The Maturity Climb

[Haruki-kun]

The Maturity Climb (http://www.viruscomix.com/page532.html) is a comic strip from the Webcomic "Subnormality" featured in viruscomix.com It features mountain goats representing several aspects of maturity, immaturity, and the process of going from one to the other.

I'd been thinking about making a thread for it because I looked at it and found it fascinating. It's interesting thinking about how it applies to me. Several mature aspects apply to a lot of people, several immature aspects as well. For example, I find myself as the "is afraid" goat (Immature), but also as the "talks out problems with others" goat (Mature).

So what do you think? :smallsmile: Find yourself there?

[CrimsonAngel]

I'm most of those. :smallannoyed:

[Innis Cabal]

I think it's a fairly...egocentric scale that's posted there. It seems to say that people who have flaws are immature and those who have risen above every imperfection are the only mature people. It also is based on the authors own preception ideals of what a mature person is, which falls into falls into his "Immaturity Peak". I'll elaborate though.

1. He is telling what maturity is. Which in and of itself he supports is immature in his own system.

2. It could be said the author/artist sees no problems in himself, though it's a fine line since he doesn't actually say he's mature. Though why write something like this if you don't feel like your at least climbing the "Mountain".

3. Knows it all, or suggests he does again by writing something like this. And seeing other stuff of the same webcomic...three is simply supported by his judgmental attitude against people's opinion's he doesn't care for.

Maturity is not something you are or not. It's not a ladder you climb. It's a wide sweeping generalization created by what ever society you live in. Thus, maturity is simply a construction of humans to judge other humans who don't fit into the slots of society in which you dwell. You can be mature in one thing and not in another. Chances are, you all are.

[Lord Magtok]

He is telling what maturity is. Which in and of itself he supports is immature.

Aren't you doing the same? :smallconfused:

[Innis Cabal]

I'd like you to show me where I -told- anyone explicitly what maturity is. I stated an opinion counter to that of the webcomic. The comic itself is not an opinion but near on preaching. Where as what I said excepts that there are multiple defintions for multiple people and societies and not a single universal system in which someone is "Immature" or "Mature." You will note that I did not in fact define maturity at all. Simple that it isn't a system we can create universally due to society and personal beliefs. In fact...I stated plainly that Maturity isn't something we can define at all.

Nor am I the one judging others for being immature. Or even saying believing in that system is immatue. So..no. I'm not doing the same. Perhaps I should edit "In his own system" to the end of the first comment. I think I will as it's what I intended to mean.

[DraPrime]

Hmmm, got a few immature goats there. More than a few in fact. I think there aren't enough qualities amongst the mature goats.

[Don Julio Anejo]

I absolutely loved the blinged out goat :biggrin:

[Haruki-kun]

Hmmm, got a few immature goats there. More than a few in fact. I think there aren't enough qualities amongst the mature goats.

There's 13 mature goats and 14 immature, most of them are counterparts. I found myself as:

Immature:
Blames world for problems: Not the entire world, but I do tend to drop a lot of the blame on other people.

Scorns others' efforts: It's a complicated issue, but I get jealous of other people's efforts. Especially when I know they'll succeed where I failed.

Is afraid: Probably my greatest flaw.

Mature:
Talks out problems with others: I never hesitate to ask people for advice, or sometimes, to just talk about my problems with them, even when I'm not expecting advice.

Knows limits: Self-explanatory.

Knows nothing: Always willing to learn something new!

Understands: I try to. If people talk to me about their problems, I do my best to help them.

Climbing:
Asks: Always. I want to hear what people think.

Wants to fix flaws: I've been trying a lot. I haven't succeeded yet, but I'm still fighting against them. And most importantly, I'd like to think I'm...

Build for climbing: Because there's no other place to go. :smallwink:

[Dr.Epic]

Shouldn't this go in the webcomic section?

[Haruki-kun]

Shouldn't this go in the webcomic section?

Well, I'm not discussing the comic itself, I was trying to get into how this particular strip applies to people in real life. Not even talking about the other strips.

Of course, if mods think it should be in Webcomics, then they can move it, but I really didn't think...

[Jack Squat]

How is blaming yourself for the world mature? I'd say it's as immature as blaming the world for your problems. Accepting responsibility for your actions is mature, which is what I believe he was trying to get at - but there's no reason to take on more blame than you're due.

I'd also say that I'm not sure what context of "telling" he's using that would be immature.

[averagejoe]

It's more a discussion about maturity that was inspired by a webcomic than a discussion about a webcomic. Fits fine here.

[Gimliggamer]

I'm most of those. :smallannoyed:Seconded. This comic hurts my feelings. Especially with most of my friends thinking the world is out to get them, and they suck, and bleh bleh.:smallannoyed:

[averagejoe]

I think some people are taking this a bit too personally. It's not saying, "People who are this way are immature, and therefore they suck," but more, "These things are goals that may improve your life." I think that, especially among nerds, where intellect and matters of the mind tend to be a mechanism for social approval, it's easy to take the message, "These behaviors are self-destructive," as a personal attack.

Then again, I've always found it useful to try to meet a person's philosophies on their own terms, so I can be a bit of an apologist for such things. "Correct," and, "Incorrect," is less important to me than resolving the sense of such ideas in oneself. Even if these aren't correct ideas, they have merit, I think.

[Haruki-kun]

I think some people are taking this a bit too personally. It's not saying, "People who are this way are immature, and therefore they suck," but more, "These things are goals that may improve your life." I think that, especially among nerds, where intellect and matters of the mind tend to be a mechanism for social approval, it's easy to take the message, "These behaviors are self-destructive," as a personal attack.

Then again, I've always found it useful to try to meet a person's philosophies on their own terms, so I can be a bit of an apologist for such things. "Correct," and, "Incorrect," is less important to me than resolving the sense of such ideas in oneself. Even if these aren't correct ideas, they have merit, I think.

This.

Furthermore, I think it's safe to say everyone has moments of immaturity. I didn't think it was offensive to anyone.

[averagejoe]

Furthermore, I think it's safe to say everyone has moments of immaturity.

I don't have moments of immaturity. In fact, I'm the most mature. So I win.

[Moff Chumley]

It's true, too. Joe is the matururist.

[Haruki-kun]

I don't have moments of immaturity. In fact, I'm the most mature. So I win.

Oh, you. :smalltongue:

Well, I have a lot, I admit it. I wish I didn't, but I do.

[Innis Cabal]

I'd hardly say I'm offended. I merely find the idea of defining maturity in a singular sense egotistical.

[averagejoe]

I didn't think you were offended and wasn't responding to you. I don't even disagree with you for the most part. I mostly think the actual idea of maturity isn't very important to the point of the strip, so I just don't have much to say when it comes to whether or not it does accurately reflect maturity.

[Innis Cabal]

Nor did you claim it. Haruki said he didn't think it was offensive to anyone. I was agreeing with him

[Teutonic Knight]

What if I want to listen but no one wants to talk? Where would that fit on the scale for both parties?

Stop me if I'm going too far into what is and what isn't.

[averagejoe]

I think that you don't need for others to talk in order to listen.