| | What exactly does it mean for a person to be mature, nowadays?
Here are dictionary.com's definitions:
2. Of, relating to, or characteristic of full development, either mental or physical: mature for her age.
3. a.Suitable or intended for adults: mature subject matter.
b.Composed of adults: a mature audience.
4. Worked out fully by the mind; considered: a mature plan of action.
The dictionary definition doesn't give out a specific description of a person who is mature. Although if you imagine what a mature person is like, I'm sure you will be able to come up with a few adjectives that can describe that person. But does that mean that in order to be mature, one must fit that definition?
Indeed, people coined as mature do seem to show many smiliar traits that probably match with what most people define as a mature person, but as a result the term 'mature person' is now a simple replacement of a few adjectives that describe the image of a person who people believe to be mature.
Composed, logical, responsible, patient, forgiving, calculated... These are all words people might use to describe a mature person. Of course, there are reasons why most people think the same thing. These are basically the things that are the opposite of what people might describe as childlike: wild, illogical, irresponsible, impulsive, unforgiving, spontaneous...
Within these lists of adjectives, some fit into the actual dictionary definition of mature, such as 'calculated.' Truly, the ability to full think things out before taking any action is something that adults can do much better than young children. The ability to think out situations naturally leads to other similar character traits. For example, being responsible will take a person a long way in their relationship with others. And thus if a 'calculated,' or mature person is given a choice, he will very likely choose to be responsible as opposed to not.
So what, then, is a calculated person who, after much thought, chooses to be different from what is expected? In this case he chooses to be irresponsible. Is he illogical? Misled? Is he immature?
Look at a different example: riding a roller coaster. I suppose the popular image of the 'mature' person would calmly sit through the ride, while the 'immature' person will scream his lungs out just for fun. Is one person really all the more mature than the other? A calculated person can easily decide that keeping quiet while on the ride completely ruins the fun of the roller coaster, and so he'll scream.
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| | Posted 5/15/2006 2:58 AM - 1714 Views - 4 eProps - 2 comments
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