Originally Posted by Sephiroth (Post 36199694)

Originally Posted by 1andrew1 (Post 36199700)

If Reform had their way, teenagers would be running the country!


https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other...6cddc5e7&ei=28

Originally Posted by Sephiroth (Post 36199694)

Originally Posted by Maggy (Post 36199715)

They have to make decisions about their future examinations and careers and what direction they have to take to achieve their aims. Why do you think that I'm not capable as a retired secondary teacher in making this judgement? Many 16 year olds are more than capable of making decisions about their future. Indeed not every 16 year old have parents to aid in their decisions. You obviously need to get out and actually meet some 16 year olds.:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Maggy (Post 36199691)

As a qualified educator of the 11-18 age group I disagree with your generalisation.

Originally Posted by idi banashapan (Post 36199723)

Respectfully, appealing to one’s position as a “qualified educator” does not, in itself, negate a generalisation, nor does it automatically provide a counterpoint grounded in fact. Authority is not a substitute fo argument. While educators may have valuable insight, experience alone does not invalidate the broader psychological and neurological consensus around adolescent cognitive developmnt

Developmental psychology, neuroscience, and behavioural studies consistently show that the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain responsible for executive function, impulse control, and long-term planning) is still developing well into the mid 20s. This is why 16 year olds, despite being capable of moments of maturity, often struggle with complex risk assessment, susceptibility to peer influence, and longer-term consequence evaluation. A reason why car insurance for young adults even into mid 20s can cost a considerable amount more, even if a 23 year old has been driving longer than a 33 year old. This isn’t a moral judgement, it’s a biological reality, one supported by findings from organisations like the American Psychological Association and echoed in UK government guidelines on youth sentencing and safeguarding.p, as has already been touched on in this thread.

This doesn’t mean young people lack value, voice, or intelligence. But being “capable of expressing opinions” is not the same as being developmentally ready to make far reaching societal decisions. If we extend the logic of using personal experience to rebut scientific generalisations, then every teacher, parent, or youth worker who has seen the opposite must also be equally valid, and that renders the argument circular. A nuanced conversation about capability should be based on data, psychology, and long-term civic impact, not solely on anecdotal exceptions.

Originally Posted by idi banashapan (Post 36199723)

This is why 16 year olds, despite being capable of moments of maturity, often struggle with complex risk assessment, susceptibility to peer influence, and longer-term consequence evaluation.

Originally Posted by TheDaddy (Post 36199725)

It's voting not rocket science, how complex is deciding to vote for the party that bebefits your interests best, how much maturity is required for that?

Originally Posted by idi banashapan (Post 36199727)

The idea that voting is simply a matter of picking the party that benefits you most overlooks the very essence of responsible voting. Mature voting isn;t just self-interest, it involves understanding complex trade offs, evaluating long term national outcomes, understanding the differences between policy and populism, and resisting emotional or peer-driven influence, which considering the social media hold on young people, isn’t something 16 year olds are good at. These require critical thinking, impulse control, and cognitive maturity, which are still forming in adolescents. If voting truly were that simple, we wouldn’t see widespread manipulation of adult voters through emotional appeals, misinformation, and tribalism.

Originally Posted by GrimUpNorth (Post 36199734)

Also, the day before my 18th birthday I felt no different to how I did the next day on my 18th birthday

Originally Posted by Carth (Post 36199745)

*waves*

It's just my personal opinion, but I'm convinced 80% of 16 to 18 years olds are quite happily grazing on the fodder in the rich fields of TikTok, Facebook, Messenger etc etc.

I also believe 80% of adults graze there too, with an extra feeding trough of ingredients supplied by a myriad of experts and celebrities with nice bright smiles and convincing tales of Utopian pastures to come.

Alas they suddenly (far too late) realize that what they've been digesting for years isn't the food required for an understanding of what has been quietly taking place outside of the field.

Of course there are the occasional 'black sheep' that don't swallow everything fed to them, but usually they are the first to be slaughtered and held up as an example of what may happen if you don't follow the herd without question.

Voting? what's it ever achieved for the masses?