on turning 21

I've had a few days to reflect on it now, and I've decided that the whole 21st birthday thing isn't all it's cracked up to be.

First there's the notion that birthdays are artificial constructs and have no meaning in of themselves. That's true, of course, but that can be said about just about anything. The truth is society has assigned certain meanings to these things and we still should try to figure out where those meanings come from. Or something.

21 is, rightfully, the last birthday associated with new privileges. I guess 25 (rent a car!) and 62 (collect Social Security [ha! As if that'll be around 41 years from now]) count, but not nearly as much. 21's chief association with, well, just about all Americans is being able to buy alcohol.

But it's not as if I haven't had access to booze before Friday? Hi, I go to college. And even if I didn't, I'd have ways to get alcohol without much trouble.* Really, the big stuff comes earlier... you drive at 16 (in PA, at least), you vote and can be drafted at 18.

So why the interest in turning 21? I mean, really. My pet theory is that it extends youth to 21 instead of 18, allowing "adults" to marginalize people in the 18-21 bracket as young 'uns who can't make worthy contributions. Or something.

*Lest I sound like a complete lush, just thought I'd add that in a typical month, I'll have maybe three or four drinks. It just so happens that the past month or so has been, er, atypical.