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After all, it will happen to them eventually, unless they die young.
Although I remember being given books and quite a bit of instruction about puberty, adolescence, and general health, the whole topic of what happens when your body is on the downward arc was a grim mystery.
I feel that it would make sense to educate young people about what they can expect on that "arc." Maybe they would take better care of themselves, and maybe they would be less inclined to view Old people as a separate, inferior species.
Just my $.02 for today.
I do not think there is any lack on aging information. the TV alone is alive with problems of aging and the need to exercise to avoid many. Financially there is a wealth of articles in all media on preparing for retirement. But like past generations many ignore it. Can't make a horse drink water. Perhaps the worse part is the physical education they get but then it was generation now who dropped that for them in schools. But the if you look the growth in fitness centers is huge and I see so many every time I when I go who are young and in great shape. Then leave and see the real world. I have never run into those that see old age as inferior species must be where you live. I see a few who seem impervious but most who are nice; open doors and treat older people with a lot of respect.
I have learned more about aging and what to expect on this forum. It was not talked about in my family and I work so much I just don't watch much TV.
A TV commercial is just an excuse to leave the room and get something done.
This is going back about 17 years ago but OK, I live in a bubble. The president of the company I worked at (they bought my firm) was turning 65 so big party, presents, etc.
A bunch of people bought Depends for him. At the time, I had NO idea what they were or why they were needed. Let's just say - someone told me that night! I felt like an idiot.
Basic is all I would want my child to be exposed to at school. I don't agree with most people's financial philosophy and I don't want to fight an uphill battle convincing him not to do what he learned in school.
But the basics...hell, he is 3 and already understands where money comes from and that you have to earn it to buy things. By the time he is in middle school, he should have all the basics. Where are the parents?
This was actually at a private college prep HS. Most of the students were from quite affluent families who just wrote the checks and handed over the money. My son was really the only one who worked summers and knew anything about managing money, which we taught him. The others really needed the money side of the class more. They are all in their 30's now and doing well in their professions and family lives.
As far as that class, the life cycle part pertains more to the OP's concerns.
Last edited by Harpaint; 09-06-2015 at 12:08 AM..
Reason: ,
Ha Ha I'm retired. early, and spend money like mad but I was speaking from the perspective of a younger person. Perhaps you are not old enough to discover the super power oldsters get, invisibility!
So, the consensus seems to be, it's not worth the bother. Yet most get reading glasses in their 40's and if one lives to 90, that's 50 years of living that we don't consider it important to address....Hmm. Oookay.
Let's try looking at it from the reverse. Why don't old people consider they are going to die? At higher ages some old folks still worry about life issues such as helping out grown folks financially, were they will live, put off vacations, etc.. Same with the youth.. in the back of our minds it's not me be it retirement for the young or the eternal planting for the aged.
After all, it will happen to them eventually, unless they die young.
Although I remember being given books and quite a bit of instruction about puberty, adolescence, and general health, the whole topic of what happens when your body is on the downward arc was a grim mystery.
I feel that it would make sense to educate young people about what they can expect on that "arc." Maybe they would take better care of themselves, and maybe they would be less inclined to view Old people as a separate, inferior species.
Just my $.02 for today.
Well. I was taught. And I didn't listen.
And it infuriates me when people my age say that young people are no longer being taught. Because they don't honestly know. They only know that they, themselves, have not taught young people. They don't know if I'm teaching young people or not. They don't know what anyone is doing. They just assume.
Young people just don't listen. They never have. They never will.
Would I have been a lot better off. Of course I would. But I had to learn the hard way. I had to learn for myself.
If young people never make any mistakes, they never learn. I understand where you're coming from, but at the same time, the sentiment often assumes a few things. That the older person that is complaining about it had a perfect life. That they never a made any mistakes. And that traditional relationships between the young and old are no longer the norm, or that they should be.
I think that we often assume that young people used to listen to older people. That simply is not the case. They may not have had any choice in the matter, because of the way that society was back then. Younger people have more freedoms not to listen to us now, for better or worse.
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Aging
