Quinn - Coming of Age (class discussion)

In class, we talked about Navajo coming-of-age ceremonies. Many different cultures have such ceremonies that serve as clear demarcations between childhood and adulthood. America has no such ceremony. We noted a few different ages Americans might consider to be the start of adulthood. At sixteen, most people begin driving. At eighteen, citizens are allowed to vote and join the military and live independently; they’re no longer considered minors. At 21, you can drink. At 25, you can rent a car. At 26, you’re off your parent’s insurance. All of these ages and justifications share a common theme. Americans equate adulthood with independence. Independence is not the only factor in determining how “adult” one is, but it seems to be the primary factor. Primal cultures don’t emphasize independence in the same way. In fact, primal cultures emphasize the opposite of independence. Coming of age means the child is now accountable to the whole tribe. Adults are expected to serve and uphold the community. Americans have this to a certain extent. A part of being independent is surviving off of one’s own income. To make money, one must provide a good or service to the world; they have to contribute something in exchange for money. Primal cultures don’t think of work the same way. One works out of a sense of duty. Yes, there is still the motivation of necessity—if people don’t work, crops won’t be planted or harvested and livestock won’t be tended to and homes will fall apart and people will starve and freeze to death. The focus, however, seems to be other-centered. Adulthood in America seems to be entirely self-centered and only beneficial to others coincidentally, if at all.

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