Defining “Mature”

People talk about media as having “mature” content. It’s kind of an odd term. I think people tend to think “Oh, I’m mature, so I can ‘handle’ that stuff.” Or even worse, they turn 18 or 21 or whatever and decide that since they’re now recognized as “mature,” they might as well go experience all the stuff that’s labeled as such. I avoid stuff with that kind of label, but as a sort of “public service” I’d like to point out what I think the intended meaning is.

It means that whatever is being restricted will have harmful consequences, and that people of a certain maturity level are responsible for deciding whether to accept them. It does not mean that people of a certain maturity level can indulge in it without consequences. That’s where I think a lot of people metaphorically shoot themselves in the proverbial foot. They don’t bother to think how a movie they watch or a game they play could possibly have a negative influence on them. They’re “mature.” They can “handle it.”

So what consequences does it have? Let’s consider smoking as an example, since that’s the least socially accepted “mature” activity I can think of and so should have the lowest chance of pulling in extraneous stereotypes. I can’t speak from experience, but I hear that the first time people imbibe carcinogenic tar into their lungs, they gag and choke. (Big surprise.) If they repeat the process enough, the reaction goes away because people become desensitized. But you’re supposed to be sensitive to that sort of thing. When you can’t feel it, it doesn’t mean you’re safe – it just means you’re likely to hurt yourself even more. You keep kids away from smoking because they might damage themselves without realizing it. You let adults do it because they’re considered to have the right to damage themselves, not because they’re safe.

The same principle applies to graphic violence, pornography, profanity, etc., although the effects are perhaps less noticeable at first. You start out sensitive to the sanctity of life, marital intimacy, enlightened thought, etc. If you choose to disregard it, you lose that sensitivity.

That’s enough on that subject, except to add that one could argue that what’s really mature is to consider the long term consequences of one’s choices and optimize for long-term benefit, even when it would be easier (or more exciting, or whatever) not to.