What's so special about the age of 18?

Reading some threads here made me pose a question: What is it about the age of 18 that makes you an adult and able to consent to everything? In America, when you're 18 you are a legal adult, but how? 18 is still a teenager, how can you be an adult if you're still a teenager? You have to be 18 to be able to make an account on some websites (and they're not all "adult" sites). You even have to be 18 to place an order over the phone or do other activities. So why 18? Why is 18 the magic number? I'm sure there are some 16 and 17 year olds who are just as mature, if not more mature, than some 18 year olds.

It's just an arbitrary age. And while there are some 16 and 17 year olds that are more mature than some 18 year olds, on the average, the older you get, the more mature you act.

you get to enroll in the army :o ........ what more do you want?

18 is special because you get automatically sentenced as an adult. No more petty theft for candy bars :P

You can buy cigarettes legally. Mhhh cancer!

You get to buy alcohol

Reading some threads here made me pose a question: What is it about the age of 18 that makes you an adult and able to consent to everything? In America, when you're 18 you are a legal adult, but how? 18 is still a teenager, how can you be an adult if you're still a teenager? You have to be 18 to be able to make an account on some websites (and they're not all "adult" sites). You even have to be 18 to place an order over the phone or do other activities. So why 18? Why is 18 the magic number? I'm sure there are some 16 and 17 year olds who are just as mature, if not more mature, than some 18 year olds.

you get to enroll in the army :o ........ what more do you want?

twilightpanda

That's another thing. You have to be 21 to drink but you enlist in the army and fire a weapon at 18. Backwards?

You get to buy alcohol

gameofthering

Reading some threads here made me pose a question: What is it about the age of 18 that makes you an adult and able to consent to everything? In America, when you're 18 you are a legal adult, but how? 18 is still a teenager, how can you be an adult if you're still a teenager? You have to be 18 to be able to make an account on some websites (and they're not all "adult" sites). You even have to be 18 to place an order over the phone or do other activities. So why 18? Why is 18 the magic number? I'm sure there are some 16 and 17 year olds who are just as mature, if not more mature, than some 18 year olds.

Dunno... us men finish our puberty during our 20s. But I think the "adult age" used to be higher in the 19th century. I'm not sure though.

[QUOTE="gameofthering"]

You get to buy alcohol

LJS9502_basic

Nothing.
I wont be anymore competent or capable of working 4 months from now, but i'm 17, so i'm not as trustable as someone whos 18.
Its stupid actually. I think they should have a world competency test or something where it decides of you are ready to be considered an adult or not, not some stupid age limit. Not everyone becomes 'Adult like' and trustable just because they have become legaly an adult. Its a flawed setup in my opinion.

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]

[QUOTE="gameofthering"]

You get to buy alcohol

gameofthering

[QUOTE="gameofthering"]

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]Not in the US. That magic age is 21.

LJS9502_basic

My guess is that...:

18 is the age (approximately) when school ends for students in many 1st world countries (I think, not entirely sure). Then, logically follows university/college when in most cases students travel to another town and become (semi-) independant of their parents.

So conventionally, 18, is I guess considered the age when teenagers are (in a way) "forced" to mature and act on their own accord and take decisions on their own. That forced thing usually does achieve in making individuals maturer and more responsible combined with the fact of now living far from parents and creating your own life etc etc

.....my guess anyway.

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]

[QUOTE="gameofthering"]

You get to buy alcohol

gameofthering

[QUOTE="twilightpanda"]

you get to enroll in the army :o ........ what more do you want?

dog64

That's another thing. You have to be 21 to drink but you enlist in the army and fire a weapon at 18. Backwards?

[QUOTE="gameofthering"]

You get to buy alcohol

LJS9502_basic

Nothing.
I wont be anymore competent or capable of working 4 months from now, but i'm 17, so i'm not as trustable as someone whos 18.
Its stupid actually. I think they should have a world competency test or something where it decides of you are ready to be considered an adult or not, not some stupid age limit. Not everyone becomes 'Adult like' and trustable just because they have become legaly an adult. Its a flawed setup in my opinion.

MuddVader

Maybe someone did just pull that number out of a hat :P I don't see what's so big about it either. If you can't do something the day before your 18th birthday, but can do it the day of your 18th birthday, that just proves that they're making your age more important than your maturity and abilities.

My guess is that...:

18 is the age (approximately) when school ends for students in many 1st world countries (I think, not entirely sure). Then, logically follows university/college when in most cases students travel to another town and become (semi-) independant of their parents.

So conventionally, 18, is I guess considered the age when teenagers are (in a way) "forced" to mature and act on their own accord and take decisions on their own. That forced thing usually does achieve in making individuals maturer and more responsible combined with the fact of now living far from parents and creating your own life etc etc.

.....my guess anyway.

Teenaged

This could actually be why. It makes sense to me anyways

You still alive, double d?sonicare

Legally drink alcohol and buy cigarettes. :D

[QUOTE="sonicare"]You still alive, double d?double_decker

We could try multiple IV's....>__>

LJS9502_basic

In Canada, it pretty much opens all the doors for you...

In Canada, it pretty much opens all the doors for you...

effena

It's the gap between puberty and adulthood.

Not gap, bridge is a better word.

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]

We could try multiple IV's....>__>

double_decker

And the car keys far away.

Because friends don't let friends ... >_>

My guess is that...:

18 is the age (approximately) when school ends for students in many 1st world countries (I think, not entirely sure). Then, logically follows university/college when in most cases students travel to another town and become (semi-) independant of their parents.

So conventionally, 18, is I guess considered the age when teenagers are (in a way) "forced" to mature and act on their own accord and take decisions on their own. That forced thing usually does achieve in making individuals maturer and more responsible combined with the fact of now living far from parents and creating your own life etc etc

.....my guess anyway.

Teenaged

It's a good guess, but that didn't happen to me. I'm 20 and my life hasn't changed at all since I was a mid teen.

I have 2 words...strip clubs.

And the car keys far away.

Because friends don't let friends ... >_>

In Canada, it pretty much opens all the doors for you...

[QUOTE="Teenaged"]

My guess is that...:

18 is the age (approximately) when school ends for students in many 1st world countries (I think, not entirely sure). Then, logically follows university/college when in most cases students travel to another town and become (semi-) independant of their parents.

So conventionally, 18, is I guess considered the age when teenagers are (in a way) "forced" to mature and act on their own accord and take decisions on their own. That forced thing usually does achieve in making individuals maturer and more responsible combined with the fact of now living far from parents and creating your own life etc etc

.....my guess anyway.

dog64

It's a good guess, but that didn't happen to me. I'm 20 and my life hasn't changed at all since I was a mid teen.

For instance now I am being provided with a specific sum of money each month with which I have to make ends meet, sometimes I have to cook, I entirely take care of my room, I participate in paying the bills and so on. Its just a lot of new things, you know which make you more active.

When you 18 in my country you can buy and drink Booze legally. But you become an adult when you become 16 in my country and can legally have sex at 16.

When you 18 in my country you can buy and drink Booze legally. But you become an adult when you become 16 in my country and can legally have sex at 16.

EvilSteveo

And adult at 16? Wow, that sounds young over year. In some U.S. states you can have sex at 16, but in most it's 17 or 18.

Seeing the difference in age of consent laws and the legal age between different states and countries says to me that morality and safety laws are really just a matter of opinion, at least when it comes to age.

Strip Clubs duhhh

You get to go to prison for a long time if you mess up, no more juvie, so think before you act!!!

Cigarettes and strip clubs are what usually what teens celebrate.

The girls are happy that older men can legally get with them now.

In the US nothing. Buying cigs legally isn't exactly that fun. Well cigars are neat.