What Comes with Age

What Comes with Age

Some say that age is nothing but a number, but in some cases it is also a responsibility. Ever imagine someone younger than a person being in charge of them? Not younger by a year or two, but like a decade. It’s like being babysat by a younger sibling. It seems weird. Humans are trained to believe the older you are the more ability you gain, and younger people are trained to respect that. Older people are usually in charge. Whether it’s being in charge of a small group or large country, people who hold the most power tend to be a part of an older age group, even though they may not be the most qualified to be in charge.

People rely on age for a lot of things. Just because people are older than some, they believe that they hold most of the power. In the book, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, a stranded boy, named Ralph, introduces an idea about using a conch shell to present their ideas. This plan also allows them to be able to speak during meetings. Ralph soon then present an idea of having a leader. Jack volunteers to be the leader. “"I ought to be chief," said Jack with simple arrogance, "because I'm chapter chorister and head boy. I can sing C sharp."( Pg. 22). Jack thinks he should have the power because he's always had it. He doesn't have any particular talent for leading. The only thing he has is that he can sing C sharp which is obviously a survival skill. He is just arrogant and confident and that can be good for the group. He is a biggun and feels no doubt that he would not be capable of having the position as the leader.

In the world it seems like leaders are mandatory. Everywhere you go there will always be someone in charge. Realize how these leaders have a greater age than most people or how them seem old enough to know what they are doing. People do not always trust their leader, but if they show any opposition they may end up in trouble. This is quite similar to Lord of the Flies. They chose Ralph to be the “chief” and he was one of the oldest. Even though he was the chosen leader people did not always agree with what he believed in, but they still followed him because he was the most dominant and oldest on the island.

The Constitution is a document that protects our freedom against those with political power.  In Article One of the United States Constitution, it gives congress its powers and limits. It states that “Senators must be at least 30 years old to represent”. Not only do grow up to believe that age provides abilities, this is a forced rule. This shows that age is a requirement when applying for leadership roles. It is just another legalized statement that shows people that age is a significant factor. This is similar to Lord of the Flies because the boys somewhat follow the rule of having the oldest be in charge. Ralph is the oldest on the island and that is one of the main reason why he was chosen to be chief.

In the book, Jack and a few of the littluns did not like what Ralph had to offer to the group. They decided to distant themselves and take control. They began to rebel and taunt the other group. They killed two of the other group’s boys and continued to act inhumane. They sung a vicious song while performing a ferocious ritual. “Kill the beast! Cut his throat! Spill his blood!” (Pg. 152) The boys are obviously not under control. Having a group consisting of a bunch of littluns resulted in violent activities. When people allow immaturity, and in this case young people, to take charge the result could have dire consequences.

In late April of 2015, riots broke out in the United States. A young man, named Freddie Gray, was allegedly murdered by police officers while in their custody. This resulted in multiple riots in Baltimore, Maryland. Majority of the rioters were young, high school students who left school for a “peaceful” protest. “Initially 75–100 people who appeared to be high school students began throwing bricks and bottles…”. A peaceful protest became an extremely dangerous riot at the hands of young people. These people took over a protest and turning it into something completely opposite than what it was suppose to be. This is just a demonstration of why young people are not the dominant ones in the world.

It somewhat seems amazing the way humans are trained to know their limits when it comes to age. People will think the world is in their hands when they turn 18. They just do not realize that there are restrictions at the ages of 21, 25, 30, and 65. Just because age increases does not mean nobility does too. Not everyone of an older age has the right amount of responsibility. And not everyone of a younger age is irresponsible. Although a lot of people can be categorized into a specific type, there are people cannot be sorted. People are all different, but there are still rules, laws, and restrictions to make sure that serenity is amongst us.

Works Cited

• Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Perigee, 2006

• "U.S. Constitution." LII / Legal Information Institute. Cornell University Law School, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

• "Older People Are Not the Enemies of the Young – We're in This Together | Letters." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 11 Mar. 2015. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

• Foreman, Tom. "Riots Erupt in Baltimore after Freddie Gray Funeral - The Boston Globe." BostonGlobe.com. Associated Press, 27 Apr. 2015. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.

• Anderson, Ivie. "2015 Baltimore Protests." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 2015. Web. 07 Apr. 2016.