Disagree at will, seriously. I'm just throwing ideas around.
And I totally agree that being a real person is more than a specific age, and that it could happen at any age for anyone. I also think it's a combination between how you see yourself (and the control that you have-- I love how you used that word control) and also how the world sees you. I seriously feel like someone handed me my soul and said "alright, you've been practicing enough, here you go." and I've also seen it reflected in how people treat me. The age is purely coincidental--but also not, because I've always seen 20 as that age, and have been sort of preparing for it.
I have definitely seen transitions at other ages. I don't remember a single moment of meta-cognition in my life before age 12. But that I think is more due to grade level (entering 6th grade) and life changing moments (9/11 which catalyzed this huge theological crisis/shenanigan in my mind). But I can seem myself staying at least a variation of who I am now for the rest of my life. I am definitely a work in progress, but I am "closer to fine" (and perhaps the closest to fine, I've ever been)
It infuriated me when I was thirteen whenever more attention was paid to older customers, etc.
Me too. If anything this real personhood thing comes as a relief, because that has largely stopped happening. For example, the camp scenario I mentioned. I had a kid who broke her ankle in two places and had to get surgery, but they wouldn't let me go to the hospital with her for the above reasons (they were going to until they connected the age dots). And this was a kid who a) spoke in English well, but as a second language, and b) had a lot of trouble being calm. On top of that she's scared out of her wits and hopped up on pain meds. I, after living with her for three weeks, pretty much knew what made her tick. At least better than most people. (It's the only time I've cried out of anything that felt like maternal instinct)
Wow. That was almost a post length response, sorry about that.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2009-12-29 05:30 am (UTC)And I totally agree that being a real person is more than a specific age, and that it could happen at any age for anyone. I also think it's a combination between how you see yourself (and the control that you have-- I love how you used that word control) and also how the world sees you. I seriously feel like someone handed me my soul and said "alright, you've been practicing enough, here you go." and I've also seen it reflected in how people treat me. The age is purely coincidental--but also not, because I've always seen 20 as that age, and have been sort of preparing for it.
I have definitely seen transitions at other ages. I don't remember a single moment of meta-cognition in my life before age 12. But that I think is more due to grade level (entering 6th grade) and life changing moments (9/11 which catalyzed this huge theological crisis/shenanigan in my mind). But I can seem myself staying at least a variation of who I am now for the rest of my life. I am definitely a work in progress, but I am "closer to fine" (and perhaps the closest to fine, I've ever been)
Me too. If anything this real personhood thing comes as a relief, because that has largely stopped happening. For example, the camp scenario I mentioned. I had a kid who broke her ankle in two places and had to get surgery, but they wouldn't let me go to the hospital with her for the above reasons (they were going to until they connected the age dots). And this was a kid who a) spoke in English well, but as a second language, and b) had a lot of trouble being calm. On top of that she's scared out of her wits and hopped up on pain meds. I, after living with her for three weeks, pretty much knew what made her tick. At least better than most people. (It's the only time I've cried out of anything that felt like maternal instinct)
Wow. That was almost a post length response, sorry about that.
~Georgie