Respect for the old people

Western culture seems to value the young and mock the old people. What do you think could be done to prevent this? How can we stop people thinking "we might as well die young, being old would be just waiting the death without being able to do anything" which isn't even true?

Respect needs to be earned. Also, as far as I know, old people are respected, it just not "WORSHIP THE AGE" but more like "Experienced person, who has seen the world" sense. they are listened, but problem is that in many cases world goes forward way faster than they can adapt.

Then there is also the whole "young people are wasted, useless and cause of the entire worlds problems" mentality that very vocal old people sprout.

I really don't see the problem to be that big, sure they are some people who look down the old people but as far as I know, there is no large scale discrimination.

Really? It seems that it's the other way around to me.

Seconding Pagad. Especially in U.S. Military there is a lot of respect for the Old Veterans.

On average, most do respect them. Some really don't, but theres always exceptions. They don't get the kind of treatment here as in, say, Japan, but we do respect them.

Culture seems to have respect for old people. The way society functions, as with jobs and such, do not.

Well, I'm talking about what we are taught at psychology class Though, who knows, maybe "Dumb old people into retirement homes" thing isn't that widespread. That or psychology class has different definitions of respect or focuses more on the negative aspects, it does mention about old people trying to look young despite there no being need for that.

I don't know. If you're working two jobs and taking care of kids, it's really difficult to take care of your parents at the same time.

I think ageism is a bias that both will never go away and will always depend on a person's current age. For example, when I was 14ish, I was vocal about the persecution of teenagers as stupid and useless. Today? I see my 14-year-old self as stupid and useless.

Well, you do have the idea of "a little old lady" which is usually a bit...demeaning to the little old lady, but not necessarily. Depends on the person.

@AHR: I dunno. People do tend to get shorter when they get old enough.

Yes, yes they do. I took a Women Images and Reality class, and there was a section on Ageism. Namely it had some women who were indeed old, and were also political activists. Basically, they felt that for some people, their age discounted their views, because they were senile/adorable/whatever.

I don't know how big of a deal this is, since I myself am nowhere near that age, and I haven't really done enough observation to know.

They don't respect the "old" part, though. They respect the "veteran" part.

Anyhow, the problem isn't specific to old people, here. Modern (Western) society in general has just seen a trend of the devaluation of respect. I suppose the simplest way to put it is that, in the First World, everybody is an asshole by social conditioning. Older people tend to fall into the classic stereotypes—racism, sexism, anti-youth, etc.—while young people find other targets—the rich, the old, etc. In the end, everybody is an asshole; the difference is who bears the brunt of the jokes from what section of society.

Also, every time old people are shown on comedic ones, they are portrayed like becoming old makes you senile, complain about everything and stuff. Which isn't true, people don't change their personality when the become old and neither do they become senile. Nor is becoming senile funny.

Whenever you have adult male fathers on comedy shows, they're always completely incompetent. Does this mean these people get no respect in real life?

Let's be completely honest, if we're going by most comedy media, the characters are grounded in stereotypes to begin with and are nothing but props for the writers to manipulate in order to make jokes. Even if they're particularly unfunny jokes.

Why does it need to be prevented?

I don't like old people. They're rude, they're slow and they smell bad. That and they are draining the country's economy to death.

And yes, people do change their personality as they get older. Only someone like yourself who hasn't done any 'getting older' would think otherwise.

edited 10th Feb '12 3:25:47 AM by InverurieJones

Well, for one thing, it's a rather bleak outlook on life. For another, it demonstrates a lack of respect or concern for people who may well have given their country and family a lifetime of service and hard work, for which they are generally repaid by being talked down to, ignored, or unceremoniously bundled into an old people's home and left to rot there.

Stereotyping much?

Have a little empathy. Everyone gets old, if they live long enough.

And it's a very sorry economy indeed that hasn't the money to spare to look after its elderly.

edited 10th Feb '12 3:30:33 AM by BobbyG

Or those people may have sat on their arses for decades and sponged off the dole. I don't respect anyone for merely having avoided death for a while.

@Inverurie Jones: Well, you're going to grow older too. I don't suppose you'll feel the way you do right now, then, will you?

In all honesty, old people are awesome and have great stories to tell you about their own eras, provided you aren't a dick to them. Because people tend to not be very nice other when treated badly. Not respecting them is awful. Some of the most interesting people I've met have been very old, including one guy who apparently ran away from home, had several fake passports, and also showed his principal the finger as a kid. The other guy is an economist with whom I've been birdwatching. I can't tell if he knows more about economics or birds, but it is great.

edited 10th Feb '12 3:34:47 AM by SCBracer

^^ I'm sure some of them did. I don't see how that excuses such outright contempt for the older generation.

edited 10th Feb '12 3:33:55 AM by BobbyG

Right? I know someone who rigged their school elections so he could get on the student council and win a bet. And another who lied about his age to get into the Korean War. My own mother the other day, on Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubiliee told me about standing on the side of the road with her class to watch the procession and she saw the queen powder her nose. And was shocked at the time that royalty did such things.

I think some of the problem is patience. It can take a while to figure out how to communicate well with an older person, especially if they have health problems.

edited 10th Feb '12 5:34:22 AM by Bur

My grandmother is crazy, collects tons of junk, and the resultant pile of junk killed my grandfather because the paramedics couldn't get through.

I'm supposed to respect that?

Your grandmother is not typical of all old people. Just saying. You're making a massive, blanket statement based on... one anecdote? I'm sorry for your loss, but you can't use that as evidence that all old people shouldn't be accorded the respect they arguably deserve just for getting through life.

Respecting old people is an extension of the respect we give to ourselves and our peers. They were kids too, once upon a time, and they (the majority) have been through unbelievably cool things. Some of the old people I know were freedom fighters (who also got freedom) in their youth. Are you saying that I shouldn't respect that?

Well, I don't automatically respect myself or my peers either, so, yeah.

As it is, respect is a case-by-case thing. If the old person in question has done some cool stuff in their life, then yeah, sure. If they're just crazy and racist, then not so much.