Experience

[weekender]

Hello

This is a general thread, which has its origins in the fact that a few 'older' people have commented about the fact that 'younger' people are 'naive'.

I can't argue against that perspective, I think that a lot of people on here are quite naive.  Also, I am naive in some respects, fine, I'm only 26.  I have respect for the older people though, which I think is maybe related.

So, I have respect for my elders.  I give them that respect for a lot of reasons, not least that they've had more experience at life than me.  Does that mean that they're right?

I dunno.  What's your experience of the old bastards?

Do you pre-judge people because they are older than you?  Or younger?

[hoverdonkey]

I think it depends on the subject matter. I try not to pre-judge people but its impossible and we all make instant assessments of others based on their appearance.

The good thing about this place is that people can get a long way without revealing how old they are and so don't neccessarily get pre-judged. I've been surprised by how young some people on here are, but then I think there is a tendency when you are in your teens to write and talk continuous 'purple prose' because you are surrounded by the language of education and you are desperate to sound well-informed on a subject. Does that make any sense?

Of course I have respect for older people when talking about business because they are likely talking from more experience than I have. But if my Grandad, if he was still alive, was still bollocking on about QPR I'd still call him an old duffer who knows nothing about modern football.

[Cheese Arse H Christ]

In my experience, older people are great and can spell 'naïve' correctly

[Rats]

I'm suprised at how old some people on here are to be honest. It's all primary school and students as far as I can tell. I think some older people get bitter when they have so much experience and find that someone younger knows and understands just as much as them about something. It's like they're going "nnnnnng, no, stop that, you haven't earned it. Put that book down". I'd bought her dinner, of course I'd earned it. It was the beano annual by the way.

[Cerys]

The older I get, the more I respect people who are older than me.  I wonder if that's a general trend?

[Rats]

Do you respect people younger than you less?

[Cerys]

Not on the whole.  Although I'm possibly quicker at dismissing younger people as tossers, if they are.

[Smackhead Kangaroo]

Cunts
Aaah I was intending to start a thread in a similar vein about when I'm meant to grow up and become a man. (sorry girls it's just hormones and penis envy for you)
It's not particularly surpriisng finding out someone is young or old. well depending on how much they'd posted of course.  General stereotypical assumptions about teens and fogeys are probably correct generally there does seemto be a certain pattern that people follow.
Which is why I'm trying to break the pattern through discrediting my own posts by starting and ending every one of them accusing you all of being cunts.

Communist cuntyfarts

[best batch yet]

I'm 18 and I can accept that I don't know shit. I see people around me who think they've got everything worked out because they read Stupid White Men and have got their own flat or whatever, and then I realise that I must come accross exactly the same. I don't think I can respect people who are older than me just because they have had more experiences than me, I have to see that its had some affect on them and they've gone out and done something. There are plenty people I respect for their sort of 'age and wisdom', but for most of my short life I've seen how gullible, irresponsible, selfish, manipulative and weak people still are despite their experince. Meh

[Nearly Annually]

Me at 18:

"Yeah, well, your experience is your experience, you old cunt. It doesn't apply to me. This is my life. Everybody's experience is different. And besides, no experience ever exactly repeats itself, with the same context and everything, so your experience rarely even helps you. It's just a conceit that keeps you sane and narrows your mind, you old wrinkly fool you. For all your experience, you seem to be none the wiser. You're still a fuckwit - only older."

Me at 35:

"Yeah - I used to think that too." [/SMUG]

It is funny watching a child who thinks he or she is pulling the wool over your eyes, hiding their true motives, lying or fantastically embellishing, when all the time you can see straight through them. And the wisdom thing's interesting: you seem to get seven year olds wiser than you and seventy year olds less wise. Believers in reincarnation point to this as further evidence that we've each had a different number of former lives. The chumps.

[fanny splendid]

[Nearly Annually]

Lovely.

[Gazeuse]

Lovely.

That's what we all think of you.

*Blows kiss*

The trouble is that inside, I'm still exactly the same person as I always have been so without looking in a mirror all the time (So I'm constantly aware of my grey bits) the oldness or youngness of other people isn't altogether apparent.

What I mean is, there are lots of people younger than me who 'feel' a lot older and the other way round too, so it's difficult to accord respect by age alone, even if I wanted to.

I do think though, that when people get really aged and vulnerable they deserve our help and protection and yes, respect too...If they're nice.

On a similar theme, Mrs. Gaz is an astoundingly pert and young 42 today, so I have a whole week of slapping her on the back and shouting, "Come along, old gel!!!" in my Kenneth Moore voice. She loves that.

[Ambient Sheep]

On a similar theme, Mrs. Gaz is an astoundingly pert and young 42 today...

Any chance of photographic proof of this?

[sproggy]

On a similar theme, Mrs. Gaz is an astoundingly pert and young 42 today, so I have a whole week of slapping her on the back and shouting, "Come along, old gel!!!" in my Kenneth Moore voice. She loves that.

Happy Birthday Mrs Gaz.  We share a birthday then, 37 years to the day I've been on this stinking planet and I've seen a thing or two I can tell yer.  Haven't lost the old 'wanker magic' yet blah.. blah...

I don't think young people today are naive at all, just the opposite in fact, they appear to disbelieve a word anybody tells them, and show a distinct lack of respect for elders.  Kind and genuine people on the other hand can have my respect and trust, salesmen can go fuck themselves.

[Lt Plonker]

I'm 20 in March. Jesus. 20 is one of those numbers I'd never thought I'd ever live to be.

I'm aware I know naff all about most things and generally try and respect everyone I come acros, unless they're pricks, in which case I sneer and tut at them. I'd hate to be, or appear to be one of those wanker 'I know it all, Gramps."students I see around from time to time. I like to absorb what I can from people, not dismiss them.

I command huge respect for my grandparents. My nan, in particular, is a tremendous character. She's lovely and has a playful, and often filthy spirit about her. My friends, and my sister's friends think the same. I've had a many teachers that I respect - my animation teacher is just wonderful. He's knocking on retirement age, but manages to enrapture everyone he encounters. He's a very gentle and funny man.

I remember somthing that Columbo once said about respect. He said that he respects the criminals he encounters, not the part of them that commits the crime, but the part of them that's witty, intelligent or endearing.

He's not just a master detective.

[Cerys]

I remember spending a few years in my early twenties having the feeling that I'd die before I reached twenty-seven, because I was somehow unable to completely imagine myself at that age.  It was weird.  Now, of course, I'm older and wiser <giggle>.

[european son]

i respect wise people, many of whom are older than me. i think wisdom is tied up in both experience and intelligence. experience, naturally, comes with age, which is why older folk often know a lot better than me. they've done the same stupid things i'm about to do, and suffered the consequences. i still do them, and hope to become wiser from my mistakes, the only way really.

thing is, this doesn't mean that age guarantees wisdom. some people never wise up. also, some kids definitley seem "wise beyond their years".

i've been amazed at discovering the age of some VWs. some folk about four years younger than me seem a lot more level-headed and know what it's all about more than i do now. one or two are almost definitely older than me, but you'd never guess it.

[sore bottom mum]

i respect wise people, many of whom are older than me. i think wisdom is tied up in both experience and intelligence. experience, naturally, comes with age, which is why older folk often know a lot better than me. they've done the same stupid things i'm about to do, and suffered the consequences. i still do them, and hope to become wiser from my mistakes, the only way really.

thing is, this doesn't mean that age guarantees wisdom. some people never wise up. also, some kids definitley seem "wise beyond their years".

i've been amazed at discovering the age of some VWs. some folk about four years younger than me seem a lot more level-headed and know what it's all about more than i do now. one or two are almost definitely older than me, but you'd never guess it.

I'll buy you a drink.... come on, I've got a beard.

I'll dedicate a song to youy

[Pythov]

Yes, age can be a funny old gizmo.

I find that older people are more savvy these days.  They compliment their life wisdom with the cynicism of todays media.

I believe that much of the old vs young gap has reduced because of more liesuretime, the internet, and an ease of language with which younger people talk yo older people.

The media of papers, radio and TV is so prevailent today (then >20 years ago), that theunderstanding of peoples from all ages is alot closer.

I talk to my nan (75) about football, reality tv, computer gaming, and she is not lost in replying to my comments.  I cannot imagine my nan talking to her Grandmother (in her era) about sports, books and movies.

My nan said this Christmas, that she still thought as a twenty year old, but was trapped in a 70 year olds body.  There were times she saw people running down the high street and shouting to their friends, and she wished her body and her sensibilities would allow her to do the same.

I love my Nan.

[Nearly Annually]

one or two are almost definitely older than me, but you'd never guess it.

You 'avin' a dig, sonny? Heh.

[Gazeuse]

On a similar theme, Mrs. Gaz is an astoundingly pert and young 42 today...

Any chance of photographic proof of this?

"Come in here dear, so I can take some nood 'photos of you that I can post on the internet." I can't see it happening, I'm afraid. :-)

I don't know whether it's the fairies at the bottom of the garden or animal sacrifices, but there's something funny going on there.

In fact, to get back on topic, she often feels 'invisible' because people often barge in front of her in queues and knock her off the pavement (She is 5'2") and often feels that people talk down to her. If people realised how ancient she is, perhaps she'd get a bit more respect and politeness.

And happy birthday to you Sproglette!!!

[Smackhead Kangaroo]

Unless it involves some kind of special experience, just 78 years of everyday experience and living til you're 78 doesn't command the respect that I think you're all talking about.
What's more annoying is that people demand respect for the meagre experiences thay've had, yet fail to impart any knowledge to the respectees.
I remember constantly being told when I was between 17 and 21 about my own inexperience and various experience and naivete realted hot air.  But when it came down to it no one told me anything I could have found useful. No meaningful father son talks. zip. And afterwards when I trod in the shit of life and fel on my face, the same coots guffawed among each other and said I told you so

No you didn't you fat greasy ugly fucks. You didn't tell me so. If you had I might have been able to avoid those organ thieves.