We dive into a thought-provoking discussion about the concept of adulthood and the societal expectations we place on young people. Did you know that researchers from Cambridge suggest our brains remain in an adolescent phase until around age 32? That's a bit unsettling when we consider that we expect 18-year-olds to shoulder responsibilities like signing student loans and voting for president. I mean, we tell them they’re adults, but what if we’ve got it all wrong? As we reflect on our own decisions—both good and bad—it raises the question: should we rethink what it means to be an adult in today's world? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, so drop me a line on jamesabrown.net. The journey into adulthood is often marked by milestones like signing student loans and casting ballots in presidential elections, yet this episode poses a thought-provoking question: are we truly ready for these responsibilities at such a young age? I delve into the idea that our understanding of adulthood may be fundamentally flawed. Drawing on research from Cambridge, I explore the notion that the brain remains in an adolescent state until around the age of 32. This revelation is not just a statistic; it forces us to reconsider the pressures we place on young individuals to act like ‘adults’ at 18. We can all recall moments of wisdom and folly from our own teenage years, but the implications of this research suggest that we might be expecting far too much from those who are still developing their cognitive abilities. Shouldn’t we be more mindful of the decisions we ask them to make? As I reflect on this, I invite listeners to share their thoughts on what adulthood really means, and whether we should adjust our expectations for the youth of today.

Takeaways:

1. We often push 18-year-olds into adulthood by signing student loans to vote for president.
2. Research suggests that our brains remain in an adolescent phase until around 32 years old.
3. It’s a bit unsettling to think that our neural efficiency peaks later than we expect.
4. Shouldn't we reevaluate what we consider adulthood based on new scientific findings?
5. The decisions made in our late teens can be impactful, but are they truly informed?
6. Let’s consider that perhaps our understanding of adulthood is misguided, and seek clarity.

Links referenced in this episode:

1. jamesabrown.net

This is the Daily note from jamesabrown.net we ask 18 year olds to sign student loans to vote for president.

We tell them that they're adults now and that they should act like it.

But what if we're doing it wrong?

According to researchers at Cambridge, the brain stays in its adolescent phase until about age 32.

That's an average.

Of course, they say that's when something called neural efficiency peaks and and our brain's wiring sets.

Kind of scary, right?

Look, I'm not saying we can't make good decisions early in life.

I certainly had some good ones and some bad ones, too.

But if this is true, shouldn't we at least consider the consequences?

That maybe adulthood isn't when or what we thought it was?

What do you think?

Let me know on jamesabrown.net on that note, I'm James A.

Brown and as always, be well.