Respect My Elders?

[wilsonscrazybed]

Respect is really quite subjective as a concept.

I try to have respect for the people around me. Treating people poorly almost always results in you being treated the same way. If I am dealing with someone older I tend to use sir or ma'am more frequently. This sort of respect I am happy to give because it costs me nothing and only serves to improve communications.

I also respect nature, which is why I don't go swimming in the rapids or stand out in open fields when the lightning is nearby. This sort of respect is more just common sense. It's the same sort of respect that I show for police officers and other people who can with any reason ruin my day (or life).

I do not however feel the need to respect children who seem to think that respect is a kind of currency that can only be traded in equal quantities. Often using it as an excuse to act like a turd because they feel like adults aren't listening to their opinion. I am not saying that all children are saying "Listen to me and I'll stop acting like a jerk!" but there is an overwhelming majority of them that do.

True respect for someone is always going to be given/received in unequal proportions. Each person has his own issues and ways of communicating. Having said that, I still encourage you to watch out for lightning.

 

[Dele]

Um we actually pay for our own social security, the people who are getting social security now payed for it when they worked during their life, of course we should up the age for social security but that's another issue altogether.

No wonder Madoff got so many people fooled... Social security is one hell of a ponzi scheme in most countries. Nearly all of it gets spent immediately and only little if none is invested. If the generations before you are baby boomers and generations after you are really small, you pay hell of a lot and get nothing in return.

 

[Rajin Cajun]

I know this is a rant. But i need to get it out of my system, and it couldn't hurt to speak up. I was quite recently at my church when I heard the following statement: "We should trust our elders to know what's best for us."

Based on the context, I don't think they were talking about the Church's elders, but rather just a group of older people lobbying for something in city hall. this bothered me. I don't know if I can really trust the generations older than my own. It wasn't the twenty-somethings and down that screwed up the economy, started wars in countries for questionable causes, failed to find the main responsible party of one of the biggest crimes against the public in American history (save for the business with treating the natives like crap, but that's a whole 'nother rant), or spent the last few months panicking about a flu with lower fatality rates than standard influenza. My generation will thank yours for the work you've attempted to do. And I'll be the first to admit it that much of what happened seemed like a great idea at the time.

But trust? Respect? My elders have burned some serious bridges here. And You'll find that I'm gonna have a hard time paying taxes to make your Social Security payments when I can't find work in this mess, which seemed to be caused by a bunch of half-brained folks twice my age and up who didn't figure out that poor people can't always pay their debts, laws or none. Now I'm not saying that we should Euthanize you, or silence you, or even put you all in homes. All I'm saying, is that experience and wisdom are two different things, and there are just as many old morons as young ones. The old ones just vote more often. So, my only plea to my elders is this:

I'll try to help with this situation. I'll do what I can. But if you nay-say me because of my age, then you can move to Mexico City and tell them to get off your lawn. I, for one, am sick of my generation being called a bunch of do-nothings and louts. People have talked for long periods about putting away racism and sexism, so let's drop the age stereotypes, for good or evil. You're a bloke, I'm a bloke. So he'res the big one, the final, simplest, measure: You learn to listen occasionally, and so will I.

Great post and sums how I have felt about the "elderly" generations of late. Except you have taken it in a more tactful way whereas I'm more prone to mouthing off and giving them the finger. I figure you want to talk about how great your generation is you should probably open your eyes and see the damage you have done because you were a bunch of blind sheep. I especially grow tired of hearing my generation being a lot of do nothings and if that is true the world is screwed because we have so much damage to repair its not even funny and tends to piss me off enough so that firebombing a Retirement Center sounds like fun.

 

[IsoNeko]

You're a bloke, I'm a bloke.

My Birth certificate needs updating then.

 

[kingcat1]

Of course I respect the elders, they gave us the scrolls!!

lol, but anyway what to elders no about that we need they hate the internet and must ide o.0

 

[beddo]

I know this is a rant. But i need to get it out of my system, and it couldn't hurt to speak up. I was quite recently at my church when I heard the following statement: "We should trust our elders to know what's best for us."

Based on the context, I don't think they were talking about the Church's elders, but rather just a group of older people lobbying for something in city hall. this bothered me. I don't know if I can really trust the generations older than my own. It wasn't the twenty-somethings and down that screwed up the economy, started wars in countries for questionable causes, failed to find the main responsible party of one of the biggest crimes against the public in American history (save for the business with treating the natives like crap, but that's a whole 'nother rant), or spent the last few months panicking about a flu with lower fatality rates than standard influenza. My generation will thank yours for the work you've attempted to do. And I'll be the first to admit it that much of what happened seemed like a great idea at the time.

But trust? Respect? My elders have burned some serious bridges here. And You'll find that I'm gonna have a hard time paying taxes to make your Social Security payments when I can't find work in this mess, which seemed to be caused by a bunch of half-brained folks twice my age and up who didn't figure out that poor people can't always pay their debts, laws or none. Now I'm not saying that we should Euthanize you, or silence you, or even put you all in homes. All I'm saying, is that experience and wisdom are two different things, and there are just as many old morons as young ones. The old ones just vote more often. So, my only plea to my elders is this:

I'll try to help with this situation. I'll do what I can. But if you nay-say me because of my age, then you can move to Mexico City and tell them to get off your lawn. I, for one, am sick of my generation being called a bunch of do-nothings and louts. People have talked for long periods about putting away racism and sexism, so let's drop the age stereotypes, for good or evil. You're a bloke, I'm a bloke. So he'res the big one, the final, simplest, measure: You learn to listen occasionally, and so will I.

If you're in church why not bring it up with them. It's perfectly reasonable for you to question their ideals, especially if you think they are immoral.

 

[jasoncyrus]

It's a church...why did you expect to hear anything even remotely resembling sense there?

Any smart person doesn't respect someone automatically. Respect must be *Earned* no matter who you are no matter what you've done no matter what your age is.

Hell superman would still have to earn my respect.

 

[Worgen]

its natural for an older generation to view the younger one as lazy and illinformed and usualy ***** about them in general, the speed of tech has only worsened things since its "young people stuff" and its completely taking over and unless the older generation pays attention they get left behind, information is becoming obsolete much faster then it ever has so either they put in the effort or just ***** about kids. Also finding reasonable people in a church is probably a fools errand but thats a rant for another topic

 

[CrafterMan]

It's a church...why did you expect to hear anything even remotely resembling sense there?

Sorry but I agree with babytea, there is no need to say stuff like that.

-Joe

 

[Kogarian]

i read the last paragraph, and i think you need to print this out and stick this on the wall or somthing, because were all like 20, meaning, your respective audiance is not us.

Actually, yes, yes it is. We're mostly 16 to early 20 year-olds. We're the exact audience.

 

[hypothetical fact]

Respect is really quite subjective as a concept.

I try to have respect for the people around me. Treating people poorly almost always results in you being treated the same way. If I am dealing with someone older I tend to use sir or ma'am more frequently. This sort of respect I am happy to give because it costs me nothing and only serves to improve communications.

Speaking of subjectivity I respect others by telling them what I think, lieing to them by calling them sir or ma'am when I believe they haven't earned the title is disrespectful in my book. Sure most people like being refered with a title but I draw a line between being nice and showing respect.

 

[Lazarus Long]

So I'm 30. I don't know if that makes me the older generation or not. What I've learned in that time (the only thing that I believe without a single particle of doubt) is that stupid knows no gender, nationality, age, religion, or shoe size. We all have some. Some more than others, unfortunately.

 

[The Shade]

All I'm saying, is that experience and wisdom are two different things, and there are just as many old morons as young ones. The old ones just vote more often.

Holy crap...someone who actually gets it!!!

 

[AbsoluteVirtue18]

Respect is given where respect is earned. The only reason I act like an obedient dog to my elders is because it serves my purposes. If I genuinely respect you you'll recognize the difference.

 

[Blood_Lined]

Thank you for bringing this up! Some of the last generation is kind of out of it, and im kind of pissed myself about how alot of the grandparents generation of today act the way they do. So print your own words out, 'cause that's wisdom for you right there.

 

[black lincon]

We haven't been given the chance to screw up yet. You want respect for things you have yet to do. if we judged all men on what they might do rather than what they have where would we be? Ageism occurs because although every generation may fail to do something, they always manage to do something else. while we can cry foul for being judged without doing something wrong, what can we claim to have done right?

I respect my elders because they took a stab at a problem, if they fail then we just know one more way not to do it. fixing problems, the kind the world has now, aren't going to be fixed in a single generation, were going to fail in a lot of ways too, and then in our old age we'll be warning the youth, "learn from us, we ignored our elders and we screwed up just as bad!" and you care to guess what will happen? they wont listen. and there will be some guy on the internet complaining about how the older generations who screwed it up for everyone are giving them advice. But there will be a few who will have remembered, they'll remember what didn't work and try again.

History repeats itself, and since we never pay close attention all we do is get the broad idea, because we refuse to listen to those who screwed up because they screwed up. "A lesson on how not to do something is twice as valuable as a lesson on how to do something." Black Lincon

 

[A random person]

You, sir, have realized something many have failed to realize: That being older doesn't necessarily make you right. A lot of older people use the age card in lieu of providing good reasons for doing what they do. A person should be judged by their qualities, not by uncontrollable factors like age, sex, or race.

Really, the "I'm an adult, you're a child" and the "I'm in control" arguments are pathetic, lazy, and self righteous. Just because you're in a position of power doesn't mean what you do is right.

 

[black lincon]

Church might not be the best place to find maturity either, Im sorry if that offends but its true (If you define maturity by rationality).

Let's not go down that road. Some of the most wise people I've ever talked to came from the Church. And why even bring it up? It has nothing to do with the OP's rant. He mentioned it in passing, and you've brought it to the fore-front for what reason? A not-so-subtle slam?

Come on, now. Let's keep this flame-free please.

Tea Might I suggest you ignore comments like that? I know your being nice and all but I've had better luck talking Rob Shermans Daughter [http://www.robsherman.com/information/aboutrob.htm](last two paragraphs) out of religious debate than I have with people on this site.

 

[Veylon]

It wasn't the twenty-somethings and down that screwed up the economy, started wars in countries for questionable causes, failed to find the main responsible party of one of the biggest crimes against the public in American history (save for the business with treating the natives like crap, but that's a whole 'nother rant), or spent the last few months panicking about a flu with lower fatality rates than standard influenza.

Don't worry. You're generation will get the chance to screw things up too. Just be patient. Every generation that hasn't done anything yet always sneers at the one before, and then is so shocked that their own children end up feeling the same way. Your elders were young once, and I bet they didn't want to listen to the older folks anymore than you do, and when you're old and venerable, you'll wonder why the youth don't appreciate all the stuff your generation did, but instead endlessly carp and complain, effortlessly spotting every mistake with 20-20 hindsight. Such is life.