Adulthood

‘When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.’

So says 1 Corinthians 13:11 in the Bible.

I believe there’s a lot of wisdom in that statement, but I increasingly question whether the concept has survived in our modern world. Being an adult has many advantages, but it also comes with many responsibilities.

As I look around me, I feel like the concept of adulthood has been lost, and many people who are technically adults in terms of their ages insist on continuing to act like children.

So, below is my attempt at a list of attributes that I believe define adulthood (in no particular order).

1. Adults understand that, as Mick Jagger said, ‘you can’t always get what you want’.  They understand that there are limits on what you can eat, drink, own, avoid, and destroy.
2. Adults realize that there are other people in the world besides themselves, and that those other people are entitled to many of the same things they are. In other words, adults are considerate.
3. Adults can empathize with the trials of others, both human and animal, and will show compassion for both.
4. Adults exercise judgement regarding everything they see and hear. They think carefully about what’s being said to or shown to them, knowing that it may not be true. They are aware that there are many disreputable people in the world who seek to lie and cheat to achieve their own ends. They are able to weed those people out and ignore them or even work against them.
5. Adults are able to envision the future, and aren’t completely focused only on their own, or the world’s, immediate needs. They understand that decisions made now by them individually, and by humanity collectively, could have a devastating impact on the world of the future.
6. Adults understand that they need to work together with others in order to achieve goals, and to make the world a better place.
7. Adults embrace diversity. They understand that not everyone is like them, that diversity is a good thing, and that perhaps they could learn something from others’ experiences.
8. Adult are thoughtful. They have considered what is really important to them, and don’t fall into the trap of blindly following others.
9. Adults accept responsibility for their own lives. Though they might ask for help from others when necessary, they understand that, for the most part, the trajectory of their life is up to them, and that it’s not up to others to support them.
10. Adults are not totally focused on themselves. They take into consideration the good of the many, and of the world in general.

You may have additional definitions you think should be added. If so, feel free to contact me.