Why do people always assume that older means wiser?

Question

I'm 17 and hate it when people treat you with less respect, why do people label you as naive and ignorant because of your youth?
Infact i find its the other way round the older you get the more bitter, intolerant and ignorant you become!
Living a bit longer may give you more experience but it doesn't make you more worthy of respect!

Answer 1

I agree with you to an extent I know quite a lot of teenagers who are extremely intelligent and wise - however when I was growing up my parents taught myself and my brothers to respect our elders because they have travelled a lot further down the road than youngsters. Also when I was a teenager the older people I grew up with were men and women who went through WW2 and deserved respect.
The problem with today is that even the stupid teenagers feel the same as you and they think they know it all and disrespect their elders. There are older people out there who are bitter and twisted but not all. So the lesson for today is treat young and old with respect or do what I do and treat people the way you want to be treated.

Answer 2

Mostly because with age comes experience. It is very possible that I as a 46 year old woman have either been in the same situation as you or know someone else that has been, and we can tell you what we learned. I do understand that not all 17 year olds have the same level of life's experiences, but most of you haven't had to time or the opportunity to say "been there done that". I can see your point about the older you get the more intolerant you become. Sometimes it is easy to not be flexible enough to allow new things to change the way we think or feel.

Answer 3

I can see where you are coming from, unfortunately people do make generalizations about an entire age group but usually with good reason, how many mature 17-year-olds do you know, I can probably give you 2x as many that aren't. "Living a bit longer may give you more experience but it doesn't make you more worthy of respect!" I agree 100% there are so many people out there who think they know it all just because they are older when in fact they are just stuck in heir ways and refuse to change. With that I will say I am much more mature now than when I was 17 and I was mature for my age at 17, meaning I got good grades, stayed out of trouble, and learned from life's lessons. I also realize I have alot more to learn. To me that is what makes a person wise, taking with you what you have learned from your experiences and knowing you still have alot to learn.

Answer 4

I think its very unfair of older people to assume all youth are naive and ignorant, I used to hate that been said to me when I was your age, a l lot of the youth today just aren't given the credit they deserve, your more street wise and much more savvy than I was at your age, have a lot more freedom and better prospects too, but not all us oldies are bitter, intolerant or ignorant, some of us have as much respect for the youth as they do for themselves and this old lady of 50 is one of them, don't grow up too fast though, enjoy your youth and make the most of it, good luck.

Answer 5

I think it it is important to treat you with respect, and I do. But it is a two way thing, and you have to understand that experience through age does make one wiser. I am sure that when you are older you will understand this principal(I am desperately trying not to sound pompous), but just wait until you tell your children not to waste their opportunities as you might have done. I am 58 by the way.

Answer 6

I don't assume older means wiser; I grew up with very educated but intolerant, violent people. I treat people with civility, but people have to earn my respect, whether they are young or old.

Answer 7

I agree, older doesn't mean necessarily smarter. It depends on how you spent your years, you could have been doing absolutely nothing but getting older. Someone young could have been spending their time, learning and experiencing more. Bottom line, old just means old not wiser.

Answer 8

Respect your elders young man this attitude of pride and disrespect for the elderly will lead you to ruin. Honor your mother and father so that your days will be long on this earth. Not their days - your days.

Respect is earned - it takes a track record of doing right. Where is your record of doing right?

Answer 9

We should all respect one another, regardless of age.My kids are both very wise for their ages, and i always respect their views.Wisdom comes from experience, but from other areas too.

Answer 10

Ok youngling, I respect you until you give me reason not to.

Meditate on this for a second:

You don't get old being a fool.