Age old question. When do you become an adult?

[Gideon]

In functioning societies children are required to go through a rite of passage process to be considered an adult by society.
We seem to just pick a number and hope they’ve made it by then.

 

[dennishoddy]

I'll never act like an adult.
A couple of years ago our RV group of seniors were partying on South Padre Island with Uber for a ride. A couple younger single girls joined us as we were having a great time. Someone asked them who they thought was the wild one of the group and both of the 40 somethings pointed at me.
I'll accept that title.
Resting in a rocker is not anywhere in my future.

 

[dennishoddy]

In functioning societies children are required to go through a rite of passage process to be considered an adult by society.
We seem to just pick a number and hope they’ve made it by then.

That's correct. I think it was the Massai in Africa that required a young man to become an adult by sending them out into the plains with nothing but a spear to kill a lion.
If they survived, they were deemed a man and a member of that tribe.

 

[T. MIKE SMITH]

When you desire to start applying all that stuff your moma told you- I'm next to the last of 7 kids- she was 40 when I was born- she was 2nd of 10 and mostly helped her mom raise kids from a young age. Her dad sent her to a year of college as she wanted to be a nurse. She met and ran off with my dad at 20 in the middle of the depression. they raked and scrapped at every turn to make it. I might have thought I was grown at 18, but I was about 40 before it hit me- you're going to die broke if you don't get serious about saving- I did and maybe I can make it now.
The right of passage happens when you make it happen.

 

[KurtM]

I think for most it is when you confront your own mortality. I remember the day, just not the events, and I get a reminder every now and again as my body is still getting rid of small bits of cheap Czechoslovakian metal. I woke up to getting last rights read over me. I fooled them all as over pressure had most of my innards shut down, but they came back on line......world best reboot

 

[TANSTAAFL]

It's not age, that's for sure. Think it has been stated here that when you are independent, able to pay your own bills and not get any help from parents, family or wife but that is only part of it. Kids help, but I have seen plenty of men/women who have kids yet do not participate in teaching them to be independent. Sex or drinking doesn't make you an adult either, it was right in the title of a one time popular men's magazine "Play Boy." Just look at congress, many could not survive in the real world. Quite honestly, I do not think I was an adult until after I got married and my wife lost her Job. I came to the conclusion that there were no rescue, I was on my own and my family depended upon me, and that wasn't until I was quite beyond the age of 18 and I had lived on my own unmarried for a while. I think the definition of an adult is much more and a big part is when someone else can depend on you to do the right thing and depend on you for help, so it is not just about being financially able to live on your own.

Must be why I can look in a mirror and think of myself in my early 30's. I still do some childish things, burnouts, drive way to fast, occasionally drink (although make sure I'm not putting myself in a worse position by doing something stupid) to much and make stupid purchases (although within my means.)

 

[beardking]

I figured I'll fully become an adult about 5 days after I'm cremated.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Maybe one becomes an adult when they are ready to donate their body to science fiction.

 

[C_Hallbert]

Maybe one becomes an adult when they are ready to donate their body to science fiction.

LMAO

 

[Profreedomokie]