Is 18 some magic age where people wisen up?
They probably should have made all accounts under 50 private.
They probably should have made all accounts under 50 private.
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?Con...
>After infancy, the rate of myelination slowed during childhood and adolescence, but exhibited continued growth until the end of the third decade. Specifically, mean MFLD during later adulthood (defined as ≥28 y) was significantly greater than in adolescence and early adulthood (11–23 y; Welch t, P = 0.000059; Mann–Whitney U, P = 0.00016).
https://www.pnas.org/content/109/41/16480
Our (dorsolateral) prefrontal cortex is one of the last parts to myelinate.
>The last areas to myelinate are the anterior cingulate cortex (F#43), the inferior temporal cortex (F#44) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (F#45).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myelinogenesis
This is the area of the brain that handles things like planning and abstract reasoning (though it isn't the only area involved in such thinking).
18 is pretty much only reasonable when it directly aligns with a legal requirement. Otherwise it is not the most reasonable, but the most lazy choice.
Yes, to the extent we accept it so much we made it into law. Though the law does seem to pick a few different age groups for other things based on a seemingly arbitrary standard. Lower for driving, even though bad driving could kill innocent bystanders. Higher for smoking, even though smoking only kills yourself. You can even sign up and join the military a year before you are able to vote for the politicians who control it.