A little rant on the phrase “when I was your age” and the constant defense behind it

[Strawberry Banana Sundae]

I get so sick and tired of all the constant ageism that I hear every single day. Remember the “when I was your age” line? So goddamn annoying! The people who use it are clearly doing nothing but making importances of their superiority complexes and undermining youngsters. It’s bad enough having to hear that bullshit but the defense behind it when you actually call them out for it is even worse. For example:

“I think, the parents has a point. Just think about it. If you become a parent, what would you say to your children. When I was your age, I always playing with my cellphone, always going to some mall and buy anything I want even it's not important. What if your children will do the same thing. They don't help you because, they are too busy of texting and doing some stuff on wi-fi. What would you say? Can you say something that would make yourself proud to say to your children that you have done it when you are on the same age with your child? I don't think so.”

To the person who said this: Seriously, wtf?! What would you know about what the future will be like? You’re not in charge of the goddamn tech industry! You completely undermine the people of today who are working their asses off on jobs that actually rely on modern technology and all because your views simply doesn’t match theirs! Also you treat the influence of modern tech such as iPhones and Macs and Wi-Fi as if they’re a bad thing! Do you seriously have a goddamn clue why the internet and online wireless communication exist for a reason?! Because it allows people of marginalized communities such as disability to have a voice and your opposition and skepticism behind these stances indicates the fact that you truly are narrow-minded and clearly against the acts of progress! People are going to have different experiences from you, and so what’s the difference, you’re right and we’re not?! Seriously, get with the times you disgusting Luddite! And don’t even go there with trying to defend your bullshit that I’m wrong with what I’m saying because you don’t see how your ways are just plain ignorant and you think I’m only saying that just to ignore the so-called fact that your agendas don’t match with today’s culture and you’re still right for whatever stupid reason!

Rant over. I hope you don’t take any offense to what I’m saying. Im just so sick and tired of nostalgists and elders complaining about how everything is so commercialized and overflown with merchandising and run by big businesses who only cares about making money nowadays. They complain how kids these days “complain” over everything and say “the only reason you’re cheap because your parents buy you everything you ever wanted, and you don’t even thank them!”. And the reminisce over how everything was good and not as bad as today and blah blah blah… I mean who cares anymore? The businesses are normal human beings too. I just want them to shut up, get over it, and consider what today’s generation is experiencing. There is a lack of empathy in the world, sure it’s getting better but it’s still not enough.

 

[Jonathan123]

They say comparisons are odious, and it's partly true. But how else can we define the present except by comparing it with the past?
Did you do history lessons at school? Nations are defined by their history as are people. I see no problem comparing the present with the past provided it does not become personal. How do any youngsters of today have any idea of what happened in the past except by older people telling them? It may be that with that knowledge they will not make the same mistakes, but events show that to be most unlikely. Now I do agree that far too many older people do go on about 'when I was young', and that's when it can get annoying. Living in the past is not good, but living in the future is not good either. Anticipation in anxiety can play hell with our emotions. Living in the now is much better, and letting time pass and flow as it will. If I may say without giving offense, why does all this concern you so much? Why does it annoy you? It almost seems you are angry about it. There is nothing whatsoever any of us can do anything about it. People will go on behaving as they do irrespective of what others think.
You mention 'luddites', and that may need explanation to many. Luddites used to go around, a couple centuries ago, destroying farm machinery and often commercial enterprises because they thought machinery would replace them and put their jobs at risk. People have adapted over the years and have realised that technology can make a big positive impact on their lives. But as in all things there is a flip side. When young people, as here in the UK, take their own lives because of what their peers say about them on social media, then maybe it is good to point out how unnecessary it all is.

 

[MATD]

When I was a child my mother told me not to touch the hot iron. Why? Because she knew the harm it would cause me. But did I listen? No, had to learn the hard way. Older folks naturally want to share their life experience of learning the hard way, hoping it will have some effect and keep some from making costly mistakes. But we don’t ever listen and instead have to learn the hard way. It’s inevitable. Young people, myself included, always think they have all the answers, that they are invincible, but it isn’t until we get some life experience and learn more that we realize how ignorant we really were at the younger age. I wish I had listened more. Older folks have what the younger generation doesn’t have, experience and the wisdom gained from it.