From The Telegraph: Adulthood does not begin until 24, scientists have concluded because young people are continuing their education for longer and delaying marriage and parenthood.
The traditional definition for adolescence is currently between and the ages of 10 and 19, which marked the beginnings of puberty and the perceived end of biological growth.
But, writing in the Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, scientists from the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne argue the timings needs to be changed.
They point to the fact that the brain continues to mature beyond the age of 20, and many people’s wisdom teeth do not come through until the age of 25.
And people are also getting married and having children later, with the average man entering their first marriage aged 32.5 and women 30.6, an increase of eight years since the 1970s.
Lead author Prof Susan Sawyer, said delays in young people leaving education, settling down and becoming parents, showed adolescence was now longer and argued that policies that support youth should be extended beyond teenage years.
Countries such as New Zealand already treat children who have been in care as vulnerable until they are 25, allowing them the same rights as youngsters. “Age definitions are always arbitrary,” she said, but “our current definition of adolescence is overly restricted.”
“The ages of 10-24 years are a better fit with the development of adolescents nowadays.”
However other academics argued that just because young people were unmarried or still in education did not mean they were not fully functioning adults.
But Dr. Jan Macvarish, a parenting sociologist at the University of Kent, told the BBC: “There is nothing inevitably infantilising about spending your early 20s in higher education or experimenting in the world of work. Society should maintain the highest possible expectations of the next generation.”
Prof. Sawyer also admits there could be downsides to the plan, particularly if youngsters were no longer seen as responsible or capable of full engagement in society until they were 24. “Such a view would risk disenfranchising adolescents and undermines their rights to fully participate in society,” she added.
DCG
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it doesnt matter what science say,its an atheist science,just wondering y the science does not have anything to say about pedophilies,or about how is it to feel a man wen u rape a child,a woman n so forth…science think its god but its only evil
Big Nannyism– there is certainly something inherently infantilizing about left/libtard progressive crud though.
Anonymous . . . . the greatest retardant to young people reaching maturational age is the brainwashing they receive in public schools. Being taught that you are special, if you just show up–you’re a winner! Universities making every attempt to stifle young people from hearing opposing views, providing young people with “safe zones.” If you or I were treated like we were a mentally challenged marshmallow, we would probably need “safe zones” also. People grow up just as fast as they are expected to, and not a minute sooner . . . unless there is some underlying physical or intellectual… Read more »
Thats all bunk, today marriage is not important, living together is because if it doesn’t work out the couples split and move on until the next relationship, parenthood in some cases women prefer to be single moms, I still believe the right thing to do is get married and raise children the right way, when it comes to education it is very expensive unless the parents sacrifice to get the children ahead, but leave to the “educators” they are the indoctrinators of the future liberal generations.
This is simply a search for funds. The longer there are “children” the longer the state’s minions can get paid.
alan . . . . that was really short n’ sweet. I agree when those who work as state workers can get paid to hold the hands of young people, who should be, on a ever progressive basis, making their own way in the world . . . they (the employees) will continue to run this scam on the rest of the population. All the while collecting their paycheck!
Myself, I have said often that ever since the age of 15, I have considered myself an adult. I earned my own money to buy my clothes, pay for anything I needed, etc. My parents did put a roof over my head and feed me, but if they were to have asked me to pay rent, I could have. I have a twin brother who was into trouble, and I remember giving my parents advice on what to do about him, at the age of 16. So I find reports such as this ridiculous. There was the story of the… Read more »
Well said! Like the old saying, Old age is inevitable. Growing up is optional.
pigpen51 . . . . Bravo! That was absolutely eloquent. i certainly do agree, the one thing that is sorely missing from the education of today’s young people is that they are not taught in most instances . . . CHARACTER! Far too many young people have no set of expectations to live up to, thus they do not try to be people who excel at anything. I certainly do agree . . . “. . . life can start at the age of 25, or it can start at age 17, or it can start at 50.” Think about… Read more »
[…] via Due to delaying work and marriage, scientists say adulthood now begins at 24 — Fellowship of the M… […]
Think this is bad? Drive a cab for a living. I swear to The Man Upstairs that, after being in this business for 32 years (the last 22 full-time), the majority of men in it have the intellectual and emotional development of junior high school jerks! I have bumped into a very large number of men, in their 40’s, 50’s and even their 70’s who stopped growing up at the age of about, Oh, ELEVEN. All Right, some people can’t help themselves. But this is what the cabbie and the New York Times reader have in common: They both have… Read more »
You got it– progressive Democrat voters, both of ’em.
I love that picture.
It’s not just men, women are guilty of it too. I know of some socialist nuts, they’re deluded about reality. And they are not happy, both are divorced (though one had a husband who cheated on her, but anyone could have spotted him as a total loser- I did at age 8!). They are “feminists” too. It’s a train wreck. They are intelligent, but any real man they would not want to hook up with.
Reblogged this on World4Justice : NOW! Lobby Forum..
Anyone who has dealt with snowflakes realizes that adulthood doesn’t set in today till about age 56.
Hey, I resemble that remark!
Then there are the ones that never grow up. The ones that never assume responsibility. What amazes me is that they always find someone to support them. A women will find man that puts up with her. A man will find a women that puts up with him.
Cabin1954 . . . . Well, I suppose that just depends on what you are willing to put up with.
That’s odd. Many women seek to separate from me with all the fervor they would wish to escape a burning house.
Maybe that’s because they just stole your wallet!
May be a growth industry in some quarters…
One approach leads to hope, the other slavery. Can you guess which Is which?
Unfortunately—-there has been a lag in the time coordination/stats between achieving “adulthood” and the average age of death in the USA…….so, for instance, in the past…”adulthood” might have been deemed about aged 18-21…..& the age of death at about average 75-80. BUT…NOW…the age of “adulthood” is aged 24 or 25—and the average age of death in the US has DECLINED about 5 years..to..aged 70-75 (for the first time in a century…..) SO—–a loss of a decade of productive life when you combine the losses on either end. STAGGERING for the US economy, social and “family” life. Also, a sad and… Read more »