In human cultures the transition from teenager to adult usually involves meeting a challange and in dealing with that challange the individual is transformed from teenager to an adult.
The human brain is not fully developed until the individual is 25 years old.
The Human reproductive system is ready to reproduce at 16 years old.
This discrepency of 9 years between the maturity of brain development and the reproductive systems leads to many of the critical mistakes in one’s life. Young people are making permanent life decisions without the benefit of a mature brain. Who am I ? away from my parents ? What career to pursue ? Do i want to marry ? Do i want to join the military ? and now, what sex am I ?
The government takes advantage of this by recruiting them into the military.
The Banks give them money to go to college no matter what major in order to indenture them for life.
American Indians – made their adolescents go into the wild to attain their first kill – The tribe welcomes the brave back as a productive member of the tribe. Mormons go to South America to help the less fortunate, The congregation welcomes the adult back into the congregation and that individual has a better perspective of what he has and who they are. Israeli and Swiss adolescent citizens all must be in the military for 2 years. This separates the individual from their parents and by being alone by themselves, they find themselves and become mature.
Solution: Initiate a Rights of Passage Program this would be where young citizens work for the good of the country seperated from their parents for two years. There can be many choices based on their preference.
- Vista volinteers
- Peace corps
- Hospital volunteering
- Helping the homeless
- Non Combatant Military service
The government would provide funds for lodging and food during this service. Following the successful service to the nation, the government would pay for all the college or vocational college costs for the individual allowing them to get an education and be debt free at completion.
- This would increase the maturity of the individual in making more mature life decisions.
- This would give every young person the ability to achieve their goals, not based on the financial status of their parents, but the determination of their spirit to suceed.
- This would make them aware of the poor, the needy, the sick, the homeless and hopefully care more.
- Being two years older they would make a more informed decision on education and perform better.
- This program would provide funds for education for service and eliminate the student loan crisis.
- All future citizens would feel they contributed to the country and lived its ideals.