How did we get the specific age number for Age of Consent, Age of Voting, Gun ownership, Driver License, etc.. when age is often subjective for maturity?

Question

Not a pedophile, just wondering.

In: Other

Answer 1

The public, through a tug-and-pull using culture and politics is able to generally settle on an age number for different issues. If the age number is too high, the majority of people are discontent with not being allowed a freedom and the age is tugged down. If the age is too low, the unwanted consequences of immature actors is either too severe or complicated for society to be peaceful and the age is tugged up. Culture generally sets the expectations, then politics reflects the age of least pushback, and the tension between the two end up at any given age. Even though maturity is a complicated biological and psychological concept that can vary widely over populations, societies can usually organically calibrate a rough number.