quote:

Originally posted by eggTweedyegg:
Don't worry, you'll never figure it out I'm impressed to see that you're only 14... I started to think like that when I was 17. Mmm...could be a great topic: when did you started to think for real?

I really think that I'm the same person I was when I was about 9 years old, maybe 8, only now I have more experiences and am worse off for it. I honestly think they should lower the voting age to about 12.

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:

quote:

Originally posted by eggTweedyegg:
Don't worry, you'll never figure it out I'm impressed to see that you're only 14... I started to think like that when I was 17. Mmm...could be a great topic: when did you started to think for real?

I really think that I'm the same person I was when I was about 9 years old, maybe 8, only now I have more experiences and am worse off for it. I honestly think they should lower the voting age to about 12.

I'd like to vote. My political views are probably at least as developed as some of the adults who vote.

quote:

Originally posted by joji:
I'd like to vote. My political views are probably at least as developed as some of the adults who vote.

Exactly. I, for one, would like to see the killjoy policy of making up snow days come to an end. You can bet your ass that the joy of a cancelled school day would never again be tempered by the prospect of a shorter summer vacation if kids could vote. Oh, the possibilities....

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:
I really think that I'm the same person I was when I was about 9 years old, maybe 8, only now I have more experiences and am worse off for it. I honestly think they should lower the voting age to about 12.

I might be for lowering the voting age, but to 12? I'm sorry, but that's plain retardable. Most 12-year-olds in America haven't even left primary school yet, and most people aren't taught jack-shit about politics until near the end of high school.

For the sake of not derailing this thread, though, I'll leave it there. Unless you want take it to PMs.

P.S. As a miscellaneous point of interest, Australia has a system of compulsory voting. I think that should go, as forced voting isn't likely to be informed voting.

"Retardable"? I think you've coined a new phrase.

I can't speak for anyone else here, but I've changed drastically from when I was 9. And 12. And 15. The experiences I've had make a lot of the difference.

I'm not sure how many 12 year olds are really ready to vote (but, of course, there are 40 year olds who aren't really ready to vote, either! ) but I'd guess, knowing the 12 year olds that I know, not very many.

I've personally always thought age is very arbitrary...maybe a better standard about readiness to vote would be taking a test on government? Awareness of the issues/candidates? You could then allow the more advanced members of the youth to vote, but you might alienate those folks who can't pass the test because they had bad teachers in middle school, etc.

quote:

Originally posted by philosopherEric:

I've personally always thought age is very arbitrary...maybe a better standard about readiness to vote would be taking a test on government? Awareness of the issues/candidates? You could then allow the more advanced members of the youth to vote, but you might alienate those folks who can't pass the test because they had bad teachers in middle school, etc.

If only. But now this is turning into three topics in one, so I'll bring it back where it's supposed to be and there can be a new thread for the age discussion.

So on another note, I DID figure everything out and everything turned out better than I could have hoped. I had an eventful week to say the least, but now I feel awesome and I want it to last

quote:

Originally posted by philosopherEric:
"Retardable"? I think you've coined a new phrase.

I can't speak for anyone else here, but I've changed drastically from when I was 9. And 12. And 15. The experiences I've had make a lot of the difference.

I'm not sure how many 12 year olds are really ready to vote (but, of course, there are 40 year olds who aren't really ready to vote, either! ) but I'd guess, knowing the 12 year olds that I know, not very many.

I've personally always thought age is very arbitrary...maybe a better standard about readiness to vote would be taking a test on government? Awareness of the issues/candidates? You could then allow the more advanced members of the youth to vote, but you might alienate those folks who can't pass the test because they had bad teachers in middle school, etc.

I can't claim originality on "retardable". It's not exactly common, but I did hear it from somewhere.

Testing political awareness in young voters is an idea, but I think it's classist, or at least more generally elitist - which is what democracy isn't supposed to be.

I'm certain that you understand that legislating age minimums for a range of things is a way of keeping the system from becoming overcomplicated. Just imagine if it was necessary to determine, on an individual basis, whether a person was mature enough to vote, drive, drink alcohol, procreate and so on.

Yeah, you certainly are correct. Hey!! This WAS my thread. My family needs a friggin' house to stay in because we're currently renting, and since we moved into this house three years ago, it's gone up in value at least $250,000, so the owner wants to sell it. I only moved into this one because my previous owner was going through a divorce and HAD to sell the sucka. Before that, I owned....with my brothers. That sucks (nothing gender-or-object specific.)

Money.

For winter to end.

quote:

Originally posted by Carlito's Way:
For winter to end.

That too, though it's probably a lot colder in Canada.

Yeah...if you're farther up north for sure. But Toronto's probably in the same climatic region as New York though.

quote:

Originally posted by Carlito's Way:
For winter to end.

What? Winter just started… are you going to deny my son his right to sled down a hill? ;-)

-----

My latest heart’s desire is… to sell my Xbox and GameCube and all the shit that goes with them and buy a Nintendo DS Lite when it comes out. I can’t commit to playing home console games anymore… the games must commit to me now. ;-)

“Oh… what’s that, Castlevania? You want me to sit my ass down in front of the TV for an hour or two? Too bad! You’re coming with ME and I’ll play YOU whenever I damn well feel like it… for however long I feel like it. Got that?! Yeah, you’re MY bitch now! Yeah, bring your little friend Mario Kart along… I got plans for him too.”

Yeah… that pretty much sums up how I feel about games now. I need convenience (portability) and games that are built for fun. The Nintendo DS Lite should be hitting North America very soon; hopefully in the next month or two.

You should get PSP... you can watch movies and play music besides video games.

quote:

Originally posted by Carlito's Way:
You should get PSP... you can watch movies and play music besides video games.

I'd prefer to buy a PSP (better screen + nifty joystick), but the biggest deterrents are the price and the lack of games that I want to play. I’ll stick with getting a DS, but I do appreciate the concern. ;-)

My latest video game desire..

For all those games that Japan has been tantalizing us with for months to be localized in the US.

Rogue Galaxy, Tales of the Abyss...

quote:

Originally posted by Cody K.:
I'd prefer to buy a PSP (better screen + nifty joystick), but the biggest deterrents are the price and the lack of games that I want to play. I’ll stick with getting a DS, but I do appreciate the concern. ;-)

True that... I actually don't have a PSP myself (although I would really love to have one), the main reason being I can't afford it, especially now that I am saving up all my money for PlayStation 3.

Everyone in town seems to have a PSP already. Everytime I'm in the subway I see at least 3 people with it.

Umm.... I just want to be truly loved for who I am and not who every1 thinks I am.

quote:

Originally posted by Biggles:

quote:

Originally posted by RavingLunatic:
I really think that I'm the same person I was when I was about 9 years old, maybe 8, only now I have more experiences and am worse off for it. I honestly think they should lower the voting age to about 12.

I might be for lowering the voting age, but to 12? I'm sorry, but that's plain retardable. Most 12-year-olds in America haven't even left primary school yet, and most people aren't taught jack-shit about politics until near the end of high school.

For the sake of not derailing this thread, though, I'll leave it there. Unless you want take it to PMs.

P.S. As a miscellaneous point of interest, Australia has a system of compulsory voting. I think that should go, as forced voting isn't likely to be informed voting.

I remember when I was 12, i thought the same as RavingLunitic. But 3 years later, And now I think that they could at least lower it to 16, maybe to 14.

K, I'll stop.

Damn right! I lived in Australia for almost 5 years and agree. If people don't wanna, they sholdn't hafta (To a limit, of course).

I need hkjsldkfaskhdsjh and then i need summer.