Thoughts and ideas on old age and the elderly?
Natalie asked:
Are the elderly revered or seen as increasingly obsolete in your society, using your own culture’s perspective?
Most importantly, in defense of your answer, why do you think this is so?
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Are the elderly revered or seen as increasingly obsolete in your society, using your own culture’s perspective?
Most importantly, in defense of your answer, why do you think this is so?
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December 25th, 2009 at 6:45 am
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The elderly are seen as increasingly obsolete in our society. Point in case: The term ‘old geezer’ is commonly used to describe anyone elderly. I wouldn’t call that respectfull if it came with a bouquet of roses.
Our society thinks of elderly people as a general burden. Hence the support for euthanasia, and the increase in nursing homes. In older times, the children would care for the parent, returning the love their parents had shown them. Now, somehow they just don’t have time.
This is because people are being viewed more and more superficially in our society. If you’re not good-looking, productive or talented, we don’t care.
December 26th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
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We are a youth orientated society so older adults are seen as less productive and obsolete.
December 29th, 2009 at 3:43 am
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i think in the fifties the there was a shift in the likes between the young and old — young with there rock and the old with the slow tunes and this break has never been overcome — with the invent of the computers and there games - the ipod and all of the other gadgets the young have really out distanced the old timers and we are more and more seen as a waste of space and serve no useful purpose!!!! but that is ok since i just enjoy my life and watch them waste away!!!
December 29th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
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For those of you who believe that seniors are a burden on society, here’s a little story (could be true for all I know) that we’ll entitle ‘A stunning senior moment’:
Apparently, a self-important college freshman attending a recent football game took it upon himself to explain to a senior citizen sitting next to him why it was impossible for the older generation to understand his generation.
It’s because you grew up in a different world, actually an almost primitive one, the student said, loud enough for many of those nearby to hear.
The young people of today grew up with television, jet planes, space travel, man walking on the moon. Our space probes have visited Mars. We have nuclear energy, and nuclear-powered ships, electric and hydrogen cars, cell phones, I-pods, computers with light-speed processors… and much more.
After a brief silence, the senior gentleman replied: You’re right, son. We didn’t have those things when we were young…….so we invented them!.
Now, you arrogant little s**t, what are you doing for the next generation?
The applause was amazing………
Moral here, if there is one, is not to judge a person by his or her senior status, but by the wisdom that comes with age. Most seniors today can easily outperform a vast majority of high school, and indeed college, graduates when it comes to basic skills such as the 3Rs. Never underestimate a senior’s abilities and capabilities. And judging by the poor spelling and grammar, poor syntax, an almost laughable lack of math capability, etc, in the majority of posts by younger people, I’d suggest that students pay a lot more attention to their teachers and elders if they are to be better prepared for today’s hectic world.
Sorry if I sound a little pompous but I’m heartily sick and tired of hearing how seniors are becoming a burden on society. Most seniors today have put in a full lifetime of hard work, while all we hear from many of the younger generations is how hard they’re done by - not enough money, not enough jobs, not enough of this or that. Keep in mind that the global economic problems we’re now seeing were caused in large part by young egotists who figured they knew how to work the financial markets. It’s the older, more sensible generation that will ultimately get us through this mess!
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:56 am
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I agree with Diane M. It’s a youth oriented society and seniors are seen as more of a pain in the backside than anything else. The mainstream of society thinks that seniors have nothing to contribute and are a drain of the healthcare system.