this post was submitted on 22 Dec 2025
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[–] ameancow@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This is already a shitshow of a comment section.

I wish people would stop debating "ages" of children and "cutoff points" and start talking how better to reduce suffering and trauma broadly.

[–] sleen@lemmy.zip -2 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

I agree that we should aim to reduce suffering of all. But in doing so, it is important to first focus on the causes of inequality which is discrimination. In this case, it should be recognised that teenagers are not the same as children - as in fact they are more similar to adults.

For a more equal society, inherent ageism will do more harm and the reduction of suffering will be just for show. It is important to apply a methodological approach to true equality and as it stands, individuals should be identified precisely and non-discriminatory.

[–] SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Coming to the United States, soon. Why should a cute little 14 year old be getting all that woke schooling when she could be in a very Jesusy arranged marriage, popping out future warfighters for Dear Leader? /s

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago

Coming? West Virginia has been there

[–] Goretantath@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Welp, guess they are BOTH in the files..

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

putin has long been suspected to be in the files too, which is why krasnov under orders from putin and pedo-billionaires are tyring to bury the epstein news with the firehose of falsehood method(invade veneuzuela, tariffs, his "health" gaffes, renaming kennedy center,,,etc)

[–] devolution@lemmy.world 84 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Conservatives truly are child fuckers.

[–] Carvex@lemmy.world 56 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

“Fucker” implies consent of both humans the same way “child porn” does. These authoritarian right wing zealots are child rapists. They protect pedophiles and molesters with the financial backing and resources only a person who is guilty themselves would provide.

Only an unknown pedophile would assist a known pedophile to escape justice.

[–] devolution@lemmy.world 18 points 2 days ago
[–] Hadriscus@jlai.lu 5 points 1 day ago

of course, warmongers need a steady supply of grunts to send to the front line

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 31 points 2 days ago

Fucking conservatives, all the same everywhere.

[–] MrSmith@lemmy.world 20 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 3 points 1 day ago

PEDO/rapistVENGERS ASSEMBLE, IN RUSSIA.

[–] Bot@sub.community 2 points 1 day ago

Sounds like he gonna marry one of

[–] kbal@fedia.io 31 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Things must be getting pretty desperate in Russia. But I continue to have a suspicion that this trend of calling teenagers "children" in English is unintentionally erasing the whole concept of childhood. That they're not children doesn't make 16-year-olds getting pushed by their parents into arranged marriages any less horrifying.

[–] fonix232@fedia.io 23 points 2 days ago (5 children)

A teenager under the age of 18 - the generally accepted age of majority, age of maturity and thus age of adulthood - is a child, regardless if they're 2, 7, 12, or 16 years old.

[–] woelkchen@lemmy.world 23 points 2 days ago

I cannot speak for other countries but here in Germany childhood ends at 14 years old with a transitional phase of a "youth minor" (cannot think of a better word, sorry) until the age of 18.

That said, this is a completely different thing from advocating that "parents should marry off their children at a fairly early age" which Putin does. That is treating minors as tradable property which is truly despicable.

[–] kbal@fedia.io 9 points 2 days ago

Yes, that is the novel usage of the word I'm complaining about. It was not common 30 years ago.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago (4 children)

VERY few countries peg the age of consent at 18, mostly the hyper-conservative. Only 10 states in America and only Turkey in Europe. Not sure there's any countries in Africa or Asia.

This notion that a human goes from child to adult on their 18th birthday is truly bizarre to me. I was sexually active at 16 and the girl I lost my virginity to was 14. We weren't adults, in full command of our lives, but we sure as hell weren't children. At 17, my gf and I had sex almost daily, if we could manage it. And you would say we were children? Mighty developed and freaky children indeed!

The age of majority you're arguing is the age at which society deems one responsible enough to sign contracts, join the military, in short, be responsible for one's decisions. But to act like there's no in-between state is ludicrous.

Even weirder is people arguing, correctly, that sexuality, autism, etc., is on a spectrum. But our maturity is not? That idea goes against even the most base observations.

My daughter turns 13 next month. Last summer I was already seeing her flip between "child" and a more serious person, sometimes minute to minute. (Can't explain better, sorry.) Her brother is 10 and 100% child, no trace of maturity, as you would expect. By the time she is 14-15 she will be a wholly different person. But you would class her the same as a 10-yo?

[–] sleen@lemmy.zip 0 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

It is certainly a big problem we have in the 21st century. Discrimination is a on thing we try to reduce yet this kind of discrimination, ageism, is put under the radar.

Several violations where made in spite of the Australian youth when they implemented that fascist law, human rights where disregarded and consent deemed as extremely important was deemed unnecessary. There where groups of youths from 13 to 15 which tried to combat that law, but as it stands the state recognised them as unable to think for themselves. This is one example where maturity was disregarded.

More scientifically, it is necessary to note that past the beginning of puberty, maturity is really not related to age rather than yourself and the way you actually perceive maturity as.

[–] fonix232@fedia.io 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Age of consent =/= age of majority.

Age of consent does not demark the beginning of adulthood.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

I didn't and wouldn't say it does! But the difference shows that almost every state in the planet recognizes that teenagers are not "children". It's insulting to them at best, detrimental at worst.

A radio host was bemoaning the fact that her 17-yo daughter made a fire in the fireplace while home alone. Host was pretty upset.

Caller: "Did she do it properly?"

Host: "Yes, perfectly! We taught her to make a safe fire. But she's a child! She has no business starting a fire without adults at home!"

I wanted to scream! In less than a year she can join the military, sign contracts, tell mom to fuck herself, go it alone, do everything but buy beer. And this is how you prepare her for adulthood?!

Sorry, the whole "child until 18" thing gets me bent. We're trying to train these people to be adults, yet at the same time we tell them they have no agency until they're 18, merely "children"? It's fucking insulting and harmful.

[–] SabinStargem@lemmy.today 2 points 1 day ago

I think the most important thing is to recognize when one's children are transitioning from childhood into adulthood, and to provide them the means to do so in a good state. Education, contraception, social connections for job-hunting, shelter, emotional support, and so forth.

Quite honestly, the way USians just kick people out at 18 is arbitrary, and doesn't ensure their kids can become their best selves. Humans are no different from plants: existing without what is needed and helpful, just ends up letting nature take its worse course.

[–] peopleproblems@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It really comes down to decision making skills. True, adults still struggle with that.

But the younger they are the worse that ability is.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Of course! I'm just mad at the simple-minded idea that there is no adolescence, only child or adult. The idea is ludicrous and harmful to the teens we're raising to be adults.

[–] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

That seems to be you making that argument

[–] cheers_queers@lemmy.zip 2 points 14 hours ago

i was raised that way, so it isnt just something they made up.

[–] RobotToaster@mander.xyz 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

18 - the generally accepted age of majority

It's 16 in Vietnam, Cuba, and Scotland. There's been repeated attempts to lower it in the rest of the UK so 16 year olds can vote.

4 US states, 7 Canadian provinces, and New Zealand have an age of majority of 19 or higher.

[–] fonix232@fedia.io 8 points 2 days ago

Wow. You managed to name 6 countries from the 197 distinct ones we have - and THREE of those don't even cover the entire country, just parts of it!

That totally shows how 18 is not generally accepted as the age of majority...

[–] sleen@lemmy.zip 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Even if its written by law that they are a child, it doesn't mean that it should be like that. It has been proven that the law can be extremely sexist, ageist and discriminate to its populace.

Minor is a more formal word for under 18s or those under the age of majority that is used commonly, it's way less discriminatory than calling them children. But even so, the problem remains that teenagers are lumped under the same umbrella as children are - which is factually incorrect.

Of course, despite my critique; your statement remains right as this is what currently lives within the law.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 1 points 1 day ago

with the amount of men they are losing, they need to source it from other places, that is one of the reason why hes desperate to take ukraine, so he can kidnap the children.

[–] sleen@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 days ago

There absolutely shouldn't be any forced marriages period. Nearly everything that is brought up age related can be boiled down to all other people despite the age. In addition, it should be aimed to call teenagers as teenagers because as it stands a child can be both a child or actually just a minor.

[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago

I’m going to go ahead and disagree with you there

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 18 points 2 days ago

He’s trying to breed more boys to kill

[–] Paranoidfactoid@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

When in their wars they run out of yet more men, Putin will double-down from child marriages to polygamy.

[–] CluckN@lemmy.world 18 points 2 days ago (1 children)

If the war keeps dragging on he’ll be praising child soldiers next week.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 2 points 1 day ago

he is resisting so far dipping into st petersberg and moscuvites, his base of influence.

[–] AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world 18 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Could it be the consequences of sending tens of thousands of your men into a meat grinder of a pointless war?? Nahhh

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 3 points 1 day ago

and 1million+ leaving the country, and millions other crippled by chronic alcoholism and drugs.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Russia already had population issues. Sometime, I think the turn of the century, they enacted a new state holiday for people to stay home and make babies. Not even making that up.

Imagine how bad it is now!

[–] AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

Yeah, most developed countries are seeing a decline but i can't imagine the war is helping lol

[–] SlothMama@lemmy.world 14 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I have an honest theory, it's probably verifiable by someone smarter than me.

I think attitudes about this stuff are influenced top down by agenda - I think they're influenced top down by religion, and government, I think they get looser and more strict by agenda.

I think when governments, religions, or theocracies are trying to bolster the amount of human capital they have, you see a slow loosening and normalization, more people seeing younger humans as more adult like to justify the position.

So too, when things are comfortable in an economy, you see childhood extended, creature comforts expanded, more luxury in a society, and consequently agendas moving towards lower birth rates and values that align with that ( higher education etc )

There is a type of generational moral elasticity to this, and I'm seeing it loosen worldwide, like this, for probably the exact reason it sounds - more desperate bodies for military and economics, boosting population for replacement.

I also think this is why countries are moving against LGBT rights, and specifically against transgender people, because hormone therapy sterilizes a non trivial amount of transgender people, reducing the 'breeding stock'.

It's actually well known that there are more trans men than trans women, that is, that more biological female transitioners than male born transitioners, but they get almost no media coverage because they're not considered a threat to society in the ways they are trying to weapons the threat, but legislation covers them too, and of course intentionally.

I'm dead serious when I say this type of view goes hand in hand with anti LGBT and anti intellectualism if your goal is to nudge your people into having more babies with less opportunities. This is coming to the US and the West too, it's already on its way.

Heaven help us.

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[–] Aatube@thriv.social 10 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Could someone link us to where he actually says this? Sorry for killing the mood but I’m skeptical of extraordinary claims that don’t have extraordinary coverage. Or are OC Media and Ostorozhno Novosti usually reliable?

[–] michaelmrose@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

This assumes that the position is extraordinary in context and given the source.

[–] Aatube@thriv.social 1 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago)

it is. tell a republican and they'd first heavily question if it's true. see also "scotus will not overturn roe v wade"

[–] D_C@sh.itjust.works 6 points 2 days ago

Oh lordy, paedo putin do I have good news for you. There's an orange buffoon that you know who also likes the practice of fucking children. C'mon Vladdy, can you guess who it is?

[–] _cryptagion@anarchist.nexus 7 points 2 days ago

This solves two problems. It makes more soldiers for his imperialist ambitions, and justifies CSA for him and his cronies. Can’t be a pedo if god and the state approves, right?

[–] bklyn@piefed.social 3 points 2 days ago
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