the common saying...when you start to compare and criticize youngsters, you are just getting old. One will always start their conversations with 'during my time, I used to do this or that abcbullshit123scissorspaperstone...etc' or 'kids today are so pampaered, comfortable, lazy, blahablah...' For one thing, we all know that there are going to be a larger greying population due to the low birth rates. But try to stop the critical comparisons and beware of this trap~! Change your mindset as this have indirect implications on your current and future lifestyles. The world is moving at breakneck speed and with so much information overload and opportunities, they grow up faster, smarter and more effective. So, if you start using 'age' and 'experience' as a defense mechanism against the supposed threats that these youngsters will one day overpower you, leaving you like a discared furniture and taking away all your entitlements, you are just making it happen sooner than later. We often equate an old person as someone who is experienced, worldy wise, and very much like a great thinker who grows a long white beard. They should enjoy better treatment and respect in all and every situations and seniority based wage system are a given entitlement. Well, that was in the last century. While asian societies place an emphasis on the respect on their elders, such practices are slowly breaking down because of many inefficiencies. And one may just be perpetuating the myth that commands that 'i am older than you, you must listen to me though if I am wrong or not your father'. same thing happens in politics, work and in your family life. But as the young get smarter, they will be even faster to rebel and work around the system, and very often creating more problems and harm to feeble old folks that refuse to budge. Hence, instead of putting them in one mould, generalizing or whatever, learn and share. Even if it results in constructive chaos, exchange ideas...very soon, they could be like you and you be like them. By that, I dont' mean getting a 60 year old to dress in mini-skirts, but whats stopping her? Think of it as some re-education programme like what the communists did during the 60s-70s but you are doing it willingly and by yourself. The income gap is already growing wider, more unemployment confirmed, and we do not need some other stratifications based on age, gender or cosmopolitan/heartland 'class' status. These may seem trivial or just some cheeky taunt, but not everyone takes it that way and it is here where peanut issues pass through people and processes to become big negative issues. So, in this day where one liztens more and speak less, learn and relearn, throw away that condescension, stop such bad habits if one wishes to survie the 21st century.
