Why do you think that younger people view us as "Depressed," "Jealous of Youth"?

Question

I am constantly amused by questions here...it would seem that younger people view us as grouchy, ugly, marginally insane, depressed, left-over people who get in everyone's way! Some go so far as to suggest that we alter our shopping times to suit their needs! What in the world is going on in these "heads?" Is this truely the result of the Chemical generation????

I suppose I could have been clearer in the question...I don't get treated as such..but this question is in respect to the "questions" I have seen here lately. Just read some of the postings...they are comical in nature...I have no idea what these posters are thinking, but it is obvious that they think we are all over the hill, can't do anything, are depressed all the time...as I said, it is just comical. All of the answers are dead on in general, but it is really..what do you THINK about this nonsense you see here? Can you imagine how some of these "kids" view us? Of course we are not like any of this...it is preposterous to even think it. I think back to my teens, and ...to tell you the truth, I did not think like what I see here about the older crowd...in fact, I valued their input...I may not have taken the offered advice, but I certainly listened....often, I should have taken the advice...but no one said, "I told you so," at any rate. :-)

Answer 1

I think the ones that post those kinds of questions on here are just trolls...out looking for a little fun and excitement, so why not tweek the t*ts of the old folks?

How many people, when you were growing up and still is school (PS or HS), had problems like Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, or ADD and ADHD? How many kids truly acted out in class and were "uncontrollable". Even those that belonged to gangs (and my oldest brother belonged to a motorcycle gang for awhile, so I know they were out there), how many of them brought their knives and other weapons to school?

As someone said, we were raised to always address our elders as Sir or Madam, Mr. Brown or Mrs. Smith...there were no teachers that wanted most of all to be our "friends". There was discipline and the expectation of achievement in every classroom. Now, it is a very rare teacher that uses any form of discipline. They have more of an inclination towards a "rewards" system instead. And forget any expectations of achievement--all they are interested in is playing around with the actual grades their students are honestly making, in order to meet the "bell curve" gradient quotients.

Unfortunately this lack of involved teaching in our schools coincided with the change in criminal laws that gave everyone below the age of 18 a "Get out of Jail, free" card.

Now when you try disciplining a juvenile delinquent, he calls any of a number of government agencies and Children's Advocacy Groups, and he is lauded as a "misunderstood youth" who needs a "mentoring and extreme support" in order to "deal with the violence of his environment". When I was growing up all we had was a belt wielded by an extremely irate parent, and a week (or a month)'s worth of slave labour in order to provide payback for our transgression.

Answer 2

I believe the younger generation's perception of the elderly is different from the ones we had in our youth regarding our elderly. I think they do care about the senior citizens or why ask? I imagine that they would like to picture themselves in our shoes when their time comes and would very much like to know how it is with us. Maybe some of them have no grandpas or grandmas that they could ask so they come here to question us. No big deal. If I were overly sensitive, I would find their questions an affront to my dignity as an older person (I am still in my early 50s) but, I am not.

Answer 3

I really don't worry about whether the young respect or have a proper attitude toward "age". I would just appreciate being treated as a fellow human being. I didn't change identities or personality because I aged. Until we can stop boxing in age groups and just see each other as human beings with longer or shorter times on planet earth, there will always be the stereotyping of "teenagers", "middle age", "senior citizens", etc. instead of fellow human beings in a certain stage of our walk on planet earth. There will be the "gaps" and isolating of each group. We compliment each other and until we start using the energy, experience, etc. to grow and learn from each other, we lose the understanding, sharing, growth and life to which we all contribute.

Answer 4

Goldwing, I've read a lot of the questions you are talking about and have sometimes been appalled at them and the ignorance of the questioner. I've looked at some of the answers too and they are almost as far out as the questions. I have to agree with you.

What bothers me most however is the lack of respect and intolerance of many that consider the over 50 crowd obsolete. Especially when it comes to looking at us as employees. It is really blatant age discrimination.
Lack of self respect and rudeness seems to be the norm too. Chemical generation? I really don't think so. ME NOW generation would be more like it.

To Superwoman: You have been isolated on campus to long. I do hundreds of hours of volunteer work a year and still run into the same irreverence to the over 50 age group. The most common comment I get seems to be "Hey old man can ya get it up anymore?" Well in my mind that is simply rude and uncalled for. I don't bother to respond because it does not deserve a response. 90% of those college grads you talk about I have to send back to school with in my company to teach them to spell and write a complete thought correctly.
You may be doing your job but there are a lot of teachers out there that are not doing theirs. And it started with their parents. Fortuneately, I am not one of them that ignored my kids. They are all fine people and have grown up respecting their elders.

Answer 5

Perhaps because the media has raised so many of them.

I feel like the baby boomers and beyond are going to be in real trouble when it comes time to depend on the young to give a crap about the elderly.

Too many of them let the TV bring up their children for them.

You can't leave a child in front of a TV to keep it busy while you live your life, and then expect it to care for you in your old age.

I believe this is the cause of a lot of ADD misdiagnoses. TV is cut up into ten minute pieces. If you leave a child in front of something all day that cuts to commercials every ten minutes how can you expect that child to be able to sit still for more than ten minutes once it reaches school age?

These self centered little media babies are going to be kicking their parents to the curb when old age has them in need of any real care.

And in my book that will be just what they deserve, but then I'm an old product of a TV nanny.

Answer 6

Hi.

First, I don't think this is something that applies to today. I think it has always been so, but now that you're closer to an older age than a younger age, you notice their attitudes. You may have been like them in your youth but have forgotten.
Beside, many older people (and younger adults) ARE cranky because of the heavy responsibilities of working and raising a family. Youth are still relatively free.

I teach college students that are usually 17-19 years old. They're great people once you get to know them but I think the problem is that many older people don't associate with them often, therefore don't understand them and can't see past the coloured hair and pierced navel to find the truly kind person that is there. They pick up on this disapproval quite quickly.

Youths tend to see the disapprovals more than the acceptance. They see when a ''cranky old person'' calls the police on them for noise, but they don't hear the other neighbour in his house who might say, 'Gee, those kids are having fun. Isn't that great!'

Generational disapproval is really no different than racial or sexual prejudice. People make quick judgements based on how someone looks rather than taking the time to get to know them first.

Perhaps you could take the time to get involved volunteering in a youth organization to help break down stereotypes the youth have of your generation. I like your picture and name. You seem like a cool guy that could have a good influence on teenagers.

Answer 7

I would say that most younger people don't view us as grouchy, ugly, depressed, etc. I guess it depends what image you want to portray. If you want to be like my Mom's generation and proud of her age, her gray hair, her wrinkles, her ability by age not to have to even comb her hair if she doesn't want.....then you will be viewed as such. Age 60 is now the old age 40. That is true if you dye your hair a sensible color for your age, wear makeup, dress appropriately, keep up with current events, have a job, and put a smile on your face. It has nothing do to with a "chemical" generation. The same could be said for us baby boomers that smoked a ton of marijuana. Think about it.

Answer 8

I think part of it is their own projection. When I was very young I couldn't imagine getting past the age of 30. I think maybe we're dealing with a bit of that here. They probably feel life over a certain age has to be empty and insignificant. The only way they'll find out any different is to live life and find out.

There are the ones who look on us as what we are. The experienced. It's always a treasure to have conversations with them.

Answer 9

Some of us really are depressed, or cranky, or just don't feel well. And so some younger persons generalize, if one does that, they must all do that. That being said..

Some younger people think that their needs come before anyone else's. We're in their way in the stores? Maybe we need to change our schedules to suit them. What a crock!

I rather pity some of them, because I can see how unhappy they are.

Answer 10

I'm 52 and love people of all ages but let's face it when you see a girl bending over and half of her bottom shows while wearing thongs or guys with their pants down to their knees it makes me sad to see how demoralized these kids are. And they are our future.

I'm not jealous of their youth. I've had mine and I know they will be where I am someday. I would however like to see them respect themselves and others. I also hope they live life to the fullest, be responsible for their actions and not be slackers.

As far as depressed, it's not because I am not young any longer but I have aged parents to worry about and have lost family and loved ones not to mention I'm just divorced and scared. I don't envy the youth's lack of problems, we all have our own.