You learn something new every day...

I read the most marvellous nonarticle on Aftonbladet's site today. Apperantly men grow up slower than women. Boys become men at the age of 27, and aren't mature until they're 29. There was also a poll conducted of how you can tell when someone's an adult. The options were "when you reach a certain age", "when you start working", "when you become a parent", "when you settle down with a partner", "when you move out of your parents'" and "some people never grow up". Also, according this article men still continue to drink themselves senseless and moon people after the age of 29. Women stop showing off their breasts at 23, but still remain obnoxious until the age 25, and stop swearing at the age of 26. Of course the comment field was full of explainations as to why this is, along with mentally stunted men bragging about how much they enjoy being assholes.

I say better to show your ass than being an ass. According to the study the following makes you an adult: stop swearing, only drink moderatly, only wear a reasonable amount of make up, stop mooning and boobflashing, have kids, and get this, listen to documentaries on the radio.

I say being an adult really only boils down to two things. Taking responsibility for yourself and those you care for and treat others with respect. How you respectfully moon someone I don't know, but maybe it's about finding the right arena for it. Don't moon the kindergarten class when you pick your child up, but moon your friends on a night out, or something. I really don't know. The criteria of "having children" is a bit silly. Isn't it better if you're adult before you have children? How well you can look after yourself in order to look after others. I'd like to think my cats are fairly well looked after. Does giving them food before I eat make me an adult? Does getting hours of entertainment out of playing with them make me immature? Is it possible to grow up and still remain a child at heart?

I think what the nonarticle was really trying to say is that you have to stop playing, you have to start enjoying boring things, because what could be more boring than a radio documentary? I can think of plenty of things. Some of those documentaries are pretty interesting! Perhaps it's simply about finding a balance between "fun stuff", and "things I have to do to be able to do the fun stuff". It's when things get out of hand that it's immature, when you don't take responsibility for your actions. Or perhaps being an adult means you get tired of acting like a moron, and when you know the the consequences for your actions might be a bigger chore than biting your tounge.

However, I do believe some people never grow up. I know a 42 year old that still refers to herself as a "girl". I'm trying to stop doing so in reference to myself, just like I stopped wearing braids in public when I turned 21. My games are more sophisticated now than when I was 6, and my daydreams about other things, but that doesn't mean I enjoy them any less or plan to stop. And oh yeah, I still swear.