Growing up, as a kid, I thought being an adult was a sign of growth and maturity. Through time, people become better smarter, better behaved, more sophisticated.
Not being a kid anymore (though I see myself as barely an adult, maybe not even), I deal with adults much more often. A surprising realization, is that adults in a lot of ways are no better than kids, if not worse sometimes. Being an adult is only a matter of dealing with more responsibility, and sometimes not even that. But this doesn't necessarily mean a level of maturity has been met.
Perhaps as a child I held adults on this pedastal of perfection that is unachievable. And while I do not expect that now, the lack of effort at times is appalling. As if being a certain age and taking on certain responsibilities somehow make people feel they can abstain from basic good behaviour.
There's a definite divide between "grown-up" and "adult". Pettiness, jealousy, insecurity, meanness and just overall bad behaviour that I have seen from so-called mature people. When I think back to elementary school, lessons teaching the basic levels of moralistic and idealistic behaviour taught somehow are forgotten. The only difference sometimes between the 5 year old and the grown-up, is that the grown-up hides the offenses it much better.
Sooo true. As I deal with more adults, I see that the passing of time isn't enough to turn people into better, more mature human beings. People have to actively improve themselves and a lot of them are too lazy to bother. Boo to them!!
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