What Older People Can Learn From Our Generation

[FadedGrenade]

I know this will be a highly controversial topic, especially possibly stirring up some anger in the older members of this site before even reading the Take. But the gap between the generations has never been bigger. There is a huge difference between the older generation and the younger generation.

Also, there are tons of things that the younger generation can learn from the older generation. I acknowledge that. But here are just some things that are the other way around!Here we go!

Acceptance

Too often, older generations view younger generations as lazy and spoiled. Unless they try to learn about present-day technology, they have little exposure to it.

Millennials are the first generation to really grow up in a world obsessed with technology. Because of this, we've built the core areas of our lives around websites, apps, etc.

I don’t think that it should be rightfully expected of older generations to fully understand this way of life since their experiences are very much different, but older generations can understand that there are lots of different ways to live your life and that your experiences define you. If they can accept this, then I think that the large gap and the stigma against Millennials from the older generation will eventually begin to decrease.

Awareness

Older generations can learn that we have to inherit everything they leave behind. If they make beneficial decisions and changes, we will inherit that and live in that benefited world. But if they make decisions that screw everyone over and hurt them, we'd live in that world as well. The older generation can learn that they need to be aware of the footprint they leave behind. We step in whatever social and economic hole they've dug.

We are All Different

The older generation definitely knows these two words: Fit in.

The older generation will mock different people. The majority of homophobic, racist, sexist people are not millennials. (Example)

They can learn from the younger generation that people are different. People are black, gay, female, etc. Older people grew up thinking that the word 'different' is a synonym for 'weird' and 'strange.'

That is changing. Differences make us unique and special. Statistically, younger workers come from diverse households and backgrounds. Their “wider perspectives” can help open older workers’ eyes to the changing world and workforce, Dattner says.

I know this was a short take but I thought it was necessary. Older(and younger), don't get offended by this! This is pretty generalizing. I know there's a bunch of hella rude, closed minded millennials. I know that there are also tons of open-minded, technologically intelligent older people. Instead of seeing this as an attack, see it as an observation.

^lol

[MarkRet]

I've never looked down on younger people. In some ways, they're WAY smarter than me. They're understanding the latest technology better than my generation. I don't know much about Facebook, or Twitter, or whatever, and I don't really care anyway. I've always tried to leave a small environmental footprint, and never driven monster vehicles, or had to have whatever hot material thing there is (I'm pretty minimalist). In a way, I kind of feel sorry for the younger generations, as they seem to be heading into a more hosed-up world anyway.

[FadedGrenade]

you're a beautiful minority

[Unit1]

Yup, I approve. MarkRet is cool!

[Anonymous]

The majority of homophobic people are in the closet homosexuals.
The majority racist people are people of color.
The majority of sexist people are feminists.

https://youtu.be/oz3YvE_FHXYhttps://youtu.be/W2XazdYF9lYhttps://youtu.be/hkvy00x3Dt0https://youtu.be/fUDvqLONbBMhttps://youtu.be/JKy-1X-dkechttps://youtu.be/kay2r85mHG4https://youtu.be/J1I1pOjbsHc

[InTimoreDei]

Love it

[CoffeeWC]

Great. But even if older people read this they still wouldn't change their views because their opinions are set in stone. Old people will always complain about younger generations.

[FadedGrenade]

yep, even though they raised us

[JimRSmith]

I don't know, I don't think millennials have half as much to teach other people as they think that they do...

[Political_dude]

👀 👀 👀 👀 👀

[JimRSmith]

@Political_dude With some exceptions!

[Political_dude]

I'm part of iGeneration not millennial 😇

[hellionthesagereborn]

My counter point towards your first statement would be that maybe they are right? We now spend less time with friends and family then any other generation before, these people help us network, they help us find mates, they help us in the form of friendships and we are getting less of that then they are and its provably harmful. I would also point out that obsession with technology has made us less inclined towards physical activity and for the first time ever we are less inclined to spend time outside, to be in nature etc. All of which is important for a well rounded person (its actually been proven that it makes people happier). Yes technology is here to stay and its a very useful tool, but their is a reason why tradition is tradition, their is a reason why we use to behave certain ways, its not just because we didn't have technology.

Second point I agree with, in fact my biggest contention is that they claim to be the greatest generation but in fact they did absolutely nothing but run our economy into the ground, ruining the legacy of those who came before and shouldering us with the burden of their mistakes. The lesson I think is that which is easily gotten is easily taken for granted.

As for your last point I disagree. The article didn't link to any credible sources except for one book (which since I don't own it can't say anything about its accuracy). Also it was rather vague with the claim that people "SUGGESTED" they would move if a black person moved into their neighborhood, which is not a certain term, what does it mean by suggest, what are the reasons for it etc. I will agree that statistically we know that interracial marriage was frowned upon, in fact it was illegal in some states (federally it was not and thus was illegal to bar it but some states did still try), and now its highly accepted. However over all I think your not giving them the credit that is due, it was the older generation that stated discrimination was wrong, that was not our generation, or the generation X'ers that came before, they established this and pushed for it. Most people where not racist they just minded their own business afraid of what would happen if they spoke out against it (keep in mind they are the generation that went and armed blacks in the south in order to protect them so they could vote). So most where not racist, at worse most where minding their own business, afraid of what would happen if they spoke up.

[hellionthesagereborn]

The article also ignored the rampant racism of today that rages against whites and Asians. For instance they mentioned hate crimes are down but neglected to mention that blacks are twice as likely to commit a hate crime against whites then whites are to commit against any one. Or the increase in black separatist groups, them having more active groups and members then white supremacist groups. So racism is still a thing, its just that the people targeted (mostly whites and to a degree Asians) are not talked about. So over all I think both parties need to learn from each other and not stereotype and not believe that their generation is some how morally superior or has more to offer then the other.

[englisc]

There are certain things that the older generation don't understand, I agree. At the same time there are many things that the younger generation don't understand.

The older generation built and fought to preserve everything you have now. They brought us to the level of success we have today. While they owe it to their children and grandchildren to do their best to help them, their children and grandchildren owe it to them to take care of what they've sacrificed to give them. It's like if you built a house that you intended to leave for your grandchildren, you'd want them to appreciate it and look after it when you're gone.

Too many millenials don't understand that. While some older people can be arrogant and wrongly think that they know better on certain things, so can millenials. For example when you mentioned fitting in - in order for a society to work well everybody does kind of have to fit in. Societal norms exist for a reason, to make sure everybody is on the same page, working towards the same goal, following the same rules. It's how we got here, it's how they built what we have. Now millenials have been taught (by some members of the older generation, by the way) to ignore all of that and to become increasingly individualistic. In doing so they'll eventually destroy it all.

For example, the older generation mostly married and had children. Marriage and the traditional family are the backbone of any strong society, and of course any culture needs children in order to sustain itself. If it doesn't have enough to replace the ageing population it will be bred out of existence. That's what's happening in the west right now, we have low birthrates because so many people are refusing to get married and have children. They're taking advantage of the success brought by that older generation while giving nothing back, and also while wrongly believing that they know better and that the older generation are/were ignorant.

As for technology, they can see how that destroys young people. Some of the technology is great but it can also be very damaging, especially socially. In fact people like Steve Jobs refuse to even give their children pads or phones because they know that it's not good for them - while many millenials would call a guy like him an idiot.

[skytatoe]

My dad dropped out of highschool. He had no problem finding a job at 16 with no experience. He did, and he worked many different jobs, travelled then later decided to settle down and pursue a career.
Many of my friends fathers didn't, they finished highschool and found well paying jobs straight off the bat. Some even went on to university and after getting a degree directly integrated middle/upper hierarchy of various organisations.

By the time I graduated highschool, a highschool diploma was worth nothing at all. After 4 years, a bachelors degree was pretty much a minimum requirement, and a masters degree was what would make you stand out a bit. Today, a masters degree is the norm. And a significant amount of volunteering / internship experience is what will make you stand out if you're looking for the same kind of job that a bachelors degree alone would get you a few decades ago.

The economy is in the shitter globally speaking. In my fathers generation a man who graduated highschool could get a decent job and he could support a family if he wanted. They could have a car and a home, the mother could work if she wanted but it was not necessary.
Today, even university graduate couples need to have both parents working to ensure a decent living for their family, as one member of the household working often doesn't quite cut it.

To say millennials are overall lazy, entitled and spoiled is absolute horseshit. We're paying for the mistakes of my fathers generation and not in a small way. To hear that kind of condescending bullshit to top it off is really just adding insult to injury.

There's certainly things we can learn from their generation. And there's certainly faults in the millennial generation, lots of them. Not the least of which is the striking generalised political apathy that's allowing the governments of the western world (by proxy of parties interested in accruing power) to gradually strip away freedoms our ancestors fought so hard to instore and maintain. Our generation has many faults, and many flaws. But I never see the most blatant flaws being pointed out in the media. It's always these absolutely false stereotypes being thrown around.

[Anonymous]

I do think it is ironic that you stated that the older generation is the one dedicated to fitting in when the younger generation is so inebriated with Facebook that their entire mantra is "Stand out by [eating Tide Pods] any means necessary!" which is nothing but social collusion at it's worst. Individuality has tanked heavily with most millennials being incapable of actually producing much but demanding recognition.

In the job markets they show up with ideas straight out of college that have no real-world practicality and expect to be appreciated. When they are not they jump jobs rather than stick with them and the generation is best known for that behavior where managing the millennial is now so difficult that entire corporate cultures have turned to coddling.

Individuality has tanked so badly in fact that Safe-Spaces and random pronouns like "zim" exist alongside a whole plethora of completely imaginary problems that will not be solved by simply whining at them. Not that millennials are all bad but when it comes to individuality they are so impaired by Google that rather than using it as a research tool with some grain of salt based on how it works (which is publicly known and acknowledged) they use it to back their opinions by means of Bandwagoning their way into "correctness".

Millennials, in my opinion, having grown up around them and actually 'being' one I suppose are very much less result oriented than our previous generation so the accomplishments are significantly lower related to real impact. Certainly we've created another app that does another thing but we don't step up to the plate. The older generation is dying in 20 years, flat out, so that whole spiel about the elderly realizing they can shift the world and the young will inherit is manages to prove the point. That's over. We need solutions from the current generation now, the Millennials, because the damage done would have had to be reversed 30 years ago in process. The tail-end of that generation, individuals like Elon Musk, for instance are the ones who are going to shift things and that's the very tail-end.

Your time is now.

[AynonOMouse]

My and my parent's generations were far more sexist against men than the younger generations are.
The younger generations of Black females are more racist than in the past.
Many people of my generation was spoiled because their parents had credit cards and spent more than they earned.
For the younger generations, some are VERY spoiled and have WAY more stuff than me and my friends ever did growing up, and others get nearly nothing from their parents.
For me, a very good Christmas that only happened 2 or 3 times in my life was getting something worth $200 to $250.
Today younger generations get $500 to $900 worth of stuff, even when they are in grade school. And I mean these are kids from supposed low income families in a poor little town/Hispanic community.
And then some of the kids from that same place get $20 to $50 worth of stuff.
It is like half of them get loads of stuff and are way over spoiled, and the other half get barely anything.

The only problem I usually see from the younger generation is lots of prejudice against people that are religious and too many think it is fine to treat people badly based on their religion and not accept them, but expect them to accept whatever the prejudice anti religion people think and do things their way. Maybe they are Religious phobic or something.

I'm glad that the younger generations (with an exception of a couple groups) aren't being as anti male and anti White as the previous couple generations have been.
And I do notice that people aren't being made fun of much for things like wearing glasses or for liking to read. I used to see that a lot when I was young because one of my best friends in elementary was made fun of pretty often for having glasses (he wasn't smart though, or liked to read).

[xXiTacoXx]

"The younger generations of Black females are more racist than in the past." Did you really just say this as if it was a proven fact when it's one of the biggest lies I've ever seen?

[AynonOMouse]

@xXiTacoXx From my experiences, both in real life, and on this site, it is very true.

[xXiTacoXx]

There's millions of black women and girls on this planet and your going off your limited experiences with those of us who are black women to say that the majority of us are racist. Do I doubt that you may have had a few small altercations? No, but do I think you're right in saying we're all racist? Hell no.

[AynonOMouse]

@xXiTacoXx Meh. You generalize a generation based on a likely small sample, I generalize based on a likely larger sample than you due to the kind of job I've had.

[xXiTacoXx]

And just what kind of job do you have? Because I work a job where I'm dealing with a large amount of people too and the one's who are the rudest are usually White and Asian folk trying to impress wealthy people they either are relatives with, or are doing business with, but that doesn't mean I go around generalizing all white and Asian people as racist rich assholes and saying right off the bat the white and Asian people are more racist than in the past. Wanna know why? Because that's a broad generalization of millions of people out there of those races.

[AynonOMouse]

@xXiTacoXx Same with the generation thing.

[AynonOMouse]

Oh, and my job is education for 8 years. So I have literally known hundreds of people of different types. Not just met like in most jobs, but had multiple conversations with over an extended period of time. And seen how they treated others.

[xXiTacoXx]

And that doesn't stop what you've said from being a rude generalization that applies to the millions of us black girls out there.

[AynonOMouse]

@xXiTacoXx If it offends you I am glad. Good. I am used to young Black women hating me. I'm starting to hate them too. Just a bunch of bad experiences.
I know what I can do. I can share those experiences with lots of students so they too will know how it really is.
The more bad experiences I have from young Black women, the more I am going to share those experiences with White, Hispanic, and Asian students.
All based on factual real experiences.
That will actually be much better than just sharing stuff online with strangers that get so offended so easily about my real life experiences.
Hope that makes you happy.
:)

[xXiTacoXx]

Wow, so you're just racist in general. I hope they realize you're nothing, but racist trash, who enjoys spreading baseless racist lies to anyone you come across. You say you have bad experiences with black women, yet here you are starting stuff which naturally would tick anyone off. I hope those students realize how sickening you are. With your mindset that means I should start going and telling people how much I hate white and Asian people and start spreading bullshit lies too because of all the racist and bad experiences I've had. However, I'm not going to because I'm not going to stoop to your low racist level. You're glad about being a racist. How sway? Those students of your will have to interact with black women because we're everywhere, in schools, work places, etc. They'll be able to see how wrong you are about us first hand. All you'll be doing is going down in your schools history as the racist teacher no one wants to hear from.

[sjoes006]

I’m 33 years old and the best things I learned were by shutting the fuck up and listening to my grandparents, or about them, for as long as I could.

I get the outrage at babyboomers and this whole racist tide they are riding with the new alt right...

Babyboomers aren’t useless.

But members of the Great Generation are still alive and I implore you to seek them out. These are the people you want to learn from.

They suffered the Great Depression and pushed us through WWII.

I was born In Ireland, thankfully, but have relatives on both sides of my family that fought for the US during WWII.

I’m a member of THE DAUGHTERS OF THE American REVOLUTION.

Snob society group but you have to prove ancestry, they blood test you if you’re a cousin.

[InTimoreDei]

I'm from a long line of warriors and soldiers. Great Grandfather fought in the Somme, Grandfather fought in the Merchant Navy in WW2, Great Uncle fought in Turkey. My Grandfather taught me a lot and helped me become the man I am today. Millennials need to wake up and stop smelling the roses... they have no respect for the battles that the previous generations had to endure. Some of my family lived through the famine, battle of suvla, the depression, and other horrors.

[standardguy]

I don't agreee in all. "We are All Different - Older people grew up thinking that the word 'different' is a synonym for 'weird' and 'strange.'
That is changing. Differences make us unique and special. 'wider perspectives' can help open older workers’ eyes to the changing world and workforce,"
I am neither an old man nor an millenial, but I am refering technological knowledge equal with the kiddies. The "different" word disguises the moral view. You should accept nowaday all lifestyles. And this is wrong. We have moral standards that are eternal - especially biblical standards: Men are leaders, women help them to have success. Or: sexual orientation can be wrong and not every sexual orientation should be acted. Or lying and blaming can be lack of love.

[Charleslvajr]

It would be nice if the younger generation, millennials, would open a history book and actually learn what has come before them. What has happened to make the world they take for granted and shit on every chance they get. What the generations just preceding them gave up so their sorry little victim narrative asses could have all the gadgets and gizmos that apparently make them unique.

[torken]

Older people went through the civil rights and womens sufferage movements.

They also went through the energy crisis in the 70s.

They have had first hand experience with all of these, and when they were our age they were filled with outrage that certain people were not being accepted and that the earth was dying. They were also labeled lazy hippies by their parents.

Basically, all signs point to us being exactly the same as them when we get older...

[Logorithim]

We can all learn something from anyone of any age.

I'm not so sure that being a Millenial makes one more open to other perspectives than a Gen X like me. For example, I've spent two thirds of my adult life outside of my native country and I had a bicultural upbringing.

[just_tired]

Great take :) we all need to understand that we have things to learn from each other, young or old, doesn't matter. Older people have longer experience and younger people have the experience of growing up in a different world. We all have our own perspective to share..

[coachTanthony]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hER0Qp6QJNU

[lumos]

I watched close to 10 minutes of that and got so irritated. This is the type of shit EVERY older generation has said about newer generations, but now they have the advantage of adding a social media twist to it. Like why are people perpetuating this idea that millennials are lazy, entitled, and want instant gratification? I'm about to start working another job on top of the one I already have, which might be 100% unpaid because it's an internship. All while still going to school and writing my bachelor's thesis. Most of the people around me are in extremely similar situations. So fucking tired about old farts whining about participation trophies when y'all are the ones who came up with that stupid ass concept.

[lumos]

tired of*

[FadedGrenade]

@lumos yeah the fact that older people are disgusted by us disgusts me. they raised us. its their fault so deal with the footprint you left.

[lumos]

Not just that, but the generalizations are so stupid. To lump people together simply because of when they were born is so stupid. Within the millennial generation, there are people from all walks of life. To sit there and imply that millennials can be defined by xyz traits is incredibly ignorant.

[UnaKaizen]

@lumos

this take was based on lumping people together by age..

[lumos]

@UnaKaizen what I said kinda applies to this take as well.

[Anonymous]

While I think there is a grain of truth in this, younger people can learn a HELL of a lot more from older people than the reverse. It has always been the case that younger people are naive and idealistic, but that changes over time because with time comes experience, and with experience comes knowledge and wisdom.

One day you will be the old person who actually DOES know what she thinks she knows.

[FadedGrenade]

yeah, i said that in the beginning. im not saying that younger people dont have anything to learn from their elders. thats just stupid.

[Opinion Owner]

Fair enough. :)

[Browneye57]

More puppy dogs, rainbows, and pink unicorns. Yeah!!!

[Anonymous]

In politics

pics.astrologymemes.com/...memeful-com-5318255.png
i.ytimg.com/vi/1WUVP6l9Das/maxresdefault.jpg

[najekim]

Oh I learn every time I ask one of my younger co-workers for with the CAD system we use at work (I only use it 5% of my time during the day) and at the same time I teach them how to "think" without using a computer to look for their answers.

[Anonymous]

honestly it should go both ways. the young generation need to understand where the older generation is coming from since they come from experience of life. The older generation need to accept the change and pass their wisdom to young ones. The young ones need to realize that the old ones were young ones too and they went through change and strife with the old. lol like Bob Dylan said Times are a-changin.

[Whatthefluff]

That's true in a way. I find that some people of the older-generation persuasion tend to be less fully accepting of certain groups of people in today's society.

[gbmlevin]

Technology is definitely something the youngers have a greater grasp on, but, the elders has wisdom. You take a younger with the technology and the wisdom of an elder, you got something that can change many peoples lives for the best.

[Giacomanzo]

Depends how old.
My granddad (87) is very smart and lucid for his age, but he never was wise. Doesn't matter how strong your proofs of him being wrong, he won't admit it.
That's typical of most elders, at least in my country: I'm older hence I know more than you.

I perfectly remember he once said that a city was on the Adriatic Coast, while I told him to be closer to the Tirrenic Coast. After 15 minutes of debating I finally managed to convince him to look at the map.
Noticing me being right, he said (not as a joke) "They probably moved it!"