Children don't know what's best for themselves
Sparked by a comment in another opinion quote:"As much as I believe a child should be given the right to believe what they wish"
I say, no, children don't know what's best for them until a certain age, that's why peer pressure and drugs are such a problem.
I will admit that certain gifted children may have adult-like understandings, but as for the norm, no.
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Phill submitted this comment 11-08-07
So if I leave the gate open at home, allowing my todler niece to run out onto the road, that's her own fault? not mine?
This isn't her fault because she doesn't know what a car, speeding, or a drunk driver is.
There is definately a connection between understanding and age, and that is knowledge, we all use our younger years to gain it.
elsa_von_karma submitted this comment 14-08-07 in reply to Phill
no, i just disagree that it's *all* children who don't know what's best for themselves. there's no classification to describe people who "don't know what's best for themselves", other than the phrase itself.
the fact that some children are capable of making their own decisions invalidates the notion that all children are incapable of knowing what's best for themselves until they turn some magic age.
Phill submitted this comment 16-08-07
There is not a single toddler in the world who would not run accross the road, because no toddler knows what a car is, knowledge is required, no matter how intelligent they are, they lack the information!
That's why children lack understanding, intelligence is not the only factor.
This extreme example proves the point, and allows you to question how much less knowledge also, does a young. .say 12 year old have, in comparison to their parents, even with their for example, super intelligence... if they do not have the knowledge, they cannot make informed decisions.
elsa_von_karma submitted this comment 10-08-07
I disagree, but only because I don't believe in a magical so-called "age of reason". Some people are never capable of making their own decisions responsibly, and as you mentioned others are capable from a very early age.
So I can't bring myself to categorise all people under a certain age as unable to decide what is best for themselves.