Useless Number

So I turned 15.

Nothing about me changed.

I didn't suddenly become nicer or smarter. I didn't suddenly improve my manners or speak more formally. I didn't have a revelation that showed me my path in the world. I didn't become more competent at any skill I had.

And the same thing will happen when I turn 16. But society doesn't seem to think so. When that insignificant day ratchets my time on this earth up one number, society suddenly decides that now I am responsible enough to handle the privilege of driving. Now I am responsible enough to be legally employed.

And when I turn 18 it will be the same thing - very little will change about my judgement, ability to handle responsibility, my intelligence. But society as a whole refuses to believe that you are a competent enough person to handle something like voting until a useless number goes up. And until you're 21, it's telling you that you don't have good judgement then either. Until that useless little number says "Okay, we now pronounce you a competent, intelligent, responsible human being!"

It's just more of the "maturity" tripe. Yet again my skills and intelligence are not attributed to my working to achieve them, but rather to how long I've been alive. And that is very, very wrong.