Treated Like Adults?

Friday, September 26th, 2008
by Brian R

I hear it all the time: “if you want to be treated like an adult, you need to act like an adult”. But in reality, the more adult I act, the more childishly I’m treated. Adults think independently, create new innovative ways to improve the world, take big risks, and control their own destiny. Us teenagers, we tend to go through phases, make rash decisions without considering consequence, and go out of our way to ruin our promising futures, right? Our hormones and mood swings deny us the ability to create rational ideas. We aren’t experienced, lack perspective, and tend to have wild, unrealistic fantasies about the world. Well, my current mood swing has me thinking they should change the saying to “if you want to be treated like an adult, stop questioning the adults”.

If I wanted to be treated like an apple, I probably shouldn’t run off and be an orange. So if I want to be treated like an adult, I probably shouldn’t run off create my own opinions that completely contradict those of adults. But that is what being an adult is all about isn’t it? It’s about living independently, forming my own opinions, and doing whatever is most beneficial to me. So let me get this straight. If I act like an adult by questioning the adults, then I’m just going to be treated like a teenager. But if I act like a teenager by agreeing with everything adults tell me, then I’ll be treated like an adult. I mean call it lack of experience, but that doesn’t make much sense to me.

The ideas and opinions of teenagers should have more value, especially on subjects that directly relate to us. For example, high school students should have more say in their education. In the world today, the opportunities available for professional work are almost endless. People can make a living by doing any number of a million different jobs, each requiring a different set of skills. Because of that, education no longer has to be solely focused on written word and math. Students should take classes that most interest them, and in ways that most interest them. Think about what it would be like if students loved going to school instead of dreading it. But if not this radical change, at least let students have more say in their education. Let their opinions be heard and appreciated.

Now this is where I may surprise you. I understand that the logistics of a radical change like this are almost incomprehensible. The number of teachers needed to provide individualized educations for students across the world would be impossible. I understand that all students may not have the maturity to handle their own educations. I also appreciate the fact that this country has been operating successfully under this system for hundreds of years, and it would take a major revolution to redesign the whole system. I mention these setbacks to point out that my ideas are not just unrealistic teenage fantasies, and they shouldn’t be passed off as such. I’m acting like an adult by considering logistical issues of possible radical changes. Yet, I’m still acting like a teenager because I have a future ahead of me that you adults may not get to experience, and a revolution may just be necessary to make that future the best that it can be.

So here’s my new saying to all you adults out there: “if you want to be the best adult you can be, maybe you should start acting a little more like the teenager you once were.”

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