Why are 18-year-olds treated like kids when they can vote, work, and go to war?

[Badtobad]

I am astonished how 18 year olds, especially women are infantalised, people say they don't know what they are doing, they are immature, etc. These are the same people who go to war, vote, drive cars, and work hard jobs.

People really are messed up today.

[OlderAndWiser]

1. Only 5.5% of the US armed forced are composed on individuals aged 18-21. https://www.mfan.org/methods-demographics/ Most people in that age range are not serving in the military.

2. People age 16 and 17 can drive cars and work at hard jobs. That does not automatically make them mature.

3. Maturity is not a unified quality that you either have all or none. The privilege not available to 18-20 years old is the ability to purchase and consume alcohol. In my state - Florida - the legal age for drinking was lowered to 18 in 1973, primarily on the basis of the logic you advance. In the following years, there was a drastic increase in the number of drunk driving incidents, including fatalities, and the drinking age was raised to 19 in 1980. The number of drunk driving incidents involving 19 and 20 years old was disproportionately high and the state legislature finally raised the drinking age back to 21 in 1986.

The experience with implementing this change provide evidence far stronger than the argument you advance.

[Badtobad]

What hard jobs do 16 year olds do?

18 year olds have all the rights of adults and do everything adults do except a few things like buying alcohol, and that's in the USA. In Europe, they can do everything any adults can do.

They carry responsibility just like any other adult, being able to go to war and people still claiming they are children is just ridiculous.

[OlderAndWiser]

Many 16 year old work in grocery stores and restaurants. When I was 17, I worked a construction job.

I have never heard anyone say that a 19 year old man or woman is a "child." Maturity is a process. It does not happen all at once. A young person can be mature in some ways and immature in other ways,

I suspect that you only want to argue with anyone who disagrees with you, so there is no reason to continue this dialogue.

[Badtobad]

Tons of people call them children, especially if they are dating a much older person for example. So they c3go to war but can't choose who they want to have sex with.

Society is truly messed up.

[OlderAndWiser]

There is no reason to continue this dialogue.

[strateguy632]

oh we need to give them equal rights but that does not mean they are mentally mature. look at what goes on in colleges. gen z or whatever they are called are not bright and as fragile as literal snowflakes.

the joke is 'a gen z got drafted...

[Badtobad]

Yet you send them to war and give them hard jobs and responsibilities.

You make no sense.

[strateguy632]

they played paintball to simulate battle. one guy got painted (it hurts!) he whined 'this is not a safe space'. 😁
the leader ordered a gal 'shoot him! shoot him! "
she asked 'are you sure?
i mean are you sure him is the right pronoun? "
😄

[strateguy632]

about send to war. if it were true: still army has a frame. where they watch the young soldiers and teach the officer classes and tell instructions called orders. it is not the young men and women deciding. it is the experienced ones who watch them. but truth is in the west they do not get 'sent' to war. they are not drafted.
the soldiers all volunteer.

[Badtobad]

Lol they don't care about them at all. They are treated like shit by older soldiers and go through things kids as you say, shouldn't. Lot of dangerous and demanding tasks, training etc.

They can do that but are still kids, yeah, ridiculous.

[exitseven]

Kids today are part of the generation that got a participation trophy. They have been coddled their whole lives and never learned the soft skills to navigate our sometimes cruel world.

[Badtobad]

That's weird considering you treat 18 year old girls like kids

[exitseven]

That's because they are kids

[Badtobad]

I thought you were just saying how they should be adults?

So how aren't 18 year old boys kids? You treat them as adults

You make no sense.

Either way calling 18 year olds kids is just ridiculous considering all the things I said they can do

[exitseven]

They are allowed to vote and serve in the military. They used to e allowed to drink and look how. Good rhat worked out

[Badtobad]

That still makes them adults.

[Badtobad]

That's a fact, not an opinion that they are adults. Why is this even a question!

In Europe, they can drink at 18.

[Lliam]

18 year girls are of legal age and many are definitely adult women.
Women tend to mature earlier than guys.
But if their parents are highly protective, 18 year old girls may lack real world experience.

Most 18 year old guys still act like high school kids. They are full of energy and mischief but still don't have good sense. Vital regions of their brains that are responsible for long-term planning, impulse control, and emotional maturity are still actively developing.

[DirtyOldMan777]

depends on which political party you are. dems flip flop both directions. Republicians want them to be adults with full adult perks.

[In_Trance]

Just because you can do all of those things doesn't mean you're an adult. How many 18-year-olds have taken on the responsibility of putting a roof over their own heads?

[Badtobad]

Some did, and you can't call someone that goes to war a kid. That's just stupid lol

[In_Trance]

You can't call them an adult either it's equally as stupid

[Badtobad]

No they are factually adults, your is an opinion

[In_Trance]

Yours is an opinion.
You base your opinion on social constructs established to control a society.
My opinion is based on taking responsibility for your own well being, actions and judgements

[Badtobad]

Yes 18 year olds do that all the time. They are adults factually

[In_Trance]

You asked a question, i answered. You don't have to like the answer. But it is consistent with the treatment you've been receiving prompting you to ask this question.
You just refuse to accept the fact that you're wrong and everyone else is right.
I think you're just here looking for an argument

[Badtobad]

Lol imagining being this deluded calling adults kids

But ok go on

[jahaims]

Because they are still dumbasses. You can go to war at 18 because that age is easier to manipulate into doing so.

[Badtobad]

That makes them adults then, whether you like it or not

[Bklynbadboy12]

Not all 18 year olds cause I moved out of my parents house at 18

[Badtobad]

Yet you treat 18 year olds like little kids, especially when they have sex with older people

[Bklynbadboy12]

I dont treat them like kids but people just aren't interested in a 50 year old having sex with a 18 year cause even though technically they're grown to a 50 year old they are a child

[Badtobad]

So? Still an adult. What you say makes no sense, they can't be a child and an adult.

[Bklynbadboy12]

Thats because your not trying to understand

[Badtobad]

No it's simple, they are an adult or not, and 18 year olds are adults, that's a fact

[Bklynbadboy12]

Depends on what city your in

[msc545]

Because many of them act like small children and are not mature.

[Micheal6918]

Because they just came out from being a teenager

[Badtobad]

Yet they are given dangerous and hard jobs. Makes no sense

[413kim]

I still get treated like a kid by lots

[Badtobad]

Do you act like a kid?

[Iron_Man]

Blame the parents for spoiling them

[Badtobad]

True

[Iron_Man]

Yes Bad Girl

[MasterKS]

people are fool.