Why Is individuality often lost when age is considered?

Question

It seems like when someone considers your age they put that above personality and individuality as if you have an obligation to live up to a certain type of behavior and/or beliefs. Why is that?

Answer 1

I guess it like when you turn 18, its the magical number where you can move out and be on your own,  you 21 is drinking age and automatically you are able to handle drinking.  its true,,  not all 18 year olds can or want to move out.  I think they had to make age apprrioate type situationss. this way thier was some sense of control that we could put on society. unofrtunately by doing this we are able to make laws or even  give parents a certain right to raise thier child.

Answer 2

It's the "Nature of the Beast."

We grow at a certain rate, learn to do things at certain generalized times (like learning to hold a fork, etc.) and because of the natural standards, we carry it over into our cultural ones too, so a forty year old shouldn't still be partying with teenagers at pit parties, because it's expected they've moved on and maybe learned a little about life by then so pit parties aren't even on the radar anymore: party days give way to parenthood and careers, yadda yadda.

Your question reminded me of a little girl a friend of mine used to babysit. This little girl didn't grow any hair until she was three years old. None. No eyebrows. No hair on her head. Nothing to stick a barrett in. And people were shocked that this little girl hadn't grown hair yet - like it was somehow her fault and she was behind on the standardized ideal. She did grow hair eventually, but her mom was so embarrassed! Sad.

It's that expectation of what we see as normal because of what can be expected of most people.

Answer 3

that's really just because we have preconceived notions about ones generation/ or how one of a certain age should act.  stereotypes come into place regardless of everything else.