Letter: Teen not fully developed
Teen not fully developed
In response to John Norman’s letter (“Wash his mouth out with soap”) in Sunday’s Aspen Times: I agree with John. However, I hasten to add that 16-year-olds will not be ruling this country. The prefrontal cortex implicated in planning complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision making and moderating social behavior is the last part of the brain to develop. In defense of the bad behavior of the youth in question, he was acting from where he is developed. When his brain develops fully such behavior, hopefully will be different. Thank God 16-year-olds do not rule nations.
John, when you were 16, did you ever do something you wished you had not? There a lot of things I did at that age I wish to forget. Such is life. Forgive the youth because he is young and still developing.
Ward Hauenstein
Aspen
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