As we get older we are more capable of seeing the entire range of colors and shades of life. Our ability to identify them, understand their relevance and prioritize grows as we age. Thus the common saying: "Older you get, the wiser you are." But are we really wiser? What makes us think that way?
Through experience we gain the knowledge, it's true. Though we know reversing time is not possible,( or at least not yet, unless you're Benjamin Button' close relative) we yearn to go past this limitation. We simply ignore it in our attempt to deliver our ounces of "theories¨or words of wisdom to the younger version of self, our offsprings.
Is arrogance to consider yourself wiser just because we lived longer than someone else? How relevant is that wisdom based on personal experiences in a different time period than newer generation? Is it truly relatable? In the 50's people had no idea their children and grandchildren will be using computers! The rate crime back then, the legislation and environment were totally different then what they are now.
How well can translate our experience to their current situation? Just because we say something, it does not mean they will listen to us and they will apply that knowledge right away into their lives. At their age, they can not comprehend why all those who are older than them try to teach them something. It gives the impression that old folks have nothing better to do than to give free advice to others.
On the other hand, the old folks, among them you too, can't imagine why the youth never takes their statements seriously. Why the young waste time, energy and money on the wrong things.
Admit it! You too thought one day that you had discovered a certain lesson or trick faster in your life. A moment when you told yourself: "Man, only if I knew this when I was in my 20s!" . That very second a "life-savior" idea takes place.
Your new brainchild, Note-2-Younger-Self, takes over and it becomes your daily job to preach your extended knowledge in a field or another.
Needless to add that your newly discovered role doesn't come free. No! There's always a price to pay for wisdom. You gain a new status or at least a nickname: chatterbox, Noah, preacher, Mr. Knows-it-all. It does get you annoyed in the beginning but you consider that is worth paying for it.
Thus you continue to offer your advice because you now when you are in your 50's you wish to have done things differently. We all crave for our past youth and think of having a second chance to life where (in our imagination) everything would have been all pink. We would have taken all the right turns, made no mistakes, walked all the good paths on our way to greatness.
That alternative life would have explored all the positive candid and happiest scenarios just as an algorithm. Each day we would have been fed a doze of pink smiles and lucky stardust to magically dissolve all the negativity floating around.
Question is for who are we trying desperately to convey our message to the youth? Aren't we hypocrites? Who is benefiting more from this? The youth or us? For who are we really trying to fight the windmills?
We are the ones who will get a longer life, healthier and probably happier if the young start valuing more themselves?
Less crap in your 20's and 30's would certainly lead to lesser things to deal with in your 50's. Any abuse done to your system will have repercussions in your older age. Guaranteed!
This was a good write up. My take is that it is my duty to teach the younger and try my best to help them not make the same mistakes I did . However we do learn from our mistakes. Sometimes I let my children make mistakes in order for them to learn from them. I don’t always jump in to save them because I know a good lesson is brewing.
I do believe that a lot of us do gain more knowledge as we age because most of it comes from life experiences. Whether the younger generations listen to us or not, it’s our job to teach them. So my take is, you can take my advice or leave it but I’m still going to share it with you lol! 😅
When it comes to young children, I do the same. I try to teach them. Though once they reach the teenage years, it gets harder ;0)
I’ve heard that a lot lately. I’m not looking forward to the teenage years. 😬
You touch a very important topic in here. I would like to add something to the old adage of "older equals wiser", which is not always true, I think it would be more accurate to say "the older you get and the more you fail, the wiser you are". Many of life's best lessons are only learned through failure.
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I totally agree with you! Failing is one of the important lessons cause it teaches you how to get better, it motivates you to try a different approach.
I've seen so many cases when older didn't equal wiser.... Failure is a good teacher!
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The funny part about all this is that much of the time people learn lessons the hard way (making the mistake)... In which case a possibly wiser person would have just said 'i told you so'. Fun.
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Meaningful post. Worth pondering upon.
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What an interesting topic!
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