When Do We Really Become Adults? Part 3

Stage 2: Freedom vs. Responsibility

        So what is the next exciting step in our search for grown-updom? The next step is turning eighteen. At eighteen years of age there is a slew of things that we are now able to do.we can vote, smoke, buy a lottery ticket (in some states), enlist in the Military, get a tattoo,  sign legal documents including; this includes: marriage and divorce papers, lawsuits, adoptions, and the list goes on. For all intensive purposes, you are an adult. Here is what I think and I am sure most of you will agree:

          1. Voting.

                 Seriously? Who came up with this idea. On what planet are 18 year old minds capable of the critical thinking that it truly requires to select the leaders of our state and nation? At 18 years of age, most people are still voting the same way their parents are. This may or may not change over time, but people should be having some actual thoughts of their own and be able to logically defend them before given a say in a democratic election. Most 18 year old minds do not adequately understand the issues and either over or under estimate the amount of authority these elected officials have. We may as well tell them don't vote and give their parents a few extra votes for the next several years.

         2. Get married and divorced.

                  Now maybe I'm a little biased because I waited until I was in my 30's to get married, but 18 years old is a bit young to decide that you can spend the rest of your life with one person. People change a lot during their teen years and their 20's. At 18 years old, we really don't understand what for richer or poorer, for better or worse, and in sickness and in health really mean. At 18 we don't think that we may lose our homes or get cancer or have to deal with an affair. At 18, everything is great and wonderful, we are unable to realize that the world may not be kind to us and that choosing a life partner should be more than he's hot or I really love him. And 18 year olds wouldn't need to be able to get divorced if they weren't allowed to marry.

         3.Enlisting in the Military.

                     At 18 years old the government has decided that you can't drink alcohol and you can't gamble, but they will be proud to have you sign up to join the US Military. This means that we think 18 year old mind are capable of deciding to sacrifice their lives not just for our freedom and the freedom of others, but also for the interests of the US government.  I don't know if 18 is an appropriate age to be given a gun and asked to kill or die for your country, but if it is, you certainly should be able to have a beer after they take that bullet out of you!

           There are so many other things that we are free to do at the age of a8, but at that age we still don't understand the difference between a right and a privilege. We are now able to make permanent life altering decisions, but the funny thing is, no one is surprised when an 18 year olds idea of forever doesn't last more than a few years.

 <<< Back                        Home                    Stage 3: The Vegas Years.