What does it mean to be an adult? - Religion, God, and Theology

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What does it mean to be an adult?

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10-15-2015 , 12:27 AM

esspoker

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Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,630

I feel as though most people I meet don't fall under my standards of being an adult. I'm curious if as a culture we even have standards. What are yours?

Mine are:

Must be exceptionally honest in all things
Be responsible for self and loved ones
Own up to mistakes/faults
Pay debts back
Be humble enough to realize there is a higher power, or if not, at least that the whole is greater than the parts

That's all I can think of for now

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10-15-2015 , 06:19 AM

Bladesman87

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This doesn't seem like a religious question. Only responsibility for yourself seems like it would apply to adults. And then it's responsibility in more of a legal sense than any requirement to actually behave responsibly.

There are plenty of bankrupt narcissistic liars who are adults.

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10-15-2015 , 07:39 AM

Piers

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Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 3,467

Quote:

What does it mean to be an adult?

Able to produce children works for most species. With humans you can also have localised stuff like over 12/16/17/18/21. Performed some ritual etc...

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Mine are
Must be exceptionally honest in all things
Be responsible for self and loved ones
Own up to mistakes/faults
Pay debts back
Be humble enough to realize there is a higher power, or if not, at least that the whole is greater than the parts

Huh

I think you have an unusual definition of adult

I suspect very few people are actually adults including most of the worlds parents!

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10-15-2015 , 09:49 AM

Kristofero

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Being able to hold your pee.

Seriously.

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10-15-2015 , 10:59 AM

Bladesman87

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Originally Posted by Kristofero

Being able to hold your pee.

Seriously.

What about the olds?

Seriously.

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10-15-2015 , 01:22 PM

Kristofero

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Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 1,317

Who said I wasn't talking about them?

/me blinks. I got skin peeling off that predates Isabella's idea of America's Cup.

(:

Last edited by Kristofero; 10-15-2015 at 01:22 PM. Reason: except for the time i burnt... never mind.

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10-15-2015 , 06:20 PM

esspoker

old hand

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Bladesman87

Do we have a model/ideal for what being an 'adult' looks like in society? Or is it just something your driver's license signifies?

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10-15-2015 , 11:28 PM

batair

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People who believe in God?

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10-16-2015 , 10:12 AM

Kristofero

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Quote:

Originally Posted by batair

People who believe in [strikethrough]God[/strikethrough] and more importantly, their own selves and their ambition.

FYP.

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10-17-2015 , 02:44 AM

#10

esspoker

old hand

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Quote:

Originally Posted by batair

People who believe in God?

I like how much value you offer to the forum

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10-17-2015 , 05:37 AM

#11

Bladesman87

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Quote:

Originally Posted by esspoker

Do we have a model/ideal for what being an 'adult' looks like in society? Or is it just something your driver's license signifies?

Closer to the driver's licence. There's aspects to adulthood in terms of physical and mental development. We think of an adult as someone who is developed enough to make their own decisions and be legally responsible for them.

I don't think we need to add a whole bunch of stuff about being a good person. It's just a stage in human development and as such covers the full spectrum of human behaviours and attitudes.

I don't see where this discussion is going.

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10-17-2015 , 09:33 AM

#12

Kristofero

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Perhaps it needs a direction or at the very least a position of definition.

Posit: Human maturity is purely a sociological and psychological concept, and any biological self-reference is simply observer bias. An individual going through maturity would only refer to one's biology at times neutrally, at times based on how others treat the individual.

No?

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10-17-2015 , 01:24 PM

#13

batair

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Originally Posted by esspoker

I like how much value you offer to the forum

Its your op.

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10-17-2015 , 08:21 PM

#14

esspoker

old hand

Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,630

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bladesman87

So there is no burden on the adult to be part of a broader group or community? In other words, an adult can be completely selfish and not think about the community as a whole?

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10-17-2015 , 08:21 PM

#15

esspoker

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Originally Posted by batair

Its your op.

Huh?

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10-18-2015 , 03:51 AM

#16

batair

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Quote:

Originally Posted by esspoker

So there is no burden on the adult to be part of a broader group or community? In other words, an adult can be completely selfish and not think about the community as a whole?

Yes. Or we need a new word for non child/adolescent sixty year old hermits.

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10-18-2015 , 02:48 PM

#17

Kristofero

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I mean, English's rife with words with multiple meanings.

Let's go with... Pans.

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10-18-2015 , 05:55 PM

#18

VeeDDzz`

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Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 4,384

Largely to do biological age (the development of the brain) and responsibility, as brought up by someone earlier.

I think what makes a happy adult is: to value one's health (physical and mental) as highly as one's career.

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10-18-2015 , 06:24 PM

#19

Bladesman87

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Quote:

Originally Posted by esspoker

So there is no burden on the adult to be part of a broader group or community? In other words, an adult can be completely selfish and not think about the community as a whole?

Sure.

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10-19-2015 , 10:16 AM

#20

Mightyboosh

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Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,560

Quote:

Originally Posted by esspoker

Be humble enough to realize there is a higher power

lol? If I don't 'realise' that there is a 'higher power' I'm not an adult?

Ok.

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10-19-2015 , 10:40 AM

#21

6MaxLHE

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Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 2,007

It means being 18 years old.

Last edited by 6MaxLHE; 10-19-2015 at 10:48 AM.

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10-19-2015 , 02:34 PM

#22

uke_master

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You are not telling us what you think an adult IS, but what characteristics you think adults should HAVE. Being an adult is simply an age, typically a legal age, or perhaps ability to reproduce as various lines that could be drawn. But as a list of desired traits, fairly awful list.

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10-20-2015 , 09:55 AM

#23

Kristofero

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 6MaxLHE

It means being 25 years old.

FYP. It used to be blood, then 18. Now an university education really is part of the requirements.

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10-25-2015 , 09:53 PM

#24

esspoker

old hand

Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,630

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kristofero

I mean, English's rife with words with multiple meanings.

Let's go with... Pans.

So if you tell a child to act like an adult, what are you telling him?

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10-25-2015 , 09:53 PM

#25

esspoker

old hand

Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,630

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bladesman87

Sure.

Society is in serious trouble then.

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