The trouble with adults is that they often talk down to children, which, in turn gives them a false sense of superiority and an inflated ego. They assume children are incapable of understanding complex ideas or seeing things as they are, dismissing their thoughts as naïve or fabricated. This condescending attitude reveals not only a lack of respect but also a failure to remember that adults were once in the same position. We all experienced the world through the lens of a child—full of curiosity, questions, and perceptions that are often sharper than adults; behaving as though they have forgotten what it was like to navigate the world with the fresh eyes of youth. By doing so, they dismiss the potential insights children can offer, reducing them to passive recipients of adult knowledge rather than recognising the unique perspectives younger people bring to the world.
The same attitude often extends to teenagers and young adults as they transition into full adulthood. Take the case of Sam Carling, a young MP in the 2024 Labour government, who became the youngest MP in history at the age of 22. When he appeared in a BBC interview, the broadcasters implied that his age suggested a lack of life experience, as though youth alone disqualified him from being an effective politician. This is such a narrow and flawed way of thinking about experience. I assure you that many younger individuals in the adult world have experienced more life-changing events than some older individuals, who may have had much easier circumstances handed to them. Life experience and intellectual ability should not be judged by age. We must assess people by how rational, open-minded, and analytical they are—not by the superficial characteristics that society imposes upon them.
When I finished school, I assumed that adulthood would consist of more rationally minded counterparts. We are led to believe the falsehood of adulthood being this life of maturity, but instead, the dynamics of high school just extend beyond adolescence. A song called ‘High School Never Ends’ by Bowling for Soup comes to mind, with lyrics that are so relatable for those who recognise the immaturity of adulthood,
“The whole damn world is just as obsessed; With who’s the best dressed and who’s having sex; Who’s got the money, who gets the honeys; Who’s kinda cute and who’s just a mess.”
This is the main chorus of the song and it can be understood to mean how society remains fixated on appearances, relationships, wealth, and social status, just like in high school,
“And the only thing that matters Is climbing up that social ladder Still care about your hair and the car you drive Doesn’t matter if you’re 16 or 35.”
And the interpretation here connotes the perpetual obsession with advancing in social status, with concerns about appearance and possessions remaining important, regardless of age. Not only do the lyrics of the song clearly exemplify the illusion that adulthood is a totally different social dynamic than adolescence, but the whole song is also a fun listen if you can appreciate the pop-punk vibe of rock music that crowded through the 2000s.
A particularly vexing aspect of societal interaction is the arrogance of the older generation, who often presumes their age grants them superior wisdom. This assumption neglects the reality that wisdom is not inherently tied to age, and many younger individuals possess insights and knowledge that surpass those of their elders. When it comes to leading a country or holding positions of high authority, a person’s mental capacity—or sanity, if you will—should be carefully evaluated. This becomes particularly pressing when we witness the spectacle of over-pension-age leaders debating the future of nations. There should be an upper limit for the appointment of leaders, as they are making decisions that will affect future generations long after they have passed. Intellectual ability tends to naturally decline as one reaches old age. It is not simply a matter of experience but of ensuring that those in power have the mental agility and wisdom required to make decisions that shape the future.
