibly don't understand the full ramifications of their actions?

Discuss. :cool:
 
radcen said:
There's a lot of talk and growing research regarding when a person's brain is fully developed. The general consensus right now is roughly 25 years of age. (YMMV) The link above is one example of many.

So, the question for this thread is: She we as a society re-examine when we allow people to do things like join the military, graduate from high school, enter into contracts, and so on? Or, should we leave things as they are? If we leave things as they are, age 18-ish for most things, then are we being fair in holding them accountable if they ostensibly don't understand the full ramifications of their actions?

Discuss. :cool:
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I think it's one the way it is. Yeah, young eople make alots of mistakes and bad decisions, but the reality is that those bad decisions and mistakes help us to grow and learn. If we don't ever let young people fall, they'll never learn how to get up. In fact? We've done a fairly good job of handicapping our kids as it is.
 
radcen said:
There's a lot of talk and growing research regarding when a person's brain is fully developed. The general consensus right now is roughly 25 years of age. (YMMV) The link above is one example of many.

So, the question for this thread is: She we as a society re-examine when we allow people to do things like join the military, graduate from high school, enter into contracts, and so on? Or, should we leave things as they are? If we leave things as they are, age 18-ish for most things, then are we being fair in holding them accountable if they ostensibly don't understand the full ramifications of their actions?

Discuss. :cool:
Click to expand...

No. We have had people being forced to function as adults as young as age 14. If someone isn't mature enough to be let loose on the world by age 18 then they never will be.
 
You need independence to help the brain develop.
 
This is where parenting would go a long way to helping young adults be ready to join the flock........
 
radcen said:
There's a lot of talk and growing research regarding when a person's brain is fully developed. The general consensus right now is roughly 25 years of age. (YMMV) The link above is one example of many.

So, the question for this thread is: She we as a society re-examine when we allow people to do things like join the military, graduate from high school, enter into contracts, and so on? Or, should we leave things as they are? If we leave things as they are, age 18-ish for most things, then are we being fair in holding them accountable if they ostensibly don't understand the full ramifications of their actions?

Discuss. :cool:
Click to expand...

In general, my observations would lead me to suspect that it might indeed be right that persons behavior matures later than 18, though intellectually they might be quite well developed by 16.
 
radcen said:
There's a lot of talk and growing research regarding when a person's brain is fully developed. The general consensus right now is roughly 25 years of age. (YMMV) The link above is one example of many.

So, the question for this thread is: She we as a society re-examine when we allow people to do things like join the military, graduate from high school, enter into contracts, and so on? Or, should we leave things as they are? If we leave things as they are, age 18-ish for most things, then are we being fair in holding them accountable if they ostensibly don't understand the full ramifications of their actions?

Discuss. :cool:
Click to expand...

Nope. We are built the way we are to endure in a state of nature, with more trials and tribulations than our current soft cultures recognize.

What we consider "juveniles" who need extra special protection today were considered adults as soon as they could create children for the first 100,000 or so years of Homo Sapien existence.

Stop coddling them. Let them be what God and Nature intended.
 
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joG said:
In general, my observations would lead me to suspect that it might indeed be right that persons behavior matures later than 18, though intellectually they might be quite well developed by 16.
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What's intellectually? A 16-year-old has very few emotional tools to help him navigate life. And, although they THINK they know everything, they most certainly aren't even halfway "there."
 
MaggieD said:
What's intellectually? A 16-year-old has very few emotional tools to help him navigate life. And, although they THINK they know everything, they most certainly aren't even halfway "there."
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If a kid is well brought up and educated, it can know and use quite a lot of things. Beyond its years so to speak.
Maturity is different.
 
i believe we would have problems filling the military's ranks if we denied recruits the opportunity to enlist until their brain matured
 
justabubba said:
i believe we would have problems filling the military's ranks if we denied recruits the opportunity to enlist until their brain matured
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Though I don't agree with you, still...it's damned funny.
 
I think everyone's brain matures at different rates. Are we going to adjust the legality of things for everyone? I think, instead, we should actually teach them things that they're going to use. I think maybe the pressure of them deciding what to do with their life directly after high school be relieved. And damn it, if you can join the military at 17 then you can drink at 17. Countries around the world have people that drink from early on and have relatively little problem with it.
 
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