That’s what people believe overall, and not just the young. Older people buy into this belittling mindset even more strongly, as evidenced by their willful self-destruction and numerous “what’s-the-use?” justifications for their doing nothing to remain vital.
When the olds work toward their own diminishment so enthusiastically, as they certainly do, who’s to blame young people from judging? After all, the image of the old man sitting in front of the blaring TV smoking and drinking for hours on end isn’t just some made-up unfair caricature. I’ve know quite a few of those people.
Because the overwhelming majority of older people—more than 90%—do nothing to preserve their health and strength, much less improve their health and strength, it would follow in people’s minds that the generation that intentionally goes to pot and declines physically would decline mentally as well.
Young people seem genuinely surprised when older people express wise words of advice or well-founded words of caution, as if that is wholly unexpected—when the exact opposite should be true. Old people have themselves to blame for their image and for how society treats them by the negative way they conduct themselves. Giving up on life is nothing to be admired, much less supported. But as a society, support it we do. And it’s costing us a fortune.
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