Certain age requirements

Please, people following age requirements for games? When has this ever done more than deterring little kids from getting M rated games. I watched my eleven year old cousin play BioShock and Halo during our 4th of July celebration. Online games just add the verbal violence to the mix. They're gunna learn it eventually, so why be so restrictive with how we treat it? If they know how and when to use it, let them. I think it is a matter of competence and respectability (Although I watch what I unfortunately call my brother (now 23) every day and have to deal with the fact that these things don't grow with age).