Age may = experience, but it doesn't = intelligence, wisdom, common sense, etc.

[dlo]

Bruce W Sims recently posted this in the "Hapkido only works against unaware or unexperienced attackers".



I have also come across similar mentalities in other threads. I would like to point out, as I did in less depth in another thread, that not everyone who is young is idiotic and not everyone who is not-so-young is clear-headed. There's a common saying that "Age brings experience". While this is true, it must also be considered that experience is worth nothing unless put to use intelligently. I know many young people who I would trust quite a bit, simply because their common sense and characters are well developed. Conversely, there are also older (not necessarily "old") folks that I would not trust, no matter how much "experience" they have had or claim to have had, simply because there are flaws in their logic, biases in their opinions, etc.
I would also like to ask; if the younger generation today is often sub-par, then who's fault is it? The fault of the older, "more experienced" generation who should have led, guided and molded the younger generation. Before you say "I would be happy to help, but they won't listen" - again, let me ask "who's fault is this?". The "more experienced generation has had opportunity to influence the younger since the latter were in diapers. If you don't raise them in a manner so as to show them that you can help them, and so that they will appreciate your advice, what right do you have to complain when they discard your counsel later on in life?

I would like to end this post by clarifying that I am in no way disrespecting those older than me. There are many adults whom I highly respect and a few who's opinions matter more than to me than my own does. With this post I am simply trying to clear up the one-sided idea that "teens are wayward, and won't listen to the all-knowing adults". Not all teen are wayward, and not all adults are qualified to give advice, no matter how much more experience they may have had than the younger generation.

Peaceful debating welcomed.

[BenjaminS]

I’ve often thought that getting a sense of what you don’t know is only the 1st part of wisdom. The second is knowing what other people don’t know. Unfortunately it seems to take a lot of experience with bullplop artists and people who substitute arrogant and lack of imagination of common sense, to get some idea of what valid arguments look like and how to judge someone’s probable intentions.

After a few years at university I’ve observed that every year a lot of newbys will find a confident and slightly older person and follow them around for a bit hanging on their every word. On average most will work out by the end of the year that that their pack leader is not as wonderful as they 1st thought. Usually after being lied to, manipulated or stabbed in the back.