The newer explanation is that their brains simply aren't developed yet: their prefrontal cortex hasn't converted from gray matter to white matter, their amygdalas have a surfeit of oxytocin receptors, and their reward centers have a paucity of dopamine receptors. Few can say for sure yet how these anatomical features actually interact and create modern teenagers, but the gist of it is quite simple – until their brains are finished, they're not ready for real life.
It triggered mine also. Two thousand years ago world-wide life expectancy at birth was - dredging memory - 30? And humans brains weren't finished till 2/3 way through that? Doesn't hold water.
Most societies recognize a rite of passage at about 13. For females it was easy: menarche. For males its a little harder. Jews have bar mitzvahs, Christians confirmation, Masaai at 12. The Masaai are particularly interesting. For males they recognize childhood till 12; then manhood till 25 when they grow their hair long and dye it red, raid and war, maybe sow wild oats (but that wasn't an official part of my 4th grade curriculum), and generally do the reckless things; at 25 they shave their heads and become elders, expected to have the experience and calm reason to give good advice.
One major difference between modern industrialized society and an agricultural one is how much one needs to know to be productive. The more advanced the economy, the more one needs to learn to be productive. In many professions now one must study till about age 25, which a few millenia ago was life expectancy at birth. No wonder it doesn't always work out well.
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Date: 2009-11-06 01:51 pm (UTC)It triggered mine also. Two thousand years ago world-wide life expectancy at birth was - dredging memory - 30? And humans brains weren't finished till 2/3 way through that? Doesn't hold water.
Most societies recognize a rite of passage at about 13. For females it was easy: menarche. For males its a little harder. Jews have bar mitzvahs, Christians confirmation, Masaai at 12. The Masaai are particularly interesting. For males they recognize childhood till 12; then manhood till 25 when they grow their hair long and dye it red, raid and war, maybe sow wild oats (but that wasn't an official part of my 4th grade curriculum), and generally do the reckless things; at 25 they shave their heads and become elders, expected to have the experience and calm reason to give good advice.
One major difference between modern industrialized society and an agricultural one is how much one needs to know to be productive. The more advanced the economy, the more one needs to learn to be productive. In many professions now one must study till about age 25, which a few millenia ago was life expectancy at birth. No wonder it doesn't always work out well.