Defining youth

In the Learning Assessments this week, more than one person expressed confusion over the definition of "youth." 

According to your textbook, "Youths are no longer children, but they are not yet adult. This 'liminal' positioning has consequences for the places that they can take and make within the cultural world" (132).

What would a more concrete or age-specific definition look like? How would that be helpful? Are categories like "children," "youth," and "adult" clearly distinguishable? On what basis? What are the advantages of the textbook's definition of the term? Why do you think that cultural geographers look at "youth" as more of a state of being than as a specific age group? How does that relate to trying to understand culture (or, what people do)?

Comments

[Regan Garrett]

I think that age can be defined as the maturity and physical change in an youth's life. Based on this the difference between a child and a youth is the maturity and sense of responsibility within a youth than a child. The traits of being a youth instead of a adult is the lack a responsibility a youth has compared to an adult. The reason why a youth is a different age group is due to the significant different between a child who knows nothing to a youth who knows some. It is based off of the comprehension a youth has compared to a child and how complex tasks can be used as a means to separate both youth and children as well.

[Connor Thompson]

If someone really wanted to create an age-specific definition of youth, I think a semi-accurate range would be from 16-23, but it really depends on a case-to-case basis. No, I do not believe that children, youth, and adults are clearly distinguishable. This is because there are not exact requirements, that have been agreed upon, that need to be met by someone in order to be classified into one of those categories. The advantages of the textbooks definition are it describes what is meant by youth, but it does so very generally. This allows to the details to be discussed case-to-case. I think that cultural geographers look at youth as more of a state of being, than an age specific group because being part of the youth is more of a mindset that can be present at different times in one's life.

[Morgan Taylor]

I really agree with what Connor said. Youth can't be defined by an age but by the state of being. I believe that every individual goes through the "youth stage" but every persons youth stage is different. Many children are raised in an environment where they are forced to grow up fast. For this reason they need to take on responsibilities that adults have. For example, I never had a childhood because of events that have happened to my family. At the age of 16, I had many of the same responsibilities as an 18 year old. I had a car, a job, and I had to pay for my insurance, cell phone bill and anything I wanted to buy. I strongly believe that youth is situational and is not defined by an age. Youth is another word for immaturity.

[Hailey Hummer]

I agree with what has been said, if it is going to be concrete it has to have specific things that we must meet to become youth or an adult. You could also put an age limit on it. I think we try to do this in America within our states by setting age limits for driving, having a job, and owning a house. But some of them are contradictory like you are considered an adult at 18, but you can't drink or but a house. It is convenient in this way that it marks when you will be able to do something for the state or the government. I think geographers think of it as a state of being rather than age because not everyone is at the same place at the same age. People have to do things and act a certain way to be considered a youth or an adult not based on age.

[Alyssa Adams]

I would say that once puberty has hit, you are considered a teenager and that varies in each person. You would reach adulthood when you can provide 100% for yourself, so living at home would count as being a youth still (since all the choices being made are not your own). We try to do an age limit currently in the U.S. and this has pros and cons. If we had a more relaxed idea of youth, the choices some have to make would be put off until they were mentally and emotionally ready. As I stated before, each individual is different and therefore depending on your situation, you "grow up" faster or slower than others. So youth cannot be defined with set age boundaries.

[Danyelle K]

I also agree with Connor that an accurate range would be from 16-23 and also that it depends. I mainly agree with this because when you're below the age of 16 you're more of a child. But anything between 16 and 23 isn't quite on the same level as an adult. Although in todays day and age, many think that you're an adult when you turn 18, but I still see this point in time the part of your life when you're not quite an adult and don't have everything quite figured out. I personally don't think that "youth" and "children" are clearly distinguishable because if you ask certain people and refer to someone as part of the "youth", they might think that you're talking about young children rather than those of adolescence. I also agree with Hailey when she said that "geographers think of it as a state of being rather than age because not everyone is at the same place at the same age." I think this because there are people or "youth" at a certain stage in their life that might be different than others and that may or may not be based on age.

[Madeline Magnuson]

I believe that the word youth can be used to describe both children and adolescents. Youth is used to describe anyone who is not an adult yet and does not provide for them self yet, i wouldn't say say that youth has certain age boundaries. I agree with Danyelle, i wouldn't say that an 18 year old is an adult, and i also wouldn't say that a 5 year old isn't considered a youth.

[yanet reyes]

This class opened my eye to what the word youth is all about. I meanly think that it a word that describes young people, that could be children or teenagers and even sometimes young adults too. A lot of the time youth can just be a set of mind. I am 26 years old and I sometimes feel like I could be youthful to a point.

[Peter Nguyen]

Agreeing with Conor, 16-23 sounds about right to me. but helpful? Im not sure how it would be helpful since everyone is different since people mature differently. We include 18+ as adult but I feel like I was so reckless at the age of 18-20 that I believe that the age of what a person would be classified as an adult should be 21 and up. But then again we could say that everyone is different and there are definitely people out there that mature at a very young age.

[Betty Jean Ghasedi]

I think the reason why geographers look at the word "youth" as a state of being because we label children under the age of 18 as "youth" they are not yet adults. A concrete age definition would be ages from 11-17. The adolescent years, young teens, teens, to young adults. we group them all together as "youth". I do think the categories; children, youth, and adult are somewhat distinguishable. "children" ages 3-10, "youth" ages 11-17, and "adult" ages 18+. I think the textbook tries to figure out where youth stands without stating that they are "in betweeners". Most cannot drive until age 15, and freedom is not yet theirs till 18. It's a rough patch for years. They haven't yet figure out what life is about, they are still taken care of and still in much need of guidance. Trying to figure out where they "fit in" is apart of their culture. thats where they figure it out. What they want to be their dreams and ambitions for when they are entered out into the real world.

[Adeline Ndayishimiye]

I think Youth isn’t defined by age, but at the same time I feel like youth are from age 15 to 25, because youth are considered to represent the future as they bring new ideas. I don’t think concrete age would be helpful. I think children are specific age groups between birth and 14. Adults are anywhere from 18 and up. Though youth is less age related it is definable as concept: youth are people who are open-minded, obedient, energetic, active, but they are also immature, irresponsible, and rebellious. I like the book definition because it explains how can choose which ever they want to be (children or adult). Culture geographers look at places and traces of people; youth are identifiable by their self made places, places outside the adult or child borders. This approach allows geographer to study identity and place more clearly.

[Samantha]

I don't think youth is defined really by age because it depends on how old you are to what you think your youth was. Fourteen year olds think that their youth was when the were seven and 80 year olds think their youth was when they were 21. Your youth is always something younger then you are tight then. But if we do talk about it connecting it to age I think birth to twelve is child, thirteen to seventeen is youth and eighteen and up is adult mostly according to the laws of what responsibilities and privileges they get. Because I think having the mind of an adult and not a youth depends on the amount of responsibility you have, not entirely but i think the responsibility heavy impacts what type of mind set you have. Which connects it to being a state instead of an age. Because people develop different in different cultures a fourteen year old in Africa will be different from a fourteen year old in America. This is how is connected to to culture and the expectations of society for that age group.

[Nicholas Ham]

I stand behind what we discussed in class, my statement then was age 16-25. I do not believe that this is the set in stone age where everyone is a youth, but it's a good benchmark. When it comes to defining youths, at least in this country, it is based on the level of independence between the youth and their parent(s). the more independent, the closer you come to be a true adult. Sadly, some people never seem to cross into adulthood.

[Cindy Rosales]

In a way I think you could define youth into an age group. I feel like a youth could be anywhere between 13 and 21. But if we were talking about a more accurate definition I feel like one is categorized into a child, youth, or adult on the level of maturity or when that person has reached certain stages in life. I feel like geographers look at the state of being more than an age classification because it's a word of description.

[Jalene Alviar]

I feel that youth is not necessarily defined by age group, for example a 13 year old my feel mature, but people older that 13 feel that 13 is young. Like Cindy Rosales had said child, youth and an adult is defined by certain stages in life. When a child becomes a teen they start to grow taller, when a youth becomes an adult they go through puberty. I also agree with Nicholas like what we discussed in class adulthood can also be defined be independence like getting your license or moving out of your parents house. Overall youth is defined differently by each person.

[jenae]

I think youth is a name that people use for when they are talking about people who are younger. Like from people that are from grade school to high school. Because I think of things like youth groups for example. Which is held for kids that are still in middle school or high school. Young adult I think of people who are like 18 to mid 20s. I mean the more I think about it the more I get confused by figuring out if youth and adult are clearly distinguishable. But right when I think about youth I think of kids. Young adults I think of people who are out of the house but still trying to figure out the basics. Adults know the basics have a little bit better handle on life and so on.

[Sapphire Dorfman]

I feel like the book's definition of youth, "Youths are no longer children, but they are not yet adult. This 'liminal' positioning has consequences for the places that they can take and make within the cultural world" (132), is pretty accurate, if further explained. Youth is the time period between being a child, not having many responsibilities, and being an adult, living with plenty of responsibilities. I think of myself as being in the youth stage, as I am no longer a child and can make my own decisions, but I also do not yet pay taxes and am still pretty reliant on my parents.