(Hee. I'm very impressed that you've been thinking about this for so long. Also: Ice Age 2! I liked it.)
Oh, interesting. I love to see how different people interpret the same idea, even when it's something like "growing up" which you'd think would be universal, at least within the same culture.
I suppose I've always thought of it simply as being mature, being able to make choices with the rationality and morals of an adult. Which sort of leads into the college/job/move out thing, because part of being mature is being independent and taking care of yourself, but those are more symptoms of a deeper cause rather than 'growing up' in and of themselves, if you know what I mean.
I totally agree with your second version, though. I don't understand why some people seem to equate growing up with becoming boring. There's no advantage, no reason at all, to want to find less joy in life! Why on earth do people ascribe value to that shutting off? I hate that idea. I can be fully intelligent and mature and independent and still enjoy flowers.
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Oh, interesting. I love to see how different people interpret the same idea, even when it's something like "growing up" which you'd think would be universal, at least within the same culture.
I suppose I've always thought of it simply as being mature, being able to make choices with the rationality and morals of an adult. Which sort of leads into the college/job/move out thing, because part of being mature is being independent and taking care of yourself, but those are more symptoms of a deeper cause rather than 'growing up' in and of themselves, if you know what I mean.
I totally agree with your second version, though. I don't understand why some people seem to equate growing up with becoming boring. There's no advantage, no reason at all, to want to find less joy in life! Why on earth do people ascribe value to that shutting off? I hate that idea. I can be fully intelligent and mature and independent and still enjoy flowers.