Remembering Maturity

 

Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly. Proverbs 16:22

 

While walking near my house one day, I overheard two men trying to find a location. They had their phones in their hands, were looking at street signs, and heading for a crosswalk.

I asked if I could help them. By the looks on their grown up faces I could see that I could not. They were playing “Pokemon Go.”  It was 6:45 AM. They told me they had been out all night but were not finding anything in my little borough.

They proceeded to tell me that they are 28 and 45. The younger was apologetic, rationalizing that he thought it was better to be out all night with this new friend (they had met the same night) than sitting home alone playing video games. The 45 year old was unapologetic. It was fun, he was playing, and they were moving on from me.

After they left I wished I had asked if they needed to get to work, were married, or had some other responsibilities. I am under no illusion that any of this was any of my business. It would have been interesting to know.

The same day, I was introduced to “safe spaces” on college campuses. They are places for students who are feeling marginalized (uncomfortable) by a confrontation of an idea or argument (in or out of the classroom) with which they do not agree. They go to a “safe space,” provided by the college, so they will be insulated from the “attack” on their feelings.  Safe spaces are 100% supportive – of everything.

I did a little research on these “safe spaces” and it looks like they are places you can be truly free to speak and have no one argue – only accept – whatever you think or believe. They were originally “safe places” for the LGBT community. Now, anyone who faces disagreement may use them to restore their sense of security.

What has happened to adulthood?  Is there any maturity expected from the academic process? Why aren’t we teaching people to stand for what they believe and battle it out with others? What will these poor people do when they are in a boardroom argument in their careers?

Where has the parental responsibility to  to be God-fearing, productive, and thinking citizens, gone?  Where has the expectation that college would afford a student an opportunity to test their wings in a structured environment go? These “safe spaces” are age appropriate for kindergartners, not college students.

It seems that when we stopped caring about character (think Clinton administration) in our political candidates, we stopped caring about character in anyone.  People without character are not grown-ups.

Grown-ups work.

Grown-ups think.

Grown-ups pay their own way.

Grown-ups may play games but they will live responsibly.

45 year olds playing Pokeman all night and college students hiding from real interaction and debate make me nervous for our future.

I am mourning the loss of maturity in our culture.