Being Old is a Privilege

Stoppelmann said:
To be fair, it isn't a question of "enjoying" having pain, but whether someone who suffers pain can still regard it a privilege to have become old. Another question comes to mind, do you think that your pain is exceptional? I do understand you; only I have nursed people who had excruciating pain, and they still told me they were thankful for a long life.
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No I don't think mine is exceptional...far from it, compared to most people my pains are very minimal.. ...I just don't find it a privilege to get old enough to have these pains.. and I'm sure most others would feel the same
 

As we grow older, leaving the sprint behind, we learn to embrace the marathon. We learn endurance, and finishing the race becomes the prize, we seek most. We learn to live long, and prosper. God fires the starting gun, and He clocks us in at the finish line. It's all good!
(Philippians 3:14)
 
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iu
 
IrisSenior said:
Well, at 72 yrs old, I don't think I am old yet. Yes, I think getting old is a privilege but those that don't get old won't know that and we that do, suffer the consequences. Does that make sense?
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đź’Ż

At 72 we're reaching maturity and do understand the blessings we've received to get here. My uncle will be 98 in June, I hope that he will be blowing out birthday candles for years to come.
 
IrisSenior said:
Well, at 72 yrs old, I don't think I am old yet. Yes, I think getting old is a privilege but those that don't get old won't know that and we that do, suffer the consequences. Does that make sense?
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Yes, that is essentially it.

Privilege is defined as “a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group.” The key word here is “granted,” and the perception of being fortunate is necessary to feel privileged. One person feeling privileged doesn’t make it a fact because, of course, contrarily, ageing can bring physical limitations and cognitive decline.

The perception of being unable to “keep up” with younger generations can diminish the sense of privilege. Additionally, age discrimination is prevalent globally, and treatment rates for medical interventions have been known to drop disproportionately for people over 70. Older individuals are often perceived as resistant to change, hindering their adaptability. As Hillman already pointed out, youth is often glorified in the media and associated with adaptability, energy, and endless opportunities. Cultures that value intergenerational living tend to have more positive associations with ageing.

As the years accumulate, we hope that wisdom does as well. The experiences gained over time can provide valuable insights and perspectives. This accumulation of knowledge and understanding is often seen as a privilege. Research indicates that emotional stability tends to increase with age. This stability can be a significant advantage in navigating life’s challenges. Reading comprehension and other forms of “crystallised” or accumulated knowledge tend to improve with age. This cognitive advantage contributes to the perception of privilege. Older individuals are often accorded respect due to their life experiences and contributions.

Therefore, old age can be a privilege in that not everyone has the opportunity to experience it, but it seems that only if we continue to have moments to cherish can we feel fortunate.
 
I"d also mention that there seems to be a general assumption that we all get older, wiser, more mature, and understanding. I wish! None of those things are an automatic. Well, other than "older". Some people just stumble through life, and given the state of some of our youth today, and the parenting skills that led to their behaviors, you have to wonder what kind of wisdom the parents have accrued.
 
"Death is peculiar. First you make a fantastic organism, then you throw it away again fifty years later. It’s a rotten trick, and if God existed I’d like to meet him in a dark alley to have a little chat about it."
~~Midas Dekkers, Dutch writer
 
I do not believe growing old is a privilege it is life and only life each one living in different circumstance. The mystery is life, good days and bad days.
 
Being alive is a privilege. Being old means being alive longer. It means people have gotten to experience more life than some.

Can it be seen as a more positive thing? Depends on the culture. US culture is not as respectful of the old as some other cultures.
 
I feel grateful to be celebrating turning 70 this year. I have lost 8 friends between the ages of 59-71 and 2 of my friends lost children that were 4 and 19.

I have chronic neck and back pain. I can only sleep 2 hours and then must change positions. The pain is caused by some car accidents and I have had it for 40 years but like everything else it’s getting worse.

It’s a cake walk compared to my friends undergoing cancer treatment and other problems. It’s an interesting stage of life that has seemed to come very quickly.
 
caramel said:
Being alive is a privilege. Being old means being alive longer. It means people have gotten to experience more life than some.

Can it be seen as a more positive thing? Depends on the culture. US culture is not as respectful of the old as some other cultures.
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I think it's not only U.S. culture but the so called 'western culture' in general. Asian countries care for their elderly ones much more. Meanwhile some seniors in our country are brought by their sons and daughters to a senior home in Thailand. This is not only cheaper but the staff is much more friendly to the old people than the staff in Germany. If they get enough workers in Germany at all. The wages here are very low in comparison to other jobs. They are always looking for employees.
 
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George1959 said:
I think it's not only U.S. culture but the so called 'western culture' in general. Asian countries care for their elderly ones much more. Meanwhile some seniors in our country are brought by their sons and daughters to a senior home in Thailand. This is not only cheaper but the staff is much more friendly to the old people than the staff in Germany. If they get enough workers in Germany at all. The wages here are very low in comparison to other jobs. They are always looking for employees.
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same here with the exception of Thailand... but yes the care homes generally have low paying staff who don't care much about their job or their clients... sick and tired of reading stories of carer abuse in care homes..

Management of these want as much money from the clients as possible without spending it out on salaries for good nursing or care staff
 
officerripley said:
"Death is peculiar. First you make a fantastic organism, then you throw it away again fifty years later. It’s a rotten trick, and if God existed I’d like to meet him in a dark alley to have a little chat about it."
~~Midas Dekkers, Dutch writer
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I'd like to meet God too, but he visited a bar. As he wanted to pay, some coins of his purse fell to the floor. He bend down to put them up. But as he got up again he bang his head severely into the bar counter. Since that time he is in coma on life support. Exactly this is the reason why the world is as insane as it is according to the book "Critical Care" (1992) by Richard Dooling.
 
I don't find old age a privilege at all. I'd rather be young and feeling healthy all the time and able to tackle anything life send my way. I work on this everyday and have NO plans to stop. If being young and having a pain free existence is wrong, I don't wanna be right. I'll bet a lot of others feel the same.
 
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chic said:
I don't find old age a privilege at all. I'd rather be young and feeling healthy all the time and able to tackle anything life sends ,my way. I work on this everyday and have NO plans to stop. If being young and having a pain free existence is wrong, I don't wanna be right. I'll bet a lot of others feel the same.
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Chic, as much as I agree with you on other topics like Covid I disagree on this topic. Being old is a divine privilege and I would not like to be young again.
 
chic said:
I don't find old age a privilege at all. I'd rather be young and feeling healthy all the time and able to tackle anything life sends ,my way. I work on this everyday and have NO plans to stop. If being young and having a pain free existence is wrong, I don't wanna be right. I'll bet a lot of others feel the same.
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It is rare for me to feel like old age is a privilege. Most of the time, because of chronic pain, my whole life is managing the pain so that I can maximize my waking moments. For those with their health not being a problem, I would imagine that they feel the accumulation of their experiences have enhanced their life, and feel a privilege living to a ripe ol' age. Not in the cards for me.
 
Paco Dennis said:
It is rare for me to feel like old age is a privilege. Most of the time, because of chronic pain, my whole life is managing the pain so that I can maximize my waking moments. For those with their health not being a problem, I would imagine that they feel the accumulation of their experiences have enhanced their life, and feel a privilege living to a ripe ol' age. Not in the cards for me.
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It seems that all of us are looking of old age in the context of health. But I think that in fact there is no difference. If we are healthy we think that old age is not a problem, but if we have health problems as myself I like being old too, since I know that the end of my existence on earth is limited, why I value this end highly.
 
George1959 said:
It seems that all of us are looking of old age in the context of health. But I think that in fact there is no difference. If we are healthy we think that old age is not a problem, but if we have health problems as myself I like being old too, since I know that the end of my existence on earth is limited, why I value this end highly.
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I really do understand your point of view here. :)
 

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