Why should we respect the elderly?
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Because elderly people have already travelled the long road of life with its many vicissitudes and being in advanced years their health is frail. Therefore, to treat elderly people with polite consideration is the right thing to do. To do otherwise would be callous and a callous society is a sick one. Compassion does not need to be earned.
(edited 9 years ago)
A family is a team, not just a collection of disparate individuals. Just as every team member needs their own role in order for the team to function as a whole, every member of the family needs to have their own role. This not only helps the family function as a whole, but also means that every individual within it is appreciated for something that they do and has a more defined self-concept.
Generally, an elderly person isn't capable of making much of a difference with whatever is left of their lives. What they can do is to advise; this is their forte because they have many years of experience. A person who gives advice must be respected for their wisdom and experience in order for their advice to be beneficial to other people; people won't take the advice of someone they don't respect. Respecting the elderly makes it more likely that people benefit from them and that the elderly themselves feel fulfilled.
Generally, an elderly person isn't capable of making much of a difference with whatever is left of their lives. What they can do is to advise; this is their forte because they have many years of experience. A person who gives advice must be respected for their wisdom and experience in order for their advice to be beneficial to other people; people won't take the advice of someone they don't respect. Respecting the elderly makes it more likely that people benefit from them and that the elderly themselves feel fulfilled.
People who are ***** don't stop being ***** when they get old.
We should respect everyone not just because of their age until we have a good reason not to respect someone...
At the age i'm at now, I consider that I know alot, not everything, but alot. When I was 16, I thought I knew everything. The age I'm at now, I know that back then, I knew very little. Aged 14, I thought I had it figured out. Looking back, again, I knew very little. Aged 12, again, myself and every other 12 year old thinks they know everything. It's natural to do so I think, but in reality, we know nothing.
So back to my current age, and to everyone reading this, we have a harboring suspicion in our minds that we think we pretty much know everything, that we are wise and cant be fooled. Imagine how people in their 80s, having experienced war, poverty, several world crisis'.. imagine how they view us, thinking that we know everything. They know alot, and have been on a journey spanning many many years, with opinion and values that have been crafted by years and years of events that have affected them. For that reason alone, that is worth respect.
I promise you, should we both (me and you, reading this) reach a ripe old age, we'd have our opinion changed dramatically from what they are and know so much more than we ever did previously. We will both then look to the young guns aged 20, ignorant to the fact that they think they know everything (but dont) and we'll sigh to ourselves.
So back to my current age, and to everyone reading this, we have a harboring suspicion in our minds that we think we pretty much know everything, that we are wise and cant be fooled. Imagine how people in their 80s, having experienced war, poverty, several world crisis'.. imagine how they view us, thinking that we know everything. They know alot, and have been on a journey spanning many many years, with opinion and values that have been crafted by years and years of events that have affected them. For that reason alone, that is worth respect.
I promise you, should we both (me and you, reading this) reach a ripe old age, we'd have our opinion changed dramatically from what they are and know so much more than we ever did previously. We will both then look to the young guns aged 20, ignorant to the fact that they think they know everything (but dont) and we'll sigh to ourselves.
Original post by Reece Sure
At the age i'm at now, I consider that I know alot, not everything, but alot. When I was 16, I thought I knew everything. The age I'm at now, I know that back then, I knew very little. Aged 14, I thought I had it figured out. Looking back, again, I knew very little. Aged 12, again, myself and every other 12 year old thinks they know everything. It's natural to do so I think, but in reality, we know nothing.
So back to my current age, and to everyone reading this, we have a harboring suspicion in our minds that we think we pretty much know everything, that we are wise and cant be fooled. Imagine how people in their 80s, having experienced war, poverty, several world crisis'.. imagine how they view us, thinking that we know everything. They know alot, and have been on a journey spanning many many years, with opinion and values that have been crafted by years and years of events that have affected them. For that reason alone, that is worth respect.
I promise you, should we both (me and you, reading this) reach a ripe old age, we'd have our opinion changed dramatically from what they are and know so much more than we ever did previously. We will both then look to the young guns aged 20, ignorant to the fact that they think they know everything (but dont) and we'll sigh to ourselves.
So back to my current age, and to everyone reading this, we have a harboring suspicion in our minds that we think we pretty much know everything, that we are wise and cant be fooled. Imagine how people in their 80s, having experienced war, poverty, several world crisis'.. imagine how they view us, thinking that we know everything. They know alot, and have been on a journey spanning many many years, with opinion and values that have been crafted by years and years of events that have affected them. For that reason alone, that is worth respect.
I promise you, should we both (me and you, reading this) reach a ripe old age, we'd have our opinion changed dramatically from what they are and know so much more than we ever did previously. We will both then look to the young guns aged 20, ignorant to the fact that they think they know everything (but dont) and we'll sigh to ourselves.
Again that is my point. Most of the current Elderly have had a very nice time and have had enjoyed the fruits of a welfare state. They have had a far nicer life that either you or I will experience.
Original post by Marco1
Because elderly people have already travelled the long road of life with its many vicissitudes and being in advanced years their health is frail. Therefore, to treat elderly people with polite consideration is the right thing to do. To do otherwise would be callous and a callous society is a sick one. Compassion does not need to be earned.
So long as the elderly person treats me with polite consideration that is fine. They do not deserve to be better treated than anyone else and I will not be servile to someone just because they have been fortunate enough to have a long life.
Original post by thechemistress
I honestly do not know. I respect all people unless they give me reason not to, but honestly a lot of elderly people are contributors to the homophobia and racism that still exists in our country. The other day, an old man drove past and literally slowed down as he passed me just so he could glare at me. I comforted myself with the fact that he was probably going to be dead within 10 years, which was a horrible thing to do :/
You did nothing wrong. They were taking advantage of the fact that you were unlikely to confront them because of their age and were being arrogant. To be honest that old man probably deserves to die.
Original post by bluemax
There's something known as morals, which every upcoming generation seems nothing to know of.
You need to do research. It is moral to be racist as many of the baby boomers are far more than the young people today? Most of the elderly are no more moral than anyone else.
Original post by thelegendkiller1
Again that is my point. Most of the current Elderly have had a very nice time and have had enjoyed the fruits of a welfare state. They have had a far nicer life that either you or I will experience.
First of all to categorize several generations of people as all having a nice time is a dangerous game, especially if they're are any self determining elderly individuals on this forum that perhaps haven't had a nice time.
It's also worth remembering the events that led to the welfare state. Do you think Labour rose to power in order to create the NHS and build housing for people, at a time where everything was rosy and delightful? Do you believe that people voted for Labour and wanted a real revolution after the war because they were having such a great time with all the benefits that the Tories has provided them with? To talk of a time you never existed in negatively whilst also attempting to apparently justify disrespect towards those that did, seems to be quite childish, don't you think?
Original post by Reece Sure
First of all to categorize several generations of people as all having a nice time is a dangerous game, especially if they're are any self determining elderly individuals on this forum that perhaps haven't had a nice time.
It's also worth remembering the events that led to the welfare state. Do you think Labour rose to power in order to create the NHS and build housing for people, at a time where everything was rosy and delightful? Do you believe that people voted for Labour and wanted a real revolution after the war because they were having such a great time with all the benefits that the Tories has provided them with? To talk of a time you never existed in negatively whilst also attempting to apparently justify disrespect towards those that did, seems to be quite childish, don't you think?
It's also worth remembering the events that led to the welfare state. Do you think Labour rose to power in order to create the NHS and build housing for people, at a time where everything was rosy and delightful? Do you believe that people voted for Labour and wanted a real revolution after the war because they were having such a great time with all the benefits that the Tories has provided them with? To talk of a time you never existed in negatively whilst also attempting to apparently justify disrespect towards those that did, seems to be quite childish, don't you think?
You are the illiterate one. Obviously you did not bother to read the OP. If you had, you would understand that I was not justifying disrespect merely simply disagreeing with preferential treatment. I know all about the NHS and about how for a long time everything even dentistry was free on it. The majority of the elder are or will soon be the Boomer generation who were born after the welfare state was created and did not experience the inter war period.
Original post by thelegendkiller1
So long as the elderly person treats me with polite consideration that is fine. They do not deserve to be better treated than anyone else and I will not be servile to someone just because they have been fortunate enough to have a long life.
What's servile got to do with it? Common courtesy, that's all. It helps society function in a less confrontational, more pleasant manner. You shouldn't have to wait to be treated with polite consideration first by an elderly person before you show them the same. The better a person is, the more they will go out of the way to show kindness to others first. It follows the inner wisdom inherent in all of us, in some however it is buried too far to see. To give without expecting something in return; to love where there is only darkness; to defend the weak from the cruel; to wish happiness to strangers, to show compassion for the sick and frail ... etc. This is the noble path to maturity, not your mean approach.
For the sake of this argument, I'll assume that "disagreeing with preferential treatment" indicates that you disagree with inherent respect, or to reword, to show no or little respect. Which I personally, perhaps due to my education halting at GCSE, find difficult to differentiate between disrespect. Do you feel inclined to disagree that a lack of respect correlates with disrespect, or are you simply playing devils advocate?
I also fail to understand the relevance of the welfare state. Is someone not worthy of respect if they have benefitted from the welfare state? Perhaps we should recall all the Nobel prizes and discredit any notions in the scientific journal, if discovered that the scientists involved has any sort of public tax payer funding, or if they attended any university with loans paid for with tax payer money. Perhaps they aren't even really human beings if they ever lived in a council house aswell. We should discuss this further over wine and a 5 course meal down the fox hunting club..
I also fail to understand the relevance of the welfare state. Is someone not worthy of respect if they have benefitted from the welfare state? Perhaps we should recall all the Nobel prizes and discredit any notions in the scientific journal, if discovered that the scientists involved has any sort of public tax payer funding, or if they attended any university with loans paid for with tax payer money. Perhaps they aren't even really human beings if they ever lived in a council house aswell. We should discuss this further over wine and a 5 course meal down the fox hunting club..
Original post by Marco1
What's servile got to do with it? Common courtesy, that's all. It helps society function in a less confrontational, more pleasant manner. You shouldn't have to wait to be treated with polite consideration first by an elderly person before you show them the same. The better a person is, the more they will go out of the way to show kindness to others first. It follows the inner wisdom inherent in all of us, in some however it is buried too far to see. To give without expecting something in return; to love where there is only darkness; to defend the weak from the cruel; to wish happiness to strangers, to show compassion for the sick and frail ... etc. This is the noble path to maturity, not your mean approach.
I am not going to be polite to anyone that is not the same to me. Regardless of what age,gender,ethnicity,religion etc. there are. If someone is rude to me, I will absolutely not hesitate to destroy them and I can do so in a way that is perfectly legal and exceptionally painful. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand and foot for foot.
I respect people based on what they do and what they say, regardless of what category they fall in.
Original post by thelegendkiller1
I am not going to be polite to anyone that is not the same to me. Regardless of what age,gender,ethnicity,religion etc. there are. If someone is rude to me, I will absolutely not hesitate to destroy them and I can do so in a way that is perfectly legal and exceptionally painful. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand and foot for foot.
That's nice.
Original post by Marco1
That's nice.
It is the approach that has always worked well for me.
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