The paradox of "Being an Adult"

As children we are told to "grow up", "act your age", behave like an adult"...and we do our best to follow this guidance. The strange thing is, as an adult I feel like most of the "adults" around me behave exactly like children.

Look at behaviors of your co-workers. In most large corporate settings people often form clicks, gossip circles, and even ostracize other co-workers. If you study the behavior patterns in an large office or work environment you will find similarities in nearly all social patterns between the children and adults.

The idea of "acting like an adult" is profound because it implies, maturity, stoicism, wisdom/knowledge, yet most people's adult identities are complete acts. Take your boss, or the owner of your company for example, if you get them around a group of their high school or college buddies for a weekend you may see a completely different person come out. Get them around the parents and family again you may see a completely different person come out.

The paradox is that "being an adult" is largely just an act to maintain social orders or structures in a world of business, just the same as popularity, or nerdiness, or athleticism help maintain identity and order in school. Most of what we know about our coworkers or acquaintances is largely a wall of small and harmless lies. What a joke.