I don't know it's the age or whatever

[tzon]

Sometimes when I try to maybe some juventile games (such as Rocket League), kids (14- something) are entering the discord and starting to argue about Israel, vs Iran - Only that at CET morning - otherwise, at CEST (late night/morning CET - it's USA/MAGA debates or whatever, yeah even kids as young as 14.)

All I wanted was a Rocket League match - for some strategy talk - the only ones who seem to be complicated enough in their fucking brains are people older than 17-21 at the most, not to offend anyone here - but if you've realized that an eye for an eye does not kill, only blind, then IMO you have matured to some degree.

Maturity has nothing to do with age or biology, it has to do with knowledge and understanding; as far as I know at 42 - I may of course not have matured to my full extend either, as god please, SI tells me to live past 80-90 even though how painful it may be....

 

[Kamaainakupua]

It is definitely not simply the age, but that can definitely be part of the issue. As with most stereotypes, those about young people are a mix of truth, rumor, and outright bias. I know about young people. I used to be one, lol.
Since I'm a gamer, in suicide recovery (but still holding my bus ticket, just in case), I definitely feel your pain. And the truth part is, it has been scientifically proven that the part of the brain responsible for good judgment doesn't usually reach nominally optimal growth until ones twenties. Sometimes sooner, and sometimes later, but your (and my) experience bears out the fact tha decision-making is impaired by not just lack of experience, but limitaions of biology.
That said, patience, love and tolerance go a long way in any gaming forum (here, too). If I can remind myself, these kids are just adding to their experience bank, still learning to learn, then I can ease my own frstration, and become a model of maturity, rather than a soap-box preacher that looks like the guy in front of his house screaming, "You kids get off my lawn!"
Sadly, I act a lot like that guy more times than I would like to admit.
Thanks for bringing this up. I needed the reminder to smile and nod, instead of rant and rave.

 

[timf]

In a way it can be related to age in a general sense. We are all born helpless, ignorant, and selfish. Our parents are supposed to help us improve on this initial state. However, some parents themselves have not improved much themselves and may not be of much help to their children.

As a result, there is a wide variety of development. any get as far as seeing the world in a binary black and white. As long as they can see themselves on a good side, they can feel emotionally secure and even free to engage in combative conversation with their opponents. One can find many examples of this stage of arrested emotional development in the comment sections of many Internet posts.

The ability to see the world in greater complexity requires one to move past the comfort of self-righteousness into a realm with less certainty. Many of the people who navigate these waters are those who were pushed into it by circumstances. Consider the combat veteran, cop, emergency room nurse, ex-con, terminal cancer patient, counselor, pastor, or abuse victim. Some of these have experienced brutal contact with reality and as a result are unable to see the world in the simplistic terms of good and bad.

The more you can see and the more you can understand makes it more difficult to find those with whom you can relate. As far as age goes, 14 is an age where a tribal youth might aspire to be a warrior or one living in urban poverty might have ambitions to join a gang. In suburbia a 14 year old might aspire to be accepted in a clique. It should not be surprising in the age of the Internet that these of that age seek to secure a similar identity by which to present themselves to the larger world.