So i recently came into contact with some pretty horrible ageism. It was from the "young people are stupid and should only speak when spoken to" variety. Classic.
Now i'm hoping it's not just me that thinks that it is perfectly feasible for a normal young person to have a functioning brain complete with the ability to reason and form opinions of their own? After all if you are reading this blog then you have (OH MY GAWSHH) come into contact with a young person who has, i hope you will agree, some valid points of view. It's true that not all of my ideas are perfect but i wonder whose are, really?
I think we should all be encouraging young people- the people who will one day be at the head of our government and our businesses and our families- to think for themselves because if we don't who is going to think for them? Who is going to make the tough decisions about the future of the welfare state, the economy, the education system, to name but a few? Who else will take on the responsibility of the next generation of young people- our young peoples' young people?
Do we really want a future in which it is easy for a government, even for a single person, to corrupt its people with an idea held by the minority because the majority are so easily led, so willing to accept without question, so easy to mould and morph and manipulate?
If we don't want to run the risk of letting our young peoples' minds become a mush of imposed ideas and a sponge for horrible policy and disgusting views, then we should be ensuring that young people are forming their own opinions. Schools should focus on developing argument and debating skills, educating and informing people on a wide range of beliefs and viewpoints and how to approach and solve issues and actively defend their rights and opinions.
We should not be silencing our young people. They have things to say. They have thoughts and ideas. They are just as able to have and just as entitled to an opinion and to a voice to share their opinion with as someone 10 years older. Just because they are young and have not "seen the world" does not make them stupid. There are plenty of older people who are not as intelligent, well rounded, tolerant or experienced as some of our young people. You do not suddenly hit 18, become an adult and suddenly have a mind that is so rich with ideas and experiences that your thoughts are automatically worth more than your 15 year old friend. Age is not what makes someone more informed or intelligent- a good, well-nourished, active brain is. Your years on earth do not directly correspond to how valued and valid your opinion is- if it did we would be in trouble because so many of our older politicians have also got the most outdated and ignorant views and if we're all headed that way then... my god... we should just give up now.
Tip: do not beat down young people- we have equal potential for influence, intelligence and importance, thank you very much. just remember the phrase: "credit when credit is due"- whatever age it is deserved at.
Nail. Head.
ReplyDeleteA good, robust response.
The problem for some older people is that it's much easier for them to say something along the lines of 'calm down child' or 'if only you knew what I knew' rather than engaging in the substantive point being made.
On issues affecting young people, one of the biggest failures of empathy has been around tuition fees - both for further and for higher education. Those who seem to be the most vocal advocates of this politically are not the ones who have to look at the prospect of paying back all the loans that young people have to take out. A £50,000 debt looks very different in the eyes of a 16 year old not born into a wealthy family compared with a 50 year old man who has already made his fortune or is in a position where, upon early retirement can afford to pay off outstanding debts through a nice cushy directorship at the end of his political career.
Keep on blogging, engaging & debating. One of the things to keep in the back of your mind is finding out what are the things that influence - and even change your opinions. These will be slightly different from person to person.
As for the world, it is a massive place and we as human beings only ever get to see small portions of it anyway, no matter how old we are.
precisely- it's a shame that some older people are not willing to engage with and respond to the young. if we could only overcome the boundary of age and level the playing field, i reckon we could each see a lot more of the world and gain more and more experience as well as forming and changing our opinions based on much wider range of people. that would be nice.
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