I’m not asking this from a biology lens, I get that aspect, but more from the sociology/anthropology lens. My question is which culture started using 18 as this hard cutoff, when, and under what reasoning.
In: Other
It is subjective, which is why it’s different everywhere. Even within a given society, different individuals will tell you different ages they think it’s appropriate for.
It’s even different for various issues for different reasons. Maybe you can drive at 16, join military at 18, and can’t drink until 21.
>but more from the sociology/anthropology lens
It is what it is, because that’s what people will tolerate.
Maybe we’re not fully cognitively developed until ~25(I’ve heard the claim, then I’ve also heard counter claims, so that’s more of a hypothetical than a statement of fact). But do you think society will tolerate not doing all the various adult things until 25? Hell no.
We all see the reason in not letting children under 12 do these things(in a best case scenario, some people are a bit more sociopathic and don’t care), but we’d be absolutely steaming if some collection of politicians tried to push these things all to 25. There would be rebellion(or, alternatively, overwhelming oppression like we still see in some nations in regards to limitations on women).
If I had to boil the answer down to one word, it would be “freedom”. The populace demands agency, and they generally get it unless they are very overpowered by those in control.
Latest Answers