How Do They Decide the Age When You Become an Adult?

When do you become an adult? Kids think they are as smart as adults, and middle-aged people say they still don't "feel" adult. Maturity is a gradual process, a spectrum in which the amount of wisdom is hard to pin down. The question of when someone is mature "enough" for certain responsibilities has legal ramifications, so we set an age, whether it is applicable to everyone or not.

(YouTube link)

How does a culture set the age of consent? It depends on consent for what, then it depends on the culture, and on the real goal of setting a limit. In America, we legally allow 16-year-olds drive but not drink. In some European countries, one can drink at a much younger age than one can get a driver's license. It makes sense when you realize that Europeans can get around without driving, while in America, cross-country mass transit means buying an airline ticket. Simon Whistler of Today I Found Out tackles the question from several angles.

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That audiotape is terrifying

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I feel sorry for the woman and her loved ones, but if you believe in demons...how about ghosts? or fairies? maybe good luck charms, or voodoo dolls and black magic? How about prayer to imaginary gods?

Maybe this woman was just severely mentally ill possibly due, in part, to a strict religious upbringing/indoctrination.

That's my opinion.

Jill

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I've heard the excuse that religion is good for people who deal with depression, but I can tell you that with my friend who is bi-polar, the belief in alchemy and mysticism does little to offer him motivation on personal development. Statistics have shown that 79% of Native American shamans deal with Schizophrenia (and probably means the other 21% are frauds), and in a way, use that status to cope with the weird shiz going on in their head. But, I'm not surprised about the downsides it can bring as well, and I don't enjoy the idea of confusing some one's already disturbed reality with even more magical woo, and although things aren't perfect with our understanding of the brain, it's better then what any religion can cook up.

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I think it's a bit irresponsible to put this on an entertainment website. People who suffer from such problems should not be exposed to the curiosity of the public. The last sentence of the first paragraph of your quote shows the writer has an unnerving lack of empathy.