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Hi Tree,<br>
<br>
Thanks for your passion. I've been thinking more about why I wasn't
agreeing with your conclusions, and thinking maybe it has to do with
fuzziness about the term "child" which in some ways used to be
clearer. And thinking about that, I'm actually finding myself in
agreement with you - but the transition to adulthood needs to be
more clearly specified.<br>
<br>
There's certainly a lot of research about early childhood phases, by
Piaget, etc. I'd recently been exposed to the ideas of Dr. Paul
Hegstrom, an expert in the subject of arrested development. I've
done some quick google searching for the root research about this,
but I think that will have to wait as I'm packing for an Open Space
event in San Francisco on Monday (Agile Open NorCal). What I think
is relevant is that I think you are totally correct about your
conclusions for "children", though perhaps that needs to be defined
more clearly in this context.<br>
<br>
Before a certain single digit age, a child is not capable of making
independent decisions and requires guidance from the adult. There
are chemical as well as development maturity reasons. In other
words, the child really needs for the adult to be making decisions,
and I'd agree that they should not be leaned on at this point to
make decisions.<br>
<br>
At early adolescence, the child begins to individuate - but oddly,
by looking for peer groups to conform to. At this age, they're not
particularly qualified to make complex decisions for themselves, and
definitely not for others.<br>
<br>
As they get older though, both culturally and legally, the child
begins to enter adulthood and responsibility. In the Hebrew culture,
at the Bar or Bas Mitzva, about 13, the responsibility shifts from
the parents to the child. "Prior to this, the child's parents hold
the responsibility for the child's adherence to Jewish law and
tradition and, after this age, children bear their own
responsibility for Jewish ritual <a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law" title="Law">law</a>, <a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tradition" title="Tradition">tradition</a>,
and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics" title="Ethics">ethics</a>
and are privileged to participate in all areas of Jewish community
life." In Baha'i tradition, the age of consent is 15, in the UK it
is 16. In the middle ages it was considered about 12. In many States
in the U.S., a "child" above 16 can be tried for a crime outside of
Juvenile court, and in Kentucky as young as 14.<br>
<br>
I'm not sure when exactly when this magical age is supposed to be,
but it seems to me relatively safe to consider that deeper
involvement in adult affairs should be allowed around the age of 15
or 16, or maybe a smidge younger depending on the maturity level of
the child involved.<br>
<br>
If you watched the Youtube video Ashley posted- it would be very
very hard to argue that his involvement in the Jane Goodall
institute board of directors did him anything but good. And I think
that is because in a way his involvement became like a cultural
initiation into adulthood, a Bar Mitzva of sorts. It might actually
be an excellent transition point to get onto a board of directors.
Anyway, more food for thinking.<br>
<br>
Cheers,<br>
Harold<br>
<br>
On 10/9/10 7:11 AM, Tree Fitzpatrick wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:AANLkTi=M4J6rV1OzkAGMzZWbcou2NtxqZANrtvKL=J8N@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">Michael, and other comments. .. I don't think anyone
commenting actually understood what I tried to say so I conclude
that I failed to communicate.<br>
<br>
Young humans are not yet fully evolved humans. What all young
people need, including the most precocious of them, including ones
that get asked to sit on the board of the Jane Goodall Institute,
is to be children. It is only by being children than humans can
become fully realized adults.<br>
<br>
The world needs fully realized adults to achieve our shared,
highest destiny. When we push children out of childhood and into
the adult realm, those people rarely, if ever, get space later in
life to go back and fill in the gaps of what was missing.<br>
<br>
Michael, yes, indeed, children can bring a lovely element to any
open space. . . but that does not mean that it is right. Children
should not be asked to participate in adult matters. Ever.<br>
<br>
The damage contemporary society does to childhood is a very
serious, long-term consequence to humanity. If we do not keep
children asleep in childhood so they might do the inner work of
their inner beings, we will have a human future full of unrealized
'grown ups'. It is casual, nonsensical folly to bring children --
unformed adults -- into adult discussions. It is wrong on a
gagillion levels.<br>
<br>
We are all so caught up in rushing towards the future. One thing
we humans cannot 'rush' is the slow development and incubation of
fully realized human beings: that development takes place in
childhood. It is irrationally folly to bring children into adult
decisions.<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Harold Shinsato<br>
<a href="mailto:harold@shinsato.com">harold@shinsato.com</a><br>
<a href="http://shinsato.com">http://shinsato.com</a><br>
twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/hajush">@hajush</a></div>
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