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Another question - to your experience, are old people fun to be around? I find them either very interesting to talk to, or boring but nice. Of course some are mean.
Most of the old people I've met fall on one of two extremes. That isn't to say it's true of all old people--just the ones I've met! The ones I've met have either been incredibly stubborn, curmudgeonly, pining for the old days, yadda yadda. Or they've had an incredibly interesting and deep outlook on life and seem to be okay with pretty much whatever you throw at them and aren't too easily riled up. I love the old folks I know who fit in the latter category and have become good friends with many of them! I do like "older people" activities, for example I'd rather go out for a coffee than go to a club, and I'd rather go to a museum or play a game of scrabble than do a lot of the activities associated with young people that require a lot of energy and stamina. So I tend to find older folks are more fun to be around, at least for me!
Just for being alive longer? Is their opinion more valuable? On one hand, old people do have a long archive of experience, but on the other hand, some people are idiots no matter what age they are.
That depends...have they earned it? Do they respect others and are they trying to live their lives the best they can? (that's my consideration if someone has earned it) Usually when you give respect, you receive it. For me, age is irrelevant. When I was a kid you HAD to respect your elders but I can't say I did, in my mind. It may have seemed so.
At 65 I would like to be respected for the person I am, not the age that I am. And I will respect anyone who has lived his/her life to have earned it.
People who have their opinions molded by their parents, their inexperienced peers and their teachers/professors without any actual life experience of their own on which to base their ideas/opinions/actions are not YET worthy of respect. It's why certain politicians seek their vote. They're easy marks.
But I agree that today's generation is spoilt rotten, yet are even more ungrateful towards their forefathers and mothers than previous generations.
Totally disagree with this, everyone just loves to indulge in this stereotype. I don't know what kind of young people you have been observing. I see some very young children can be spoilt or ungrateful but it's a thing they usually grow out of by 20-21 years old, and most seem to become pleasant young adult individuals. Every single generation has always talked about the new generation being "more spoilt blah blah blah" than the last, even Socrates made comments to that effect. It's baloney.
Can you possibly justify your comment with some kind of data, or proof, or is it just based on some personal experiences?
I am a so called "younger person" and am not spoiled, or ungrateful, neither are any of the young people I associate with, and I wouldn't want to associate with such people anyway.
Back on topic: I see rude, unpleasant bitter old people and just as many young people with such problems all the same. It depends on the personality more than anything else. Many older people become more set in their ways, close minded and bitter as they age, and possibly it's because perhaps they didn't fulfill their life as they hoped, and may be jealous of younger people with their whole life ahead of them.
Even so, despite being polite to strangers I sometimes get attitude from older people who believe younger people should kiss their ass because they've been around a bit longer. That kind of thing just proves the type of person they are though.
Like I said this is only some old people, not all of them. I do think we can learn a lot from older people because most poeple do not fulfil their lives the way they wanted to and we can all learn from older people's mistakes.
I think sometimes we need a reminder because it IS so easy to dis-respect 'old people'. I look at my 89 year old father and see, not the doddering old man that others see, but a member of the 'Greatest Generation" ~ who weathered the depression, fought in SEVERAL wars, was a decorated Officer in the Army, and who lost a son when he was only 8 years old. And did it all with grace and dignity and without complaining. That kind of life experience ~ cannot be learned in books or reading on the internet. He continued on, no matter what, to make a good life for himself and his family.
It's hard to see that man now, when you look at him, but he's still there and worthy of respect.
My teen-age son sees only the doddering old man and I get so mad when I see his eyes rolling around when he stumbles and fumbles. That 'old man' paid for his braces, sat through every sporting event, and will be providing him a car. I remind him of that from time to time.
Good post. Thank you for your heartwarming perspective.
Like what, calling them 'Mrs. Smith' instead of by their first name? I find most old people actually prefer to be treated just like everyone else, not ignored or treated like a fragile old statue.
Oh things like opening doors etc for them are pretty obvious...
I know this may sound a little archaic (?) but I am a senior citizen and I appreciate when I am addressed as Mrs. So and So by my doctor, their nurses, people in stores, tradespeople, etc. I don't call my doctor by his first name unless he should specifically ask me to and then I would hesitate because that would signify a level of intimacy that I would not feel comfortable with. I have earned the courtesy of being spoken to by my title and name, Mrs. so and so.
Having said all of that and not very well, I do think it is a courtesy and somewhat formal but I think most older people appreciate that. I also being asked before someone addresses me familarly by my first name.
i think it is good that we are taught to respect our elders. They quite often know a lot more, through the experience of living, than younger people do. It is not good for young people to grow up, not respecting anything.
Does any of this make any sense ? Probably not. LOL
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