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What do you think the voting age should be? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 2 months ago by hellabryanstyle@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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About two years ago now, I was sitting on a bench in Central Park writing my initial thoughts on what I didn't know then but would come to know as Youth Rights.

I don't think I'll ever remember why she did, but about halfway through the day Greta Thunberg came to mind, and I looked up the voting age in Sweden. And my blood boiled in a way I've never experienced in my entire life.

16 years old and one of the most famous and recognizable political activists in the world. 16 years old giving a confident, impassioned, admonishing speech to the fucking UN. 16 years old with no legal right to a voice in her country. No voice to vote for the policies she believed in or the people who might enact them.

My writing, already vitriolic to a fault, managed to become even moreso but with the topic abruptly switched to voting. For the first time in my life, I considered where I'd place the voting age if I could do so unilaterally. Not long into considering it I had a thought that I wrote down immediately, a question I've asked well over 100 times at this point with no substantial answer:

When is it reasonable to say to a person, 'If you're not at least this old, then I don't give a fuck what you think'?

And from the moment I had that thought, I have been unable to place the voting age.

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[–] sweng@programming.dev 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Another poster said that adults shold be allowed to do "whatever".

I asked if this "whatever" includes many things that are currently illegal, even if everyone involved consent to it.

You then told me to ask that question again after serving in the military, and i then told you that I already have served. Then you wrote a long anecdote that I honestly missed the point of.

[–] EABOD25@lemm.ee 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

What the hell were you doing bringing up illegal things then? That's not what the topic was about and it seems like a deflection. Illicit substances are ILLICIT for any age, so I don't see what your argument is now. Just seems sarcastic and opposing

[–] sweng@programming.dev 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I honestly was wondering if the person also meant things thst are currently illegal when they said adults should be allowed to do "whatever".

Saying "adults should be able to do whatever is legal" is a truism: you are by definition allowed to do anything that is currently legal, so it's pretty pointless to write a message supporting that. Thus, me asking for clarification.

You are the one who stepped into the conversation, told me to join the military, and acted strangly aggressive.

[–] Zier@fedia.io 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

"...and whatever else." Means, all the things adults are allowed to do. AKA if it's legal to drink, you can, if it's legal to vote, you can, if it's illegal to rob a bank, you can go to jail and be charged as an adult. An adult is an adult and is responsible for their choices.

[–] sweng@programming.dev 1 points 2 months ago

As said, that's a truism. What possible reason would one have to say it?