So, I'm guessing that you earned $100 with a summer job and your dad's not letting you buy that sweet new pair of sneakers that all the cool kids are wearing.
I think he should give you that $100 no questions asked....after you give him the several-thousand dollars it's cost him to feed, clothe, and shelter you for the past 16 years.
I think he should give you that $100 no questions asked....after you give him the several-thousand dollars it's cost him to feed, clothe, and shelter you for the past 16 years.
Man, the 21 thing is such crap, I'm 21 in a month and a half. I'm not going to be materially different then, so why am I unfit to consume now but I'll be fine then? And how can I sign up for selective service before I am fully considered an adult by society?
SarcasticDwarf
Diamond Member
- Jun 8, 2001
- 9,574
- 2
- 76
Actually, the whole age issue is one that makes no sense.
An 18 year old is old enough to die for his country, but not to drink (yes, you can legally drink on base/post, but not off post. Regardless, you are just the same as every other 18 year old)
A 20 year old can be married and have kids, but not drink.
A 14 year old can be tried as an adult, yet not be considered an adult under any other circumstances.
In the end, the age designations are arbitrary. The age of maturity is generally a couple of years lower in every other country in the world, and the people there seem to actually be turning out slightly better.
An 18 year old is old enough to die for his country, but not to drink (yes, you can legally drink on base/post, but not off post. Regardless, you are just the same as every other 18 year old)
A 20 year old can be married and have kids, but not drink.
A 14 year old can be tried as an adult, yet not be considered an adult under any other circumstances.
In the end, the age designations are arbitrary. The age of maturity is generally a couple of years lower in every other country in the world, and the people there seem to actually be turning out slightly better.
Inspector Jihad
Lifer
- Apr 17, 2005
- 13,465
- 3
- 81
Exactly. Let's not joke around here, maybe by 20 you can handle your drinking, but maybe not. The question is not where the line is, but why is there a line... Because a 5 year old cannot handle his drinking, and he/she can't make good decisions either. And how many 18 year olds do you know that are irresponsible? The point is to limit what people can do until they are ready to do do those things responsibly.
BoomerD
No Lifer
- Feb 26, 2006
- 66,432
- 14,841
- 146
Yeah, the being able to serve in the military, yet not be legal to drink has never sat well with me (or many people), BUT, since not all "young adults" (between 18 and 21) enlist in the military, lowering the drinking age LEGALLY puts alcohol in the hands of many who are still in school.
I'm o ld enough to remember several states with drinking ages of 18 or 19. Still lots of kids in high school at 18, and a few still in at 19. Always seemed to be problems with drinking at school, or drunk driving accidents involving kids back then. Not that it's really a lot different today, since you can almost always find someone (wino or? ) whose willing to buy it for you...or someone who is willing to steal it from their parents...
Personally, I've always supported amending the law to allow anyone who is in the military to drink...as long as they have their military ID. If you can go die for the country, you should be able to have a beer with your dinner...
kranky
Elite Member
- Oct 9, 1999
- 21,019
- 156
- 106
If minors would be allowed to control their own finances, and enter into contractual agreements, I would quit my job and start my own business in a heartbeat. I would become a millionaire in under a year, legally extracting money from minors who don't know what they are doing.
Before a certain point, minors don't have the physical cognitive development to fully grasp the ramifications of many types of decisions, especially in respect to the effects those decisions will have on other people, etc.
Hell, your prefrontal cortex doesn't even finish developing until your early-20's.
Hell, your prefrontal cortex doesn't even finish developing until your early-20's.
Why are we talking about abortion and the drinking age? That's not what this is about. You're whining about not getting to spend your allowance money on a PS3 or something.
Ownership? Voting? Do you really want some 12 year old kid voting? A 12 year old who is still influenced by Captain Crunch commercials? 18 makes sense since 18 year olds go to war. I personally think the drinking age should be 18 for that same reason. Age of consent? Should we lower it so that pervs can have sex with children? Let's face it, a 17 year old is still a child. I thought I was immortal, unstopable, and untouchable when I was 17 and I don't think that qualifies me as an adult. The vast majority are like that. They haven't got a clue. Condoms? STD's? Common sense? Ha!
When you're a kid you think you know everything. Truth is you don't. Working all summer and spending that money on baseball cards hardly makes sense when you could be using it to buy a nicer car in a few years. Maybe your parents would rather teach you how to invest your money in mutual funds. Maybe they just want to teach you not to jump in on every fad. Maybe they just don't want you to be materialistic. Maybe they simply don't want to buy you everything so they're going to make you save your money for those things that you REALLY want. Most importantly, maybe they're trying to teach you the difference between wanting something and needing something.
What I hate is the absolute nature of the distinctions. I like the graduated nature of driving licenses in (most?) states, and I think this principle should be applied to more rights of majority. Children are adults in training, and the "think of the children" crowd forgets this all too often.
I assumed it was sarcasm at first but Judging by other responses in the thread I thought he was serious. Whatever.
JulesMaximus
No Lifer
- Jul 3, 2003
- 74,586
- 986
- 126
Exactly. I think the reason why they choose 21 is because they don't want kids in HS drinking, nonetheless they do it anyways.
Minors have fewer rights than adults to give them a chance to learn how to survive in society, as well as proper grammer. With rights come responsibilities, and if all were bestowed at birth, a LOT of kids would be taken advantage of and end up horribly in debt, under a stifling contract that they can't break, or dead. The law is designed to protect minors. Obviously everyone can throw around the example of someone under 18 who's very responsible, or someone who's 35 and still horribly irresponsible, but the fact of the matter is that age does tend to bring about a greater sense of responsibility. A few exceptions can hardly disprove the rule. Is it arbitrary? Sure. Deal with it, it's impossible to write laws that reflect real life with 100% accuracy. Especially not once the lawyers are done with them.
As for "not being able to own anything" because the bank freezes your money...when you're under 18, you usually deal in CASH.
As for "not being able to own anything" because the bank freezes your money...when you're under 18, you usually deal in CASH.
Do what I did. I left the country when I was 18 (not military).
Just don't do what I did and come back before you turn 21. Those 6 months were total crap.
SarcasticDwarf
Diamond Member
- Jun 8, 2001
- 9,574
- 2
- 76
Yes and no. I think the age progression the US has causes enough problems as it is (16 to drive, 18 to be a regular adult, 21 to driink, 25 to rent a car + other minor things). That is a five year gap (minimum) as it is.
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