In our mainstream culture it is assumed that in each of our lives there comes a time after which all of our subsequent behavior is freely chosen and we therefore can be held responsible for our actions.
Most cultures will designate a particular age, some at 13 or 14, others at 18, when our ability to act contrary to cause is supposed to occur. Yet, there is no reason to assume that there ever comes a point in anyone’s life when their genes and experiences do not completely determine how they think, feel, and behave.
Sometimes, the way this irrational notion of “coming of age” gets applied reflects more about our attitudes regarding race and class than a realistic appreciation of the factors causing behavior. For example, in the United States, the criminal justice system frequently treats black or brown teenagers more severely than their white cohort.
On a personal level, believing that humans can act contrary to cause distorts our understanding of ourselves and the people in our lives. On a societal level, it provides a rationale for what would otherwise be indefensible, including economic and social injustice.