What Makes Someone an Adult?

According to National Law of the United States of America, once someone has reached the legally defined age of majority, that being twenty one, they are then considered an adult; unless, it is otherwise stated by the state (USLegal). The majority of United States citizens define an adult as someone who is no longer in the custody of his or her parents/guardians. Adulthood is a conditional and transient state of mind that is comprised of conscious decision making ability, general self-sufficiency, and the ability to conduct socially accepted and responsible behavior.

Many skeptics may question the decision making aspect of this definition. In a brief explanation, conscious decision making means to weigh the many possible outcomes of a decision, both positive and negative, and proceed to act out according to what is best for the situation or the future. An example of an individual not making conscious decisions would be the multimillionaire who decides being sponsored by Nike and Gatorade vindicates his or her sexual activity outside the legal and moral contract of marriage. He or she didn’t consider the fact that he or she is indeed vulnerable to lawsuits and the loss of social standing in the public eye. No fans, means no sponsors, which ultimately leads to no money. Life is filled with important decisions that can be life changing for not only oneself, but for others around him or herself. Whether to declare bankruptcy or file for divorce are examples that influence more than just oneself. If a person is not mentally prepared to make the necessary decisions to determine the life of his or herself, then he or she is not yet at the point to make the conscious decisions to determine the lives of the few. An example of making a conscious decision would be the child deciding that instead of using chore money he or she earned to buy bubblegum, he or she saves the money for later use on perhaps a larger more worthwhile purchase. Does this necessarily mean that the child is now considered an adult? No, but they are on the road to developing the proper mindset of an adult. To further explain, one must look to how general self-sufficiency plays into the definition.

General self-sufficiency is an individual’s ability to provide the basic needs and duties for his or herself outside the assistance of others. An unfortunate reality in today’s society is that many of the legally defined adults lack in this specific area. An example being the middle aged people still living in their mother’s basement playing video games. They rely solely on their mothers for support and whether being unable to or just flat out refusing to work, they would not survive a week outside of the care of their parent. These individuals are not adults. Even though National Law has stated that they are indeed adults due to their age alone, they cannot provide for themselves. They leech off of the hard work of another without giving anything in return. If given the chance to live on their own with a job and expenses, many would not make it because they do not have the competency to do survive.

In some instances however, there are young teens who due to being raised in abusive homes, they carry the maturity and knowledge of adults who are many years older than themselves. “They are forced into adulthood early and spend much of their growing up years protecting themselves and their families (Paulson 1).” Majority of the children raised in these homes run away at early ages and as a result of providing for themselves for several years prior, they adapt to independent life quickly. At fifteen many hold jobs, pay their bills and make honest contributions to society as opposed to those who choose to stay in mom’s basement and never hold a job for more than a month. Yet in spite of all that they do, the fact that they are only fifteen keeps them from truly being an adult in majority of the United States. Yes, they can vote and serve in the military, but their voices are equal to if not less than equal to somebody who is older and “more experienced” than they. What about the eleven year old child who is forced to take care of his alcoholic mother? He was never given a childhood and had to learn to be a self-sufficient being just to make it to the next week (Paulson 1). Self-sufficiency is a huge aspect to being an adult. If one cannot provide and live off of his or herself solely, then they should not be granted the status of adulthood. Upon further explanation, the definition concludes with the ability to conduct socially accepted and responsible behavior.

Conducting socially accepted and responsible behavior is perhaps the most arguable aspect of the definition as a whole. What is considered socially accepted, responsible behavior and actually conducting that, are two very different things. Socially accepted behavior, though varying between some groups, comes down to a couple basic and generally understood guidelines. Those being: act your age and treat others as you would like to be treated. This aspect of the definition focuses primarily on the act your age part or the maturity or the mind aspect. Maturity being most easily defined as: characteristic of full development either mental or physical (American Heritage Dictionary). It is directed toward the individuals who are legally considered adults in the United States, yet on a behavior standpoint, fail to appeal to the status of adulthood. Going back to the alcoholic parents, why is it that someone who chooses to waste their life away all the while putting their own personal desires before the needs and wants of the children he or she brought into the world, given the status adult just because of age. Their behavior is not only irresponsible but is a danger to themselves and their family. If someone is willing to work to better themselves from the situation they were given. The individual that refutes the desires to lower themselves to the level of the party scene or the destructive scene is significantly more mature and adult like that the individual who chooses to waste their life away on selfish and irresponsible desires.

The fact that adulthood is a state of mind that is both conditional and transient through conscious decision making ability, general self-sufficiency, and the ability to conduct socially accepted and responsible behavior, it should not only be awarded, but it should be revocable as well. Being transient, it is ever changing. If an individual at the age or thirty decides that it is easier to play video games in their parents’ basement than hold a job and own their own house, then they should not be considered an adult in the first place on the fact that he is not even a self-sufficient contributor to society. If a father/husband decides that since he is good at playing golf, that merits him to break the vows of marriage, then his adulthood should be revoked on the fact of making irresponsible yet conscious decisions. Both of those examples being in contrast to a fifteen year old who is living as an adult, through holding a job, paying bills and contributing to society in a productive way rather than participating in illegal activities that should be considered an adult. Some individuals mature faster than others where some never seem to mature no matter how old they become. Adulthood is a word that needs to be redefined because society has changed and the English language needs to change along with it.

Works Cited

Paulson, Barbara. "Children of Alcoholics Forced Into Adulthood." ABC NEWS. ABC NEWS, n.d. Web. 15 Oct 2011. .
"Mature - Dictionary Definition and Pronunciation - Yahoo! Education." Yahoo! Education - Dictionary,Colleges, Scholarships, Homework Help, Schools, Reference,Thesaurus & More. Web. 09 Oct. 2011..
Tiger Woods signature. [Online Image] Available http://famous-wallpapers.com/tiger-woods- signature-wallpaper, October 18, 2011
Guy in Mom’s Basement. [Online Image] Available http://www.asklopan.com/pictures /villains%20%285%29.jpg