One of our discussions this past week was about "old people" in the work place. Our instructor posted a discussion question asking our opinions of having aged individuals in the workplace. I was quite shocked (but only slightly) at the number of responses from my classmates that felt that having "old" people at work was not ideal. Reasons for included that "they [aged individuals] are set in their ways," "they can't be taught new things," and that "they don't understand." That's just to name a few. I was very disappointed to read things like this.
My response reflected a story I read in elementary school about an emperor who wanted a string to be threaded through a warped log which had a hole drilled through it. Many young people tried tirelessly to get this string threaded through this warped old log with no success. An older individual asked to try and was basically laughed at, but still given the opportunity. The older gent tied the string to an ant and placed the ant at one end of the log and a pile of sugar at the other end. The ant crawled through the hole in the log, thereby successfully threading the string through the log. The basic moral of the story was that someone who is old does not mean that they are not useful or wise. From the time I read this story, it changed my perception of "old" people. To this day, I no longer view someone who is older and grey as someone who is incompetent. Instead, I know that the individual has experience and knowledge that at my age, I can't yet comprehend. Therefore, the people who are "washed out" and "un-teachable" in the eyes of so many young folk actually deserve respect and a listening ear because they are our past and we will eventually be their present.
My opinion of the aging community was further strengthened by my readings tonight. The book we are reading out of discussed the trials that the older generations are facing. Social Security not being enough for them to live off of. Other supplemental incomes offered that still don't allow them to even live comfortably; most living on the cusp of poverty. We forget that much of the older and aging generation lived a life trying to pave the way for us younger folk. Their sweat and tears is what allows us to be here now, making the advances, getting our education, and more. Our parents who are entering the age of medicare dependency are the ones taking care of our grandparents while still trying to raise us, "the sandwich generation" is the other name for our parents. Are we forgetting all of these important things that our parents and grandparents have done and are continuing to do for us to ensure our lifelong success? Mom is taking care of Grandpa to make sure that I don't have to stress about it so I can attend school. Mom and Dad are paying for the house that will likely get passed down to me and my siblings when I'm older so I'm not homeless. Those narratives aren't my life experience, but I see so many younger students whose parents are doing exactly that. It made me slightly sick to think of how entitled the younger generation (including my own young-ish generation) feels. We think that the older generation does not deserve to be helped through support programs, larger social security benefits, welfare, and supportive aids, yet, dare we think about where we are headed? If you must view it in personal befitting eyes, then at least consider that their [the aged and aging] present fate will be the equivalent of your future one.
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