Age of Consent

[*Asterisk*]

Since one of the factors in Age of Consent laws is to protect people from making choices that could harm them due to not being fully developed, does anyone besides me find it strange that its set at 18 and not 25, when the brain of humans on average is said to be have finished developing if we're to follow that logic?: http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/02/18/at-what-age-is-the-brain-fully-developed/

Though were I sit, if you're considered old enough to die for your country in war and vote, then you should also be old enough to drink, smoke, gamble and fuck.

The brain's always developing and maturing. For some, it moves at slower paces, and others faster. But barring injury or senility, there's always further maturation.

It's miserable and totalitarian enough to be under the age of majority without further lengthening time spent under those laws.

 

[KatsuKitty]

You know, this is ultimately about drawing some line somewhere, where it can be safely assumed that the vast majority of people at or above that line are emotionally and physically ready for sex. This line varies between 16-18 across the US.

I don't know what's ultimately the ideal line, but arguments that "people mature at different ages" completely miss the point about how the legal system functions and remains practical.

 

[Zenku]

You know, this is ultimately about drawing some line somewhere, where it can be safely assumed that the vast majority of people at or above that line are emotionally and physically ready for sex. This line varies between 16-18 across the US.

I don't know what's ultimately the ideal line, but arguments that "people mature at different ages" completely miss the point about how the legal system functions and remains practical.

Exactly. This is not a very clear and cut answer. Sure, people being married off and fucking at ages like thirteen or so were perhaps more widely accepted long ago because it was a feat in of itself to live to see 35-40 on average, however, now that the life expediency is around the average of the 80s on good health and we understand A LOT MORE ABOUT THE HUMAN MIND, entertaining ideas like lowering the age of consent any lower than 18 is off-putting at best.

As for basing it on mental maturity, like you said, Kat, its also thorny. Some minds might not even fully develop until the 30s or 40s! (mind you this is from 2010): http://phys.org/news/2010-12-brain-fully-mature-30s-40s.html

The only other thing I find odd about these laws is that while nationally, its 18 it's lower in some places than that! Why isn't it a uniform 18 all around the United States!? Last I checked, even if the local laws say a girl is considered legal at 16 (and filmed in that location) she still can't be in a porno without it being considered child pornography.

 

[Cthulu]

I don't know if this is entirely on the topic but how about the legal drinking age? At 18 you can consent to sex and be sent off to war but you still can't legally drink alcohol.

 

[Marvin]

Exactly. This is not a very clear and cut answer. Sure, people being married off and fucking at ages like thirteen or so were perhaps more widely accepted long ago because it was a feat in of itself to live to see 35-40 on average, however, now that the life expediency is around the average of the 80s on good health and we understand A LOT MORE ABOUT THE HUMAN MIND, entertaining ideas like lowering the age of consent any lower than 18 is off-putting at best.

As for basing it on mental maturity, like you said, Kat, its also thorny. Some minds might not even fully develop until the 30s or 40s! (mind you this is from 2010): http://phys.org/news/2010-12-brain-fully-mature-30s-40s.html

The only other thing I find odd about these laws is that while nationally, its 18 it's lower in some places than that! Why isn't it a uniform 18 all around the United States!? Last I checked, even if the local laws say a girl is considered legal at 16 (and filmed in that location) she still can't be in a porno without it being considered child pornography.

Lots of teenagers fuck. I think the age of consent specifically shouldn't be 18. It'd criminalize a lot of normal, harmless behavior.

Also, I don't think physiological maturity is that terribly important. It's less about whether or not you're fully developed, but more whether or not you're developed "enough".

 

[autisticdragonkin]

Lots of teenagers fuck. I think the age of consent specifically shouldn't be 18. It'd criminalize a lot of normal, harmless behavior.

It is normal behaviour but it is far from harmless
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...ife-helps-enjoy-satisfying-relationships.html

 

[Zenku]

Also, I don't think physiological maturity is that terribly important. It's less about whether or not you're fully developed, but more whether or not you're developed "enough".

But who sets the rules on what is "developed enough"? The Age of Consent is currently the most consistent and unbiased way to decide this. What would even be the alternative? How would it even be enforced in the public eye? Some sort of license?

 

[autisticdragonkin]

But who sets the rules on what is "developed enough"? The Age of Consent is currently the most consistent and unbiased way to decide this. What would even be the alternative? How would it even be enforced in the public eye? Some sort of license?

It's possible that some sort of license to become an adult early could be granted but I question the utility of it. Seems like it would be a waste of money and very unreliable in comparison to just giving an age of adulthood (which should be decided using actual psychological research)

 

[Linako 2.0]

Sure, people being married off and fucking at ages like thirteen or so were perhaps more widely accepted long ago because it was a feat in of itself to live to see 35-40 on average,

bullshit, humans have been having the same life expectancy for 1000 years now.

 

[Zenku]

bullshit, humans have been having the same life expectancy for 1000 years now.

Then I got some faulty ass information. Now the whole thing about kids back then fucking at that young of an age is now even more creepy in light of this evidence.

 

[autisticdragonkin]

Then I got some faulty ass information. Now the whole thing about kids back then fucking at that young of an age is now even more creepy in light of this evidence.

The least creepy explanation is that it was economically difficult to live alone and that due to lower educational needs there wasn't a need to live with one's parents for a long time in order to get prepared for the world. Additionally due to increased risk of miscarriage women would have had to go through more pregnancies to have the same amount of children

 

[Marvin]

But who sets the rules on what is "developed enough"? The Age of Consent is currently the most consistent and unbiased way to decide this. What would even be the alternative? How would it even be enforced in the public eye? Some sort of license?

Oh, I'm not proposing an alternative. I think the age of consent, with appropriate close-in-age exemptions, is our best stab at balancing the need to protect vulnerable youth without criminalizing normal behavior. I consider that to be our standard of "developed enough". Not particularly nuanced, I'll admit. But it's cheap and easy to implement, and easy for citizens to understand.

 

[Mesh Gear Fox]

I don't know if this is entirely on the topic but how about the legal drinking age? At 18 you can consent to sex and be sent off to war but you still can't legally drink alcohol.

OT but it used to be 18 until 1984. States that didn't comply would have their federal highway budgets cut. It actually reduced the number of alcohol related driving deaths.

 

[SOINCHU]

bullshit, humans have been having the same life expectancy for 1000 years now.

That article is saying that people given they stayed healthy had a similar life expectancy for the last 1000 years. The problem is people back in the day died from simple disease a lot more often. Yes the "average age" of death being 40 does not mean that everyone died of natural causes at 40... It does mean that there was a lot of child death and middle age death from disease, which basically adds up to the same thing. People generally died younger for a myriad of reasons even if a good number did make it to their 70s just like we do today.

 

[AnOminous]

bullshit, humans have been having the same life expectancy for 1000 years now.

Actually it says "lifespans." Life expectancy is something completely different.

 

[Polexia Aphrodisia]

I've always thought it should be 16 in America. If they're old enough to be trusted with the operation of a heavy, moving vehicle around other people in heavy, moving vehicles, then they should be trusted with their own genitals.

 

[OtterParty]

i really like this person who's surrounded by a whole galaxy of beta orbiters, what age must they reach before its okay for me to get drunk and discuss my basement rape fantasies with them?

 

[Dudeofteenage]

I don't know if this is entirely on the topic but how about the legal drinking age? At 18 you can consent to sex and be sent off to war but you still can't legally drink alcohol.

In New Zealand the age of consent is 16, but the age to legally view pornography is 18.

So between 16 and 18 you can fuck, but if you and your partner video yourselves, it's illegal for you to watch it.

 

[IV 445]

A wise man once told me, "The law is consistently inconsistent, and that is actually a good thing."

 

[BILLY MAYS]

Personally, I think it should be 18. Because I think everything that you can do as an adult should be 18. Driving a car without restrictions, smoking () and being able to go to a bar and order a drink ought to be available at 18.

I know it's a touchy subject, but how do you all feel about this?

lol pine tar more like rape tar