'sufficiently developed'

When are they 'sufficiently developed', in your mind?

As you say, the prefrontal cortex continues developing well into the mid-20s. So why is 18 right?

Equally importantly if that's your yardstick, it also suffers significant age-related decline, which negatively affects lots of cognitive functions including attention, inhibitory control and memory.

So if brain function is your yardstick, why is the right line for voting "Any age above 18"? Why not "between mid 20s and 60"?

This is bound to involve arbitrary lines being drawn. It's not obvious from anything you posted above that the current one is the right one.

Posted By: Bertie Russell on July 17th 2025 at 16:51:40

Message Thread

16/17 year olds to be eligible to vote at the next GE... (General Chat) - Tombs, Jul 17, 14:40:27
- Will make negligible difference. (General Chat) - Snakepit Divorcee, Jul 17, 17:50:56
- Someone needs to start the xBOX and Wanking party. (n/m) (General Chat) - usacanary, Jul 17, 16:13:20
  - Do it (n/m) (General Chat) - footymadman, Jul 17, 18:58:47
- The political reform we actually need is PR (n/m) (General Chat) - revsimon, Jul 17, 15:52:55
  - Brilliant plan (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 17, 16:12:23
  - Yep, and we had the chance in 2014 (General Chat) - APB, Jul 17, 16:04:27
    - Abd then in 2015 UKIP would have had 80-90 seats (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 17, 16:14:27
- ludicrous idea (n/m) (General Chat) - paulg, Jul 17, 15:20:06
  - Why should the grey vote…. (General Chat) - Eric Morecambe, Jul 17, 17:38:32
  - In line with most Labour ideas (General Chat) - Highlander, Jul 17, 15:35:49
    - Erm.......... (General Chat) - Highlander, Jul 17, 17:26:38
    - Yes. And they’re all mature and pragmatic once 18, right? (n/m) (General Chat) - Legacy Fan, Jul 17, 17:18:01
  - Why? If you are potentially married, with a mortgage, paying tax, etc shirley (General Chat) - Pixelman, Jul 17, 15:28:18
    - I would say giving them a vote is a pretty good reason. (n/m) (General Chat) - Legacy Fan, Jul 17, 17:17:30
    - Because it’s well established that teenage brains aren’t yet sufficiently developed (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 17, 16:09:12
      - So you are saying that the adult electorate is largely voting based on (General Chat) - Legacy Fan, Jul 17, 17:35:56
      - 'sufficiently developed' (General Chat) - Bertie Russell, Jul 17, 16:51:40
    - you cant get a mortgage until your 18 (n/m) (General Chat) - ghostof barry butler, Jul 17, 15:49:59
      - Or married. I think they should exclude people like (General Chat) - Legacy Fan, Jul 17, 17:16:58
  - nothing to do with me (n/m) (General Chat) - Tombs, Jul 17, 15:22:23
    - i've got an idea though, might help (General Chat) - Tombs, Jul 17, 15:27:47
      - objection (n/m) (General Chat) - Chris Peacock, Jul 17, 20:26:44
      - Maybe over 65s shouldn’t be allowed to vote, since (General Chat) - Legacy Fan, Jul 17, 17:19:17
- Corbyns new party will benefit the most I would have thought (General Chat) - shoddy, Jul 17, 14:55:32
  - The right is the fastest growing among the young, I believe (General Chat) - APB, Jul 17, 15:06:14
    - Yep. 16 year olds will bring in reform. They’re also more gullible. Starmer probably (General Chat) - Legacy Fan, Jul 17, 17:28:52
      - Also even if they do swing to Corbyn it will elect Reform by (General Chat) - Legacy Fan, Jul 17, 17:30:40
    - The next batch of 70 y.o. voters will be the likes of you and me... (General Chat) - Pixelman, Jul 17, 15:24:31
      - Ha ha, indeed (General Chat) - APB, Jul 17, 15:40:08
        
        Because (General Chat) - paulg, Jul 17, 20:54:42
        
        No, I don’t agree (General Chat) - APB, Jul 17, 22:21:54
        
        Oh I agree. And with what you and Carra say below. (n/m) (General Chat) - Pixelman, Jul 17, 15:46:00
    - youth participation in britain is amongst the lowest in yurp (General Chat) - Tombs, Jul 17, 15:19:05
    - That would be (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Jul 17, 15:12:52
      - better (n/m) (General Chat) - Jumbo1, Jul 17, 15:13:05
        
        yes because old people know nothing and have no experience (General Chat) - paulg, Jul 17, 15:20:48
        
        Old people have no vested interest in the country's future... (General Chat) - mr carra, Jul 17, 15:40:57
        
        Do you really think that older people don’t care about their children/grandchildren? (n/m) (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 17, 16:36:41
        
        it's misty eyed nostalgia for something that never happened (General Chat) - Tombs, Jul 17, 15:58:58
        
        Incidentally I am no spring chicken myself (General Chat) - mr carra, Jul 17, 15:43:24
        
        I spoke to an 80-year-old pre-Brexit who called Germany (General Chat) - jamesward, Jul 17, 15:58:08
        
        So too young to remember the third Reich properly then? (n/m) (General Chat) - APB, Jul 17, 16:03:29
        
        Old people know loads, young people know nothing (General Chat) - APB, Jul 17, 15:37:18
- Tories would have done it if it would have helped them, this although might backfire (n/m) (General Chat) - BSE Canary, Jul 17, 14:47:17

Reply to Message

In order to add a post to the WotB Message Board you must be a registered WotB user.

If you are not yet registered then please visit the registration page. You should ensure that their browser is setup to accept cookies.