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the Analogist · 08-09-2016 02:06 AM

Adulthood is not learning to provide for others, because then your adulthood is contingent upon your job/business. You dont enter or leave adulthood as a result of external factors.

Adulthood is not doing your duty, because sometimes orders need to be challenged.

Adulthood is not abandoning your hopes and dreams and submitting to "reality". Childishness and youthfulness are not the same thing.

Adulthood is not knowing your place, because it may be that you are more capable than your status allows.

The only qualities characteristic of something justifiebly called "adulthood" are any of those virtues recognizeable as good. One need not be "grown up" or a certain age to embody them. The old can rightly admire the young for what youthfulness they've lost and aging does not mean we must lose our youthfulness.

So what are the qualities of a grown up, not just an "adult" or someone who is older?

Honor, integrity, bravery, courage, intelligence, creativity, resiliance, curiosity, respectful, etc. etc. etc.

Anybody who, by their ACTIONS, embodies any of these virtues can qualify in my book as "mature". My two year olds embody several of them

Username · 08-09-2016 02:25 AM

(08-09-2016 02:06 AM)the Analogist Wrote: The only qualities characteristic

Ech?

Quote:justifiebly

...

Quote:recognizeable

Christ.

Quote:resiliance

Interesting.

Quote:curiosity, respectful, etc. etc. etc.

/chuckle

Quote:My two year olds embody several of them

Bit of a humblebrag, there.

the Analogist · 08-09-2016 03:57 AM

Hyperbole to drive the point home that "adulthood" is not owned by any age group

James Comey · 08-09-2016 03:49 PM

Interesting post. It's interesting how people just decide to give up on things and not try to change them, when even in the darkest of times, their actions do mean plenty. Simple, though you hit spot on in some points.

Rule_BreakerXVIII · 08-10-2016 02:22 AM

Lets see...are you saying maturity? and not adulthood? Because IMO there's a difference.

Adulthood is being able to provide for yourself and actually doing that; it implies, to me, a certain level of financial, social and personal independence and authority regarding yourself.

About maturity, as you said, it isn't limited to any age group. To me it means:

1)Recognizing that other people are as human as you are, and deserve the same respect and courtesy that you do- unless they invalidate that by their actions....and the same goes for all living things.

2)Mental clarity, as in knowing the difference between "I can't" (referring to ability, as in "I can't walk on water") and "I'm not allowed to" (mandatory restrictions imposed by society and other factors) , for example.

Yeah, that's all I can think of for now.

Cianna200 · 08-10-2016 04:22 AM

IMO, Adulthood is what you make of it, not what people tell you to do within or what is "true" adulthood.

James Comey · 08-10-2016 09:00 AM

the Analogist · 08-10-2016 10:22 PM

I think making adulthood contingent on external factors is wrong. "Provide for yourself" then you say "financial independence"... So poverty suggests that your adulthood is deficient?

James Comey · 08-11-2016 08:02 AM

(08-10-2016 10:22 PM)the Analogist Wrote: I think making adulthood contingent on external factors is wrong. "Provide for yourself" then you say "financial independence"... So poverty suggests that your adulthood is deficient?

I'm learning those "requirements" are much more fucking difficult to obtain than is said.

the Analogist · 08-12-2016 02:08 AM

Yeah. That is why "grown-ups" should be in charge.

Frequently they are not grown-up though

DreamRebel · 08-16-2016 01:41 PM

Anybody else notice the usage of young mountain goats?

Eidolon · 08-17-2016 06:36 AM

I think being an adult means having the capability and willingness to make one's own decisions and -- to a lesser degree -- capability and willingness to accept the consequences thereof.

Many young teenagers are this way. Many of you are this way. Sadly, many legal adults are not this way. Many legal adults refuse to accept that they have any fault or responsibility for their own well-being.
The legal definition of adulthood is garbage, and I don't think it should be used when discussing realities. The reality is that lots of young people are smart and mature and responsible, but the law doesn't reflect that. The reality is that lots of adults are stupid and immature and irresponsible, but the law gives them freedoms that minors cannot (legally) enjoy.

While we're on the subject, how do we define adulthood for other animals? As far as I know, it's purely based on physical characteristics; why should it be different for humans? Perhaps an "adult" human is simply someone who has lived past puberty. I think I'd be okay with that definition too.

the Analogist · 08-18-2016 12:53 AM

In Islam we usually say puberty is the stage when Allah begins recording your sins, so its when your actual capacity for reaponsibility is considered fully developed. Its why the Jews had bar mitvahs (spelling?)

DreamRebel · 08-18-2016 07:36 AM

I'm not Jewish myself, but I've seen it written before, so it's spelled right. Similarly, although obviously not signifying any closeness to or entrance into adulthood, kids have their first Reconciliation at around seven, at least in the Catholicism.

the Analogist · 08-19-2016 02:40 AM

The Prophet's (saws) cousin 'Ali (ra) recommended 4 stages of parenting at 7 year intervals. 0-7 play with them, 7-14 teach them, 14-21 befriend them, 21+ let them go.

Actual kids will impefectly grow up within this framework, but for conceptual purposes for parenting it makes sense. Getting kids ready for and respecting their adulthood you could gleam happens between 7-21, and if course some take on responsibility sooner

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