The Age Of Maturity In The United States
Maturity
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “majority” means the age at which full civil rights are accorded, or the status of one who has attained this age. Legally, it is the phase of adulthood of an individual that is conceptualized and acknowledged by the law. In our society, this age may range from 18 to 21 and this status often serves as a declaration of both physical and emotional maturity. However, this is not the case for all people. Since “age of majority” is only coined as a legal term, it does not necessarily indicate physical or mental maturity in people. It just means that they have reached an age perceived as the proper age of adulthood, and that parental control ceases to restrict them from their full civil …show more content…
This brings us to a commonly debated question in our society. Why are there certain age restrictions with higher minimum age requirements than the legally accepted age of majority, for some privileges such as the drinking age? As pointed out by the definition of the word “majority” itself, it is the age, which in our case is 18, at which full civil rights are accorded. At this age, we are legally acknowledged to possess sufficient maturity and judgment to operate a motor vehicle, perform jury duty and we are even allowed to enlist in the military and go to war, but our very own laws and regulations denies the rights to purchase and consume alcohol. On what basis is the decision to restrict alcohol from anyone under 21 years old, while killing people in wars as young soldiers is absolutely legal, …show more content…
Parents are a major guiding force in an individual’s life, especially through the first 18 years. What parents teach their children will always be the difference maker in their children’s taste, views, lifestyle and most importantly, decision making and display of moral judgment. Parents must steer their children into the right and moral path as early as possible because this is just like planting a seed. The better the quality of the seed we plant, the better quality of crop we will get. If a child is raised in a controlled, caring, moral environment, he/she is more likely to grow into a moral, responsible and model individual as an adult. In a way, parents are given a time of 18 years (by this age most teenagers are released out of the parents’ control, mainly due to college education, or work/occupation demands) to nurture and shape the lifestyle and mindset of their
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “majority” means the age at which full civil rights are accorded, or the status of one who has attained this age. Legally, it is the phase of adulthood of an individual that is conceptualized and acknowledged by the law. In our society, this age may range from 18 to 21 and this status often serves as a declaration of both physical and emotional maturity. However, this is not the case for all people. Since “age of majority” is only coined as a legal term, it does not necessarily indicate physical or mental maturity in people. It just means that they have reached an age perceived as the proper age of adulthood, and that parental control ceases to restrict them from their full civil …show more content…
This brings us to a commonly debated question in our society. Why are there certain age restrictions with higher minimum age requirements than the legally accepted age of majority, for some privileges such as the drinking age? As pointed out by the definition of the word “majority” itself, it is the age, which in our case is 18, at which full civil rights are accorded. At this age, we are legally acknowledged to possess sufficient maturity and judgment to operate a motor vehicle, perform jury duty and we are even allowed to enlist in the military and go to war, but our very own laws and regulations denies the rights to purchase and consume alcohol. On what basis is the decision to restrict alcohol from anyone under 21 years old, while killing people in wars as young soldiers is absolutely legal, …show more content…
Parents are a major guiding force in an individual’s life, especially through the first 18 years. What parents teach their children will always be the difference maker in their children’s taste, views, lifestyle and most importantly, decision making and display of moral judgment. Parents must steer their children into the right and moral path as early as possible because this is just like planting a seed. The better the quality of the seed we plant, the better quality of crop we will get. If a child is raised in a controlled, caring, moral environment, he/she is more likely to grow into a moral, responsible and model individual as an adult. In a way, parents are given a time of 18 years (by this age most teenagers are released out of the parents’ control, mainly due to college education, or work/occupation demands) to nurture and shape the lifestyle and mindset of their