Being Minor: The Pros and Cons

Minor: A person under the age of full responsibility, lesser in importance, seriousness, or significance. Legally, a minor is a person under a certain age (usually 18) – which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood. Of course, being a minor is not something we can control as children or young adults. Which means that there is no way out of “being a minor”. However, whilst we are still under this category, we should take some time to observe what we can do, what we can’t do, what all this means, as well as our limitations. Should society and the government still use this term and set of rules?

Minors are always looked at as unimportant and incompetent and are seen as individuals who are not able to make their own decision. Their Guardians make major life decisions; not just because they (the minors) aren’t capable of doing so, but also because the law commands that they do so. As minors, people, often from the older generations (who, in another words aren’t minors) see us as not being capable enough to carry out functions or point our life in the right directions. This leads to my next point – As our society is progressing rigorously and the media is starting to take the reins on our communities, individuals of the younger generation start to question their place in the society, and the freedom they are allowed to possess. Now, this brings in a tricky situation, where the younger generations start to have their own mindset and ideas. Since we are in the early ages of media, the internet, connectivity throughout the world, and all that fancy stuff, it is understandable that minors, especially young adults would start to think differently, and act more aggressively than ever.

This then brings in a dilemma about who is right. Of course, for the older generations, keeping up the standard, upholding this status and our amount of freedom would be key, as they have all the right reasons to believe that keeping up this standard would allow us a bright future. As minors, we would be less mature than adults, and would not be able to weigh our options as well as someone who has lived in this world for a longer time with more experience. Yet, it has never really been tested to listen to the younger generations, as parents and the older generations generally have authority over minors, simply because of the maturity and age gap.

Of course, there is the natural positive side of being a minor. Aside from being young, free, and a juvenile, we are also given the ever- important benefit of the doubt. Although we are less important and less trusted, there are also lower expectations and a higher frequency of forgiveness. As a juvenile, the court is always lighter on us (unless in extraordinary circumstances), and in certain countries, children under the age of ten are immediately dismissed from federal disciplinary action. This is all in the name of immaturity and ignorance. So you could say that other than child slavery and exploitation, we’re pretty fortunate as minors.

Of course, this isn’t all there is to being a minor. But I believe I have touched the surface of it… You can read more about minors and their statuses in other countries here. But, bottom line? You can’t change being a minor. But as you go along in your youthful stride, enjoy the leeway and understanding you get, because it won’t last for very long.

Rex