Forethought

                                                                                                

Young people are invulnerable. They don't think about death.ⁱ It's not on their agenda. Ask them. Perhaps that's why “risk-taking behavior” is common among the young. And there is little consideration of the consequences. They put themselves in dangerous situations and try dangerous substances convinced, sometimes, that nothing bad will happen and the situation itself will give them a “rush.”

The significance of this behavior can be seen by looking at the statistics. The first five causes of death in the 15 to 24 age range are, in order, road traffic accidents, violence, suicide, poisoning, and other injuries. For the entire population these rank tenth, twenty-fifth, twelfth, seventeenth and twentieth.ⁱⁱ Some of that discrepancy reflects the unusual nature of some causes of death in that age group, but some of the propensity for violent death is based on the fearlessness of youth and their interest in “fun,” and in the present rather than the future.ⁱⁱⁱ

We used to blame mothers for all the ills of mankind.^iv Now we conclude that evolution and DNA are responsible for most of what we are and how we act. The current idea is probably the more accurate one. The frontal lobes,^v including the prefrontal cortex and the motor and premotor cortex, as well as the underlying white matter, are considered to be the seat of “executive function” and social function, the regulators of how we act. And the greater the reliance on planning as opposed to instinct, the greater the proportion of frontal lobe size to that of the whole brain. The proportion is greatest in hominids, primates of the family Hominidae of which human beings are examples.

But just as time was required (billions of years) for the development of these regulators in living beings, time is necessary (even if it's only a few years) in the maturation of the regulator, the frontal lobes, in individual humans. Until the middle of the third decade, those lobes aren't fully developed. So in the young, reason, judgment, nuance, fear, forethought, and caution aren't all there yet. Nor is the superego.

And damage to the frontal lobes is likely to be disastrous. A wide variety of pathologic processes have been linked to that damage. “[F]rontal lobe abnormalities commonly result in major cognitive, perceptual, and emotional disturbances, such as schizophrenia, catatonia, mania, depression, obsessive compulsions, aphasia, confabulatory delusions, and the 'frontal lobe personality.'”^vi Such results have also come about through iatrogenic frontal lobe damage,^vii which, though practiced in the mid-twentieth century, is no longer an acceptable therapy because of the problems it caused.^viii

Knowing the functions of the frontal lobe, however, and the fact that it's not fully functional until the mid-twenties, thought might be given to the steps society should take to properly utilize, and intelligently limit, these incomplete people. For example, use of the young in the military makes sense. The young relate to trauma, and haven't fully developed their fear and judgment, as well as control mechanisms like the superego. Impressing them into military service makes sense – whether the service is mandatory or voluntary. They'll usually do what they're told, even if the task is dangerous.^ix Some forces routinely use children for cannon fodder. They don't think independently and can be convinced to kill and be killed. All it takes is the proper brainwashing. Those who survive, when they get older, can be made into officers since their experience will be useful along with their increased caution and forethought in the planning of military actions.^x

But a far more important consideration is that the lack of development of judgment and the ability to evaluate all available information makes the young too subject to outside influences. Respect for experience and the wisdom of their elders is certainly to be admired, but sometimes those elders take advantage of them. The “youth vote,” for example, may be manipulated by cynical politicians in the same way that they manipulate the remainder of the population. The young tend to be idealistic and very much focused on the present and the injustices of the world. They are less likely to think ahead and consider the long-term implications of the changes they support. They are prone to see one side of a story and give no credence to any other perspective. They see black and white. No gray. Good and bad. And anyone who disagrees with them is bad. Fed the proper propaganda, they can be recruited into even the most illogical position, and not recognize the folly of their conviction.^xi

The founders of our country, in the Federal and in state constitutions, were cautious. In defining the electorate for the offices which they created, they were very careful in the manner in which they set standards. Criteria included age, sex, race, and property ownership. Perhaps we would not agree with their standards, but it is clear that setting qualifications for voters was extremely important to them. The Federal Constitution left the choice of rules to the states, so there was a lack of uniformity regarding the specifics, but there was no disagreement about the need for well qualified electors – mature and “solid” citizens. And age was a critical factor.^xii Although they did not think of it these terms, experience and frontal lobe development were great contributors to measured judgment and intelligent voting.

The trend in modern times, however, has been to lower voting age. There is a view that if individuals are old enough to join the armed forces, they're old enough to vote. It's a bad comparison, since the criteria for the two are so different. One requires bravery and the ability to follow orders without question, while the other requires judgment and independent thought. Lowering the voting age to a time of lesser development of the frontal lobes simply means that we're creating a group of voters who are more subject to suggestion and propaganda than we'd like to believe we are. It will enlarge the ranks of voters, but make the words of a populist or demagogue more appealing. It would make more sense to raise the age of suffrage.

Science has helped us to learn more and more about human development and its implications. We'd be wise to make use of our knowledge. Including that about the frontal lobes. Perceived equality for the young may be at the front of our thinking, but the consequences for the next generation should not be an afterthought.

Next episode: “Double-decker Democracy” – Two for the price of one.

i     Clearly that's not a universal. Those with psychological problems – especially those serving in the military and those who suffer bullying – may see suicide as a “viable” alternative to their situation. But the concept is true for most young people.

ii    http://worldlifeexpectancy.com

iii    Some older individuals share these characteristics. Some act like children because they believe in and identify with the goals of the young, and some have just never grown up. Not much can be done about them.

iv    Generic. It includes womankind as well.

v     As the name tells you, the frontal lobes are in front; they make up the anterior portion of the brain and control such operations – among many others – as those relating to judgment, aggression, anger, fear, and personality, and the integration of many other functions.

vi    “The Frontal Lobes,” Psychiatry, 62:138:1999.

vii    “Frontal lobotomy” or “Prefrontal lobotomy”

viii    And because other therapies have been developed for some of the processes for which the procedure was used.

ix    It would be wonderful if the need for soldiers would be eliminated with an end to war. That, certainly, is the ideal of the young, but reality and mature judgment tell us that there will always be “bad” people in the world and the need to defend against them will persist.

x     However unfeeling and insensitive this sounds, it cannot be dismissed out of hand when the realities of international competition are considered.

xi    There are many “mature” individuals with the same traits, but since their thinking is as developed as it ever will be they're beyond hope. Perhaps they should play no part in society's decision-making process, but, unfortunately, they form a significant part of the population and cannot be excluded.

xii    The New York Constitution of 1771 required that a voter be of “full age.” According to Black's Law Dictionary this means that he had to be 21 for matters of common law and 25 when it came to civil law.