Stop Degrading Minors' Opinions, or People Younger Than Yourself on GAG!

[Watermelon15]

We've all seen these comments on this website, when a 32 year old says: 'you dont even know about it, cause you're like only 24' or 'you don't have enough life-experience'. This comes in all shapes and sizes. And just like that, what was an awesome argument, got shut down immediately with a personal attack. This is so annoying to be receiving and to see others get. So let's put a stop to it.

This is actually an issue, where I have been the bad guy. Yes you heard me - I've done this to another person - and I've come to realize, how much this actually is an issue. I didn't have a very good argument and I ended up saying it to a guy who was literally 4 years younger than me. Oh, I was petty alright. Lucky for me he was more mature than me and didn't say anything about it. I apologized, when I realized just how petty, I was being. And now I wanna fight, to stop this.

Younger people have a clever voice too

Yes, she's 16 years old and that means she can't give you dating-advice? She could know a lot about this, or she could just be a great advice-giver without personal experience. You don't know, who's behind that screen. Just let them speak their mind, and take the advice or not. You were the one who asked for help, so why are you complaining? You're getting help?

No, younger people aren't always more easily influenced by the bad things

They aren't some dumb creatures, who can be tricked into worshipping satan or anything? They're people, who might know exactly what helps with your problem. Of course young people have to 'find themselves' at some point, or what you'd like to call it - but do you honestly think it's a good idea to put it in their heads, that they aren't important and that no one wants to hear them? Reality-check: It's not a good idea.

This actually makes you look unintelligent

When people see your name around GAG posting stupid, age-insulting comments, who do you think are going to listen to you in the future? Maybe your mom, but no one else will.

Just because you are frustrated and don't have a good comeback, don't be petty

Honestly, this was something we did in kindergarden.

James: I wanna play with the swing now

Fred: No I'm 4 years old and and 3 quarters. You're only 4 years and 2 months. That means I'm in charge. Go play with Betty

Sidenote: Simon Cowell agrees

And parents: This is what happens when you teach your kids that adults are superior to them, no matter what;

When a child learns that adults are always right, and you should do whatever they say, they don't form their own opinions in life. Guess what, If an adult comes over to them and say 'I'm not touching you inappropriately, this is alright, just trust me. This will be our little secret okay?' what are they gonna do? You taught them always to listen to adults, right? Then this could happen. And guess what, these kids are more likely to supress their own children one day, so yay that. And yay the rest of the world who will get their supressive, age-insulting comments here on GAG and god knows what other websites this happens on. So be careful, what you teach your children.

So GAG'ers, just don't play the age-card. You aren't winning any points with it, other than wasting everyone's time, including your own. Admit your loss of the discussion and deal with it. And you know what people will give you in return?

R
E
S
P
E
C
T

Happy GAG'ing in the future:)

- written by Watermelon15

[lumos]

Nice take, I agree. I've been on this site since I was around 16-17 years old. I've given tons of relationship advice to people, that many have appreciated and picked as MHO. Got into my first real relationship last year. Inexperience =/= ignorance.
Only a handful of times have I side-eyed a younger person's response, but usually that's based on the fact that it seems like they really don't have any idea what they're talking about. I don't really check someone's age until I've actually finished reading their opinion. And likewise, I've seen a great deal of stupid and immature posts on here, written by people who are much older than I am.

[Watermelon15]

Couldn't agree more

[Unit1]

I never understood any of those jackasses acting like it. Never will.

I do not tolerate ageism in any form. I am speaking from first hand experience.

But this was a brilliant take!
I especially agreed the most with
"This actually makes you look unintelligent"
and
"And parents: This is what happens when you teach your kids that adults are superior to them, no matter what"

I often felt like I know better than my parents... and in the end I did.
Such shaming is really the low-end thing that only assholes do practice.

[Watermelon15]

I appreciate your time to say you liked this:)

[Unit1]

Cheers kind lady. There are for sure some youngens, who have much more manners than rude grown ups!🙂

[Watermelon15]

Exactly my point:)

[Chico_brah]

Well this is true but only to an extent. To be honest I'm not going to be taking any advice from a 16 year old on here ahaha. Younger people tend to have less experience and that's just sort of logic. Having said that, it's not be considered a determining factor of whether or not the advice is still good and valid.

I think the opinions should speak for itself. If someone older has to tell you that you have less experience than them in attempt to prove their point, then they didn't have much solidity in what they are saying. If they did have any solidifying points, then they would be able to articulate their opinions without raising attention to the fact that they are older than you. If they say they are older, then they are trying to condensed you and say that their point transcends yours just simply because. That's a ridiculous concept.

It's as if they the older they are, the more justification they deserve. I know people who are twice my age that are utter pieces of shit. Everyone has their own life experiences and are entitled to their perspective.

[Watermelon15]

True

[BackToBlackkkkk]

I disagree with you on some level and I'm 18, three years younger than you. I think adults have more life experience and they have plenty of good advice to give on GAG. Most of the minors (but I repeat not all) on here are really dumb and shallow, let's be honest here. I know I was once a dumb minor too. 16 year olds can give dating advice as much as they want on GAG but that doesn't mean their advice will be stronger than a 26 year old's who had several relationships and has been through all the difficulties in a a relationship, the breakups, and the heartbreaks, whatnot. In my opinion, the users on here who are 21 and older typically give the best advice on here. And guess what? The brain's frontal lobes don't even mature until the age of 25!

I agree with you that intelligence and age aren't correlated. There are smart 15 and 16 year olds on here who have written impressive mytakes and show a passion for learning. There are some really stupid 40 year olds on here who think they're smarter than everyone else when they're really just basement dwellers with no life, have skewed views about the world, or have mental illnesses.

BUT experience and age ARE correlated! Experience is such an important factor for giving advice. Adults have typically had more relationships than the young person who's still trying to figure stuff out--what they like and what they expect in a relationship.

My parents are actually strict and traditional. Yes, sometimes it's annoying and I get in arguments with them but sometimes I am GRATEFUL for it because they have kept me safe from dangerous situations where I could've gotten killed, assaulted, who knows what. Curfews are there for a reason and I appreciate when my parents ask which friends I'm going out with and what time I'm coming back home because that really shows how much they CARE about me!

[Watermelon15]

You have a lot of great points. And I do agree with you, I am jut saying if you feel like the minor's advice isn't good just choose not to take it, instead of saying they don't know anything, which you generally dont know if this particular minor does, just because many doesn't.

You get what I mean?:) Thanks for forming this response in a non-agressive way, like a lot of people do

[Curmudgeon]

I do try not to be condescending, because I want to be helpful and I want my advice to be taken and not disregarded.

But in all too many questions and MyTakes froom teenagers on G. A. G., I can't help but think, "Been there, did that..." Because I have.

[Watermelon15]

That's fair enough to think those things, we all do I guess - Im only talking about not using it as an argument to why they are wrong:)

[MarkRet]

I've never put down younger people. They might have something very interesting to say. I've never walked in their shoes, and they could be a hundred times smarter than me. Sometimes it's the other way around. I've had the 'old guy' insult thrown at me on occasion.

[Unit1]

Don't worry about it! You're cool, no matter your age friend :)

[Watermelon15]

Exactly - Thankyou guys, this is exactly my point:)

[JustinTheGreat]

I think there's been a couple times I'm here where something I said wasn't taken seriously because of my age.
I'm also the youngest out of all my siblings so when we're talking sometimes I feel they don't listen to me because I'm young.
Its annoying

[Watermelon15]

My siblings are 3 and a half year older than me. They are twins. Everytime we discuss something they go ' wow you're immature. or 'you dont even know, cause you're so young'

[I-am-a-nobody]

A man's brain isn't usually fully formed until 23 sometimes as late as 27 as corroborated somewhat at:
www.npr.org/.../story.php?storyId=141164708
Women mature a couple years earlier, but a young adult (18-24) simply has less knowledge, wisdom and experience. I agree we need to respect the words of others to a degree, but sometimes what they're saying is dead wrong and I won't bend over backwards to validate their erroneous ideas.

My time around GaG has only supported my belief that wisdom generally comes with age. On the other hand, I will admit that some "kids" like @Phoenix98 are wise beyond their years.
(Even if he DOES let his hair grow too long, sometimes.)

[Watermelon15]

I agree with you. And when a young person says something stupid, be sure to let them know, but dont play it on their age? You dont know if they do know what they are talking about, you can just say you really, really disagree.

[Phoenix98]

Lol I'm keeping it shorter these days.

[I-am-a-nobody]

@Phoenix98
Do you go to church regularly?

[Phoenix98]

I do not as much as I'd like to though, sometimes life gets in the way.

But if I can't make it to church I have church at my house so either way worship happens.

[I-am-a-nobody]

@Phoenix98
You do realize we're one generation away from everyone worshiping in their own house, right?
It makes it REALLY hard for old geezers like me to pass on years of valuable experience to the next generation.
We (old geezers) need you (young uns) and vice versa.

[Phoenix98]

We are talking about the same thing right?

well not that hard I did work in a senior center for years and have lots of friends who are seniors and older, plus I'm out and about in the world like 5 days a week lol.

[BackToBlackkkkk]

@I-am-a-nobody I agree that wisdom comes with age and there are some younger gaggers who are really smart. I'm glad you pointed out brain maturity! I did too :)

[lovelyhoneybones]

The only time I have someone bring in my age is when they're losing an argument, and then I just flip the script on them. It's sad, but I've proven people in their 70's wrong, just because they were being ignorant and thought they were right because of their age. It only makes you look dense when you are proven wrong by someone who is probably younger than your great grandchild.

[Watermelon15]

Too real

[rjroy3]

While there are intelligent young people and stupid older people. We shouldn't pretend as if that reality is the norm. As a general rule people mature and become more intelligent as they age. And in a discussion more often than not the younger individual will not be as qualified to speak on a matter as someone older, without personal experience on the issue.

So for example if it's a younger person with little sexual experience talking about a particular dating matter and an older person with a lot of dating experience. Using the age argument isn't necessarily out of place. Because the younger person doesn't have the experience and isn't coming from a place of knowing. So while you may not like it and it may not always be kind. It's still a justified argument at times.

[Watermelon15]

I agree that you think its true that the older might have more experience - but in generel you dont actually know if that is true over a screen, between two people. So when you use the age card you don't know if the person actually has tried it or not. The majority might say that minors haven't tried stuff like that, but some still have, and that's why the age'card doesn't work. Cause we can't pin out who knows, and who doesn't know over a screen, unless they say that they haven't tried it.

[rjroy3]

On average that's true. Not all cases obviously. But if we're going with the argument "in general we don't really know". The reality is we literally don't know about anyone on this site. Because to your argument this is all through a screen. So any opinion given from the perspective of personal experience can't be given or taken into account on any subject merely because we can't verify everyone's experience.

[rjroy3]

I guess where I'm coming from I understand the emotion behind this, but disagree with the logic. Certain opinions do not deserve the same respect as others, because respect is earned. Obviously people deserve to receive courtesy, but actual respect is another thing. So if someone has not shown themselves to be somewhat of an expert on an issue (and by expert I mean having working knowledge of the subject) or even bothered to show common courtesy, then they have in some ways earned disrespect. And that describes a lot of people online in general. Talking out of their ass (been guilty of it myself before) without having any real idea what they're talking about, without even showing courtesy to others. Only to get upset when their opinion gets "disrespected" for whatever reason.

[Phoenix98]

Maybe if most of the minors I've encountered on here actually knew what they were talking about and had the knowledge and experience to back it up, then I wouldn't have to.

The realistic fact is kids are to young for some things and lack the knowledge to back up what their saying and the experience to justify it.

Whether you like it or not a full grown adult with years of life experience, smarts who is educated and has been around the block will know more then a child.

That's life whether you like it or not an your rant isn't going to change that at all.

[Watermelon15]

In some scenarios that is true - but not all. And you shouldn't look down on a minor just because of their age. Some people know exactly, what they are talking about and you would listen to them, if it wasn't for that age thing we see next to their name.

[Phoenix98]

More like most, sorry but that's just how it is, yes there will be the odd example of the opposite being the case but most of the time it isn't.

[Watermelon15]

But if only most of the time it is true, how do you predict if that specific one is or not? You don't, so why throw one after their age in the first place? Why not simply say you disagree or choose not to follow their advice?

[ScottSummers]

I agree, when someone does not have arguments they attack your age to try to discredit your opinions.
Iam 22 but i never go anon for one reason and thats age. When i go anon Its says 45+ so people often try to offend me or discredit my opinions thinking iam old.

[Watermelon15]

True:) Are you really 101?

[ScottSummers]

lol no, iam 22

[Watermelon15]

Cool :D

[Belgie]

Science alone can tell you that young peoples brains are not developed, long past the point where the youths themselves insist they are mature enough and know better.

It's easy to disparage a stupid opinion. It's folly to assume that youth makes a stupid opinion less stupid. What we can forgive in youth, is if they hold the stupid opinion appropriate to their age.

A 35 year old woman lamenting that men like sex, is going to receive just as much scorn (imo) as the 16 year old who doesn't understand why boys her age are not interested in long term committed relationships. They're both silly, but the 16 year old has an excuse. The 35 year old does not, unless she lived an incredibly sheltered life.

[Ghassan2]

I hate when people here talk like they are somehow can't be wrong just because they are older than me. Whenever I crush someone with facts or common sense, they say stuff like : you're not gonna understand now or it's not worth it to convince you or you're brainwashed.

[Watermelon15]

Too real lol - I feel the same - this is why I wrote the take

[Kuraj]

I can't say I agree with this.
While I agree that any given opinion should be judged on its own merit rather than dismissed outright, it is completely foolish to suggest a person without experience can give a good advice or that a 16 year old is just as intelligent as an "adult".

A 16 year old who has never dated cannot give advice on dating, they have no idea what men/women are like and their only idea of "dating" is the image their 16 year old brain has constructed in their head - without real life experience which is vital to form an informed opinion.

[Anonymous]

I would love to send this to my landlord. I moved out when I was 18, and lived in a house with roommates and the landlord was a 62 year old Scrooge and know-it-all, and the number one thing he loved to do was talk down on younger people and their 'lack of wisdom' I will anonymously email this article to him now that I moved to a place of my own lol

[Lopezz1999]

Reading this entire myTake actually kept a big smile on my face lol. Totally agree with what you've said! No hard feelings though!😁

[Watermelon15]

Yea - You were that guy I did this to, but you know that :D I thought the message had to get out, just surprised how many angry people that comment on mytakes though :D I never realized :D

[Lopezz1999]

Oh trust me, many will comment on triggering myTakes like this or my own that got you to comment lol. It all goes down to others and their personal views/experiences, and if you've written a myTake that people are likely to disagree on, well people are gnawing be pissed 😂

[Watermelon15]

Hahaha I know :D I wrote my first two myTakes two days ago with 2 hours in between and they both got promoted and featured on the homepage after an hour :D I guess gag thought they were so good

[Lopezz1999]

Sweet 👍🏽

[Anonymous]

I agree with you.

If someone says something boneheaded or whatever, attack the thing they said. A reference to their age is an argument from authority, not fact, and the argument is therefore weaker than it otherwise could be.

[Watermelon15]

Glad to hear someone who thinks the same:)

[zagor]

I agree. Just because someone is young doesn't invalidate their perspective. My 10 year old nephew is very insightful.

By the same token, some people on here disregard people because they are 40, 50 or older, so it goes both ways.

[Watermelon15]

Exactly

[Anonymous]

The thing is, a lot of young people come off cocky with opinions that are clearly formed from very little or no practical experience in what they are talking about. I did it a lot when I was younger.

When we are trying to have a discussion, it is sometimes hindered by a cocky person who doesn't really know what they are talking about. Not that older people don't do the same. But it is really prevalent with older teens and young adults, and sometimes they just need to be told.

[Watermelon15]

Though then you should comment on their cockyness and lack of knowledge - not on their age.

[Opinion Owner]

Sometimes it is directly related to their age though. That's just how it is. I get that you don't like it, but it's reality.

[Watermelon15]

Show me one example, where you have the right to label it on their age. Without just relating it to their age but with actual evidence that it is because of their age.

[BackToBlackkkkk]

@Pinkanon So true.

[Watermelon15]

@BackToBlackkkkk I do not say that it sometimes isn't directly related to their age or anything, I'm just saying that you don't know if it is or not, so you can't use it as an argument

[kespethdude]

Just an observation that I personally have seen, but I have actually noticed most of the members who posted quality stuff on this site were actually younger than me. But in the long run, it's the quality that matters, not the age. A 16 year old with a great article gets more respect from me than a 60 year old who goes on an unintelligable rant about "those kids".

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Thank you for sharing with us. Yes cause ones young doesn't mean
they don't know what their talking about. I agree 100% with you. :D

[Watermelon15]

Thankyou for the support:)

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

You're very welcome :)