Adult Escapists?

[BonsaiK]

I'm new here and have only been posting for a few days. Today I checked out a few profiles and noticed most of the people here are in their teens. Now I'm starting to feel like a weirdo for being here. Are there any grown-ups here? (By grown-up I mean independent, living apart from your parents, credit cards, keys, the whole shebang.)

I'm 35. I own my own place. I don't have any living parents. You can start to feel better now.

 

[Labyrinth]

Actually, does anyone remember what the stats were for age groups back when that survey was done? Way back.. in the day. It was pretty comprehensive as far as I know, what with there being a badge on offer for it and all. Also had a lot of other interesting demographic information.

I'll try and dig it up.

 

[Labyrinth]

*Snip*

*Snip*

Enough from all parties, thanks. I will start mopping people.

 

[Lemon Of Life]

I'm not an adult, but I can read have mastered the 5 times table. Seriously, test me out on this one, you will be impressed.

 

[cuddly_tomato]

No but we are more mature then your average teenager.

Hah.

Hahahahahahahahaha.

Hah.

My response was similar.

Not directed at Demented Teddy, but there is an element of immaturity that runs right through a lot of posters here.

@Op - I am well into my thirties.

 

[DuplicateValue]

I know it's slightly off the topic at hand, but really you can't judge this until you've been to my school. They are, for the most part, idiots who don't care how their lives end up. There are of course others who are of equal or greater intelligence than me (I never said there weren't).

And what makes you think kids at your school are so different than the ones anywhere else? Is this also because they are merely born stupid or is it actually due to all of the conditions surrounding how they grow up and how the society is formed?

The truth you will fail to acknowledge until you've grown out of your adolescent need to feel special (and this isn't an insult, it's what every teenager goes through) is that everyone begins as a blank slate. I personally feel that some traits are built into us from the get go (being artistically inclined or logically inclined as an example), but some people will have backgrounds where they are encouraged to think while others will have backgrounds that favor ignorance.

It appears we have much different points of view where this is concerned. You seem to believe that our upbringing directly influences the type of person you become, whereas I say that it depends entirely on the choices you make during your life, and the attitude with which you approach things.

For example, I was brought up in a very sporting community, yet I made the choice to not to take any part or interest in sport of any kind, knowing that the decision might ostracize me from the rest of the community.
Okay, so that's a bad example, but tell me this: If a person is directly effected by their upbringing, then how is it possible for two brothers (or sisters) to end up with completely different personalities and mannerisms?

However, there is nothing that makes you superior or more mature than your other classmates.

There is (well, not superior, but more mature). It's called my demeanor. I choose to carry myself in a way that respects and doesn't offend anybody around me. This is the difference between me and the majority.

Your complete lack of experience in life shines simply by making that statement.

Yes, I believe I acknowledged my lack of life-experience in the rest of my last post, which I notice you conveniently left out.

Only children believe you can be better than someone else in any way.

Only a fool can believe you can't. It just takes practice, preparation, and a good attitude.

And finally, you talk to me as if you're some wise old man who has seen the ways of the world.
You're 24. You don't have much more experience in life than I do - don't pretend otherwise.

Oh, and merry Christmas.

 

[ccesarano]

but tell me this: If a person is directly effected by their upbringing, then how is it possible for two brothers (or sisters) to end up with completely different personalities and mannerisms?

Your parents treated you exactly the same as they treated your siblings? You did everything they did and your parents were consistent with every choice? Everyone you knew as a child was the exact same as your siblings?

As I said, there will be small things that are born into us, but then there are other things that determine who we are by building a world view. My brother and I are very similar, both very nerdy, but he is a lover of history and literature. I am a lover of entertainment and entertaining. These are based on certain traits we were born with. However, our world views are built around personal experiences. Our parents treated each other differently. We went to the same town throughout childhood where sports and such were held of high importance (ah, I might understand more than you think), but when my brother left for College my family moved. I went to a bigger high school where the societies values were placed more on variety and everyone of every clique got along.

Does that mean there weren't "losers" that got made fun of? No. Does that mean sports weren't important to a lot of people? Hell no. The conditions of what formed those societies were different, but you know what? In the end you had kids that wanted to do nothing but have sex, kids that were absorbed into computers and technology, kids that were, well, MTV, etc. etc.

As I said, you assume a different coat of paint makes something drastically different, but all you're doing is comparing God of War with Dante's Inferno.

You know what would do you some good? Studying some sociology or anthropology. Do yourself a favor in College and take an Intro course to either of those and you'll begin to see what I mean. Everyone is not born a unique little snow flake. Humans are, overall, very similar people. Sure some people will be better at some things than others, but it's a balancing act.

You may have a demeanor that suggests greater maturity, but trust me. You're just another teenager, even if you want to believe you are somehow smarter or more mature than your peers. Trust me! I did the same thing, and chances are a lot of people here did as well. It's called *gasp* being just another teenager.

 

[Trivun]

No but we are more mature then your average teenager.

I know several adults on this site, myself included, but aside from that I have to agree. Most teenagers I know here (including the person I quoted ) are definitely a lot more mature than other teenagers I know. Or maybe thats because the only people I know younger than me are either fellow uni students, my brother and his friends (my brother is pretty immature, and 17 too), or idiots from my old school who I used to hate.

As for me, I'm 19, I'm living with friends at university about 120 miles away from my parents (though I'm home now for Christmas), I have my own keys, debit card, bank account and so on. I do my own washing and buy my own food and cook for myself. So I consider myself, very definitely, an adult (as does the law, since I'm over 18 and British). So yes, OP, adults do come here (I think someone here whose profile I've seen is a 40 year old housewife who mentions there that she's also a mother of two...). In general it seems to be younger adults though...

 

[Lord Monocle Von Banworthy]

27 yo, married, buy my own games cash money, yen on the barrel. That's adult, right? Also, my wife got me a bag of super-bounce balls for Christmas.

You don't have to grow up just because you have a job and stuff.

 

[Aerodyamic]

No but we are more mature then your average teenager.

I resent that remark.

*raspberry*

 

[Legion]

There are adults here. This I know for fact.

No but we are more mature then your average teenager.

Hah.

Hahahahahahahahaha.

Hah.

I don't see the humour, I said I think we are more mature then most other people our age.

Which is funny, because it is completely untrue.

The ability to type in complete sentences without using text/1337 speak is not a sign of maturity. Look at any Religion, Halo, Yahtzee Video comment section and you will see the maturity level here is not much different on average than anywhere else on the Net.

The Mods just do a far better job.

I am referring to people of all ages on this site.

*snip*

Exactly. In a perfect world almost all of us would leave home as soon as we become adults, but reality doesn't always allow for that.

Especially considering how much it costs to live alone these days.

 

[Labyrinth]

27 yo, married, buy my own games cash money, yen on the barrel. That's adult, right? Also, my wife got me a bag of super-bounce balls for Christmas.

You don't have to grow up just because you have a job and stuff.

I wish my family were cool enough to get me bouncy balls. We have the perfect room to use them in now too! No lights to smash, they wouldn't damage the windows, solid floor. Endless hours of fun.

 

[annoyinglizardvoice]

I'm new here and have only been posting for a few days. Today I checked out a few profiles and noticed most of the people here are in their teens. Now I'm starting to feel like a weirdo for being here. Are there any grown-ups here? (By grown-up I mean independent, living apart from your parents, credit cards, keys, the whole shebang.)

I think you're definition of adult is somewhat flawed (and daft). Being unable to get a morgage of usable size due to the credit crunch and then losing my job due to a significant and costly mistake made by my manager stops me from being an adult in your words, which I sfind flawed to the point of stupidity.

 

[DuplicateValue]

You may have a demeanor that suggests greater maturity, but trust me. You're just another teenager, even if you want to believe you are somehow smarter or more mature than your peers. Trust me! I did the same thing, and chances are a lot of people here did as well. It's called *gasp* being just another teenager.

Alright, listen. I've got this idea in my head - a concept of what it means to be mature - and this idea obviously clashes with your understanding of the word. In my mind, maturity isn't based on age or experience (can you say that no adult is immature, and no child mature?), but rather on how a person acts and how their mind works.

I'm not going to try to change your mind; you are clearly set in your beliefs, and are convinced that you are right, just as I am. The best I can do is hope that one day you might understand the way that I'm thinking, and respect it.

I don't think I can explain my views in any more detail than I already have - I feel like we're going around in circles.

Don't get me wrong - I stand by every word that I've said so far - but it's Christmas eve and I'm tired, so for now I admit defeat.

Again, Merry Christmas. =]

 

[Mandalore_15]

Sooooo, if you've graduated College but are unable to find employment and therefore are living with your family because, well, that's what you can afford, you're not an adult?

So I guess I should go be a hobo and my sister should take her child and find a place to live that, well, sucks and basically cancel pre-school for my niece since all the bills would go to a place to live.

Guess involuntary unemployment is just one of those childish things I need to grow out of!


On topic, I'm 24 and consider myself an adult. I'm not happy having to live at home, but honestly, I'll probably stick around for a while after I find one simply because it would make paying off loans and other crap easier so I could save up for a better place to live. The concept that independence makes you an adult is, in fact, a childish one. So go original poster!

I don't see the humour, I said I think we are more mature then most other people our age.

Yeah, so did I when I was a kid. It's part of being a kid. Thinking you're more mature or smarter than you actually are until you go out and get *****-slapped by reality.

You'll figure it out after making some real mistakes, and you'll realize that no matter how smart you think you are, you're just as ill prepared as everyone else at life.

Hey man, you may want to see a doctor about that shoulder of yours, it looks kinda chipped...

 

[Lord Monocle Von Banworthy]

27 yo, married, buy my own games cash money, yen on the barrel. That's adult, right? Also, my wife got me a bag of super-bounce balls for Christmas.

You don't have to grow up just because you have a job and stuff.

I wish my family were cool enough to get me bouncy balls. We have the perfect room to use them in now too! No lights to smash, they wouldn't damage the windows, solid floor. Endless hours of fun.

Room? I take them to Osaka Station and bounce them down escalators.

 

[bigolbear]

personaly im 31, living with some freinds in a shared house (cos the economy sucks man). Definately an adult in many respects (keys, lifestyle, bills, ocasional shebang), But in other respects im quite childish. Further more im mature enough to admit it.

I think the whole age argument is a bit dumb when dealing with people of similar maturity. To be honest i havent noticed any threads on here for 'your mom' jokes and other things of that ilk that as a gamer in mmos over the years i inevitably ran across from the younger end of the player base. This at least tells me any teens here are mature enough to be conversing in a polite manner most of the time.

Lets face it were all here to talk about gaming (and ocasionaly religion and politics) so the input of any one of any age that has a legitimate view on the subject and can talk about it with a reasonable level of eloquence is welcome in my opinion.

 

[Labyrinth]

Room? I take them to Osaka Station and bounce them down escalators.

With the right mindset and enough cardboard I can make all sorts of things for them to bounce around, And I'll get to find them again. Endless fun!