The coming of age

We decided to see a movie about “the coming of age” this evening; it’s the reason why my post is delayed. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing a movie that we had seen multiple times previously. The movie however got me thinking about why almost everyone enjoys a movie or a novel that deals with the concept of “coming of age”.  

The end of innocence is a recurring theme. It is usually thought of as an experience or period in a person's life that leads to a greater awareness of evil, pain and/or suffering in the world around them. Wow; can we get more negative in expression?  The end of innocence is also viewed by different cultures as the point where a child becomes an adult and there exist rituals and legal conventions that mark this rite of passage. This change from child to adult consists of a social contract that is not explained explicitly at all to the persons undergoing this change. The social contract changes from a contract where one can be free from the result of ones actions and also be free from the process of taking action to one where the person is a hundred percent responsible for the result and also the process. It happens overnight, in the blink of an eye and then the rest of us are wondering what happened especially when the resultant capabilities are less than the average for that society. We as a society try to kill the kid inside of everyone that is undergoing this “coming of age”. 

My whole argument is cynical to an extent ; it is based on what I have learned and observed in the the last two and a half score years and a bit more. I cannot reconcile the abrupt change in responsibility. Why will someone with a thinking faculty agree to an abrupt change? Or agree to a change that is suddenly thrust upon oneself ? I also understand that one cannot be absolved of the consequences of one’s actions but there has to be a be way than saying - you are now x years old and thus your are now responsible completely. What a mind job. The kid becomes an adult - it works if the kid in question has mental fortitude else all we get is a kid that is a mismatch to society. It just so happens that a majority survive and become part of society - roll the dice !. The dice so far have rolled in a way that has contributed to human existence; don’t think the odds are positive anymore. 

There has to be a better way. 

C