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Children are agents. And children / adults aren't a binary thing, they progress along a spectrum and if we never give them the ability to make their own choices

Children are agents. And children / adults aren't a binary thing, they progress along a spectrum and if we never give them the ability to make their own choices how on earth do we expect them to be independent adults? Why do we need non-conformists? I don't care about what you need or what society needs. You lack compassion for the individual. They aren't hurting anyone by choosing a different life path. They can survive the world just fine without having the official educational path shoved down their throat.

thegrimmest 4y ago
> Children are agents Not really? They don't get to make their own decisions about any meaningful aspect of their lives, and can be lawfully imprisoned, punished, and controlled by their parents. Children have just a few more rights than pets. This has been true for all of history. > And children / adults aren't a binary thing Yes, they are. Off the top of my head: once you are legally able to make and be held responsible for your own decisions, can't be punitively confined against your will without due process, are able to enter into legal agreements, and do not need a guardian, you are an adult. Until then, you are a child. These things normally happen around the age of majority, which is 18 in most places [1]. I'm not suggesting that children never be given the opportunity to make their own choices, quite the opposite in fact. I'm suggesting that children be conditioned to the realities of work and life from an early age. The capability to tolerate dull, monotonous, boring work is essential to accomplish just about anything. This is the skill of delaying gratification, and its importance can hardly be overstated. > They can survive the world just fine without having the official educational path shoved down their throat. Just how much education do you think is optional to "survive in the world just fine"? Literacy? Numeracy? 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_majority https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_majority

thegrimmest 4y ago

> Children are agents Not really? They don't get to make their own decisions about any meaningful aspect of their lives, and can be lawfully imprisoned, punished, and controlled by their parents. Children have just a few more rights than pets. This has been true for all of history. > And children / adults aren't a binary thing Yes, they are. Off the top of my head: once you are legally able to make and be held responsible for your own decisions, can't be punitively confined against your will without due process, are able to enter into legal agreements, and do not need a guardian, you are an adult. Until then, you are a child. These things normally happen around the age of majority, which is 18 in most places [1]. I'm not suggesting that children never be given the opportunity to make their own choices, quite the opposite in fact. I'm suggesting that children be conditioned to the realities of work and life from an early age. The capability to tolerate dull, monotonous, boring work is essential to accomplish just about anything. This is the skill of delaying gratification, and its importance can hardly be overstated. > They can survive the world just fine without having the official educational path shoved down their throat. Just how much education do you think is optional to "survive in the world just fine"? Literacy? Numeracy? 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_majority https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_majority