Open Thread, October 7 - October 12, 2013

Thomas

If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.

Do you know why the age of consent for sex is 18?

The age of consent differs over the world. Even within the US. Kansas has one of 16 while it's 18 in Florida.

According to Wikipedia Spain even has an age of consent of 13 (with some exceptions) and the government recently announced that it wants to raise it to 15.

I don't think my morals on sexuality would change much by living in Spain.

I don't think my morals on sexuality would change much by living in Spain.

I bet they would. At least if you grew up in Spain. Though probably not because of this law.

6[anonymous]13y

I know this of course, I live in Slovenia where it is 15. However nearly everyone here assume it is 18. I think this is because: * It is 18 in the most culturally important state in the world: California * People treat 18 as Schelling point for legal adulthood. The second is probably why they people here are surprised the drinking age is 21 in much of the United States. 18, rather than the more traditional 21 (see Roman laws) likely exists as a Schelling point for legal rights, because during the 20th century men of that age where judged useful for military service, not because it was determined as the age where people generally become capable of making all decisions on their own behalf.