Childhood seldom dies. Usually we kill it. You spent 8 hours a day in school. You probably had homework after. You didn’t get paid to go to school. What’s the difference? It isn’t the world that changed as much as it is your perception that changed, your goals and what you want changed and became bigger. If you just want a place to sleep and some toys to play with- most people can swing that. You probably want more. But who controls your worries if not you? If you do what your supposed to do- the best you know how- things happen or they don’t. Same as always. You can have the same joy and security you had in childhood. It’s up to you.
One doesn’t have to maintain ignorance to maintain a sense of childhood. I know plenty of children who are far less ignorant that plenty of adults. It isn’t so much ignorance that people miss about childhood. It’s a feeling of wonder and appreciation- ever for the seemingly mundane. It’s the feelings of safety that often come from ignorance, or at least naivety. It’s the idea that the world was a vast place full of possibilities. We don’t have to give those things up, and we can act mature while still enjoying those parts of childhood. Lord knows plenty adults behavior looks immature next to plenty of kids.
And the bait has been taken.
Most people would consider maturity as being disillusioned to the world. Ergo, the children you mentioned that are less ignorant. In that sense, many would argue that the childhood has been taken away. Would you consider Forrest Gump to be a mature person? If you answered yes, consider why.
Forest Gump, for all intents, seems to be a developmentally disabled person. But I would consider him mature for the most part. Naive, not always able to process or understand things due to his state. We at least know he had a very low IQ and low aptitudes as stated early in his school career. But he is quite mature. He is able to process his emotions and introspect on them, he isn’t petty or generally otherwise caught up in internal nonsense. He thinks of others, and as we saw with Jenny- Jenny didn’t reach a healthy emotional maturity until near the end of her life. Forest said it best himself- “I know what love is...”
Maturity and nativity are not interconnected. Although I grant there are different types of maturity- emotional maturity, social maturity, etc. but I don’t agree that most people would define maturity as disillusionment. I also don’t agree that being mature means being disillusioned. I think that a cynical person might think that. Someone who sees the world and people as ultimately failures which we as individuals must navigate and manipulate to get what we want.
But they aren’t linked in any meaningful way. The most disillusioned person on the world can be immature can’t they? Take the example of an extremely pragmatic person- border line or even sociopath- a person who doesn’t have a tint of sentimentality influencing their decisions. Say they are a political leader of great power. They are aware of their position, the politics of it, they may do kind things but without any internal illusion they do it to be kind- they do it because sometimes to keep power and influence you use honey and sometimes you release the bees. To them, every move they make and every move anyone else makes is stripped of pretense and viewed the same as moving chess pieces on a board. No player worth serious consideration sacrifices their own pieces for your benefit- where something is offered it serves the one offering. That is the way they see the world.
And yet- in their pragmatism, on their near complete disillusionment, they can be petty, selfish, cruel, entitled, thoughtless, throw tantrums and whine. The outgoing president doesn’t strike me as a man who doesn’t know about the world and the darker aspects of it, the dirt that is done to get what one wants. And I certainly would not call the outgoing(?) president “mature” in perhaps anything but years.
Of course, your mentions of how “most people” define maturity raises an interesting point. “Maturity” isn’t quantifiable, and the definition is relative. You and I, looking at the same person, might offer completely opposite opinions when asked if they are mature or not.
Some fairly universal aspects of maturity are a willingness and ability to put what one wants in the moment asides for what ones larger goals are, to be able to process and control ones emotions in a healthy and constructive manner, to have the general knowledge and stills to conduct ones life as they choose to live it, in a successful manner. To have largely in check aspects seen as “simple” or “primitive” like jealousy, entitlement, in action on the face of that which requires action...
Personally, I do not think it is disillusionment that one needs the knowledge of to be mature. It is a general understanding, reconciliation, and the halo of that on ones thoughts and actions, that they are not alone in the world. That they are not the center of the world. That there are many other views of the world than their own. The development of empathy I would say is one of the hallmarks of maturity. The development of the ability to compromise- built on empathy, would be another huge hallmark of maturity. The ability to exercise social diplomacy that comes from that is another hallmark. Being able to use these skills to form and achieve goals would be another hallmark, and being able to put those goals and ones responsibilities to society and those relying upon them would be another.
A person who cannot or will not take care of themselves or others is usually not seen as mature. A person who doesn’t take their career, their family or friends, or issues of social importance seriously and apply themselves is generally not seen as mature. A person who is fixated only themselves and their own wants, their own feelings, is generally not seen as mature. So I would say the above hallmarks are some of the rough guides to question maturity on.
And of course, take this scenario: a happily married man with two children who are generally regarded as well adjusted, bright, bristling with potential and that potential being fostered. A man who nurtures his family emotionally, who is well regarded by family and friends and relied upon; and who’s council is trusted. And this man, has a career in which he does well, ambitions to achieve more and ambitions which have brought him where he is. He makes good money, has no debts which are not well managed, has a savings, a home, etc. and he also has huge collections of toys and watches cartoons when he had the free time. Do his interests, shared with children- arguably aimed at children, make him immature? I would say not. I would argue his life is testament to a maturity that is required to achieve these things.
The same man, interested in cartoons and toys, living an unstable life, not considered trustworthy or reliable, spending himself into debt or lack of savings on toys simply to gratify himself, is he immature? Well- one major question there is if he is aware what he is doing, aware of the consequences, and doesn’t want anything else. But chances are he IS immature because chances are he wants more in life, he knows what to do in order to get it, but it isn’t his “childish” hobbies which stop him- it is his childish way of thinking, his need of instant gratification, his inability to understand that goals most often require sacrifices.
It is “immature” to not wash your hands because you just don’t want to go through the trouble. It is “immature” to not wash your hands because you know that you won’t get sick or you don’t care. It is mature to wash your hands because you know that other people could get sick of you do not. Because even if you don’t want to do it- it is the thing that needs to be done. Maturity is hard to pin down in exact words. At least for me. But- I certainly do not think disillusionment is maturity, nor are the two related in any way beyond the fact that people often BECOME disillusioned as they mature. That isn’t part of the process. You’ll meet people who are into old age and are idealistic as ever. Disillusionment is just what happens when we have expectations of reality that aren’t true, and we allow that to breed cynicism. To be disillusioned, one must first be operating under delusions. If one can reconcile the world has good and bad- one will seldom if ever be disillusioned.
It wasn’t an argument to me. A debate perhaps at most, more a discussion in my mind. But, if you tire of it, not that you need my blessing, I certainly bid you well.
Are you kidding me now I can go to bed at the time I pick and borrow books from every section at the library. As well as eating food that I cooked the way I like, buying stuff I also like, creating the ambiance of my choice in my place... Childhood has very little freedom, let me be an adult who watches Dragon Ball with a piece of freshly baked cake.
Most people would consider maturity as being disillusioned to the world. Ergo, the children you mentioned that are less ignorant. In that sense, many would argue that the childhood has been taken away. Would you consider Forrest Gump to be a mature person? If you answered yes, consider why.