Elder Wisdom--are seniors wiser than others?

V

Victor

Senior Member
Location
midwest USA
Elder Wisdom is a volunteer service business for seniors
to give advice to younger people, mainly youth, I think. I thought about joining it and
then I figured I could do that myself on assorted community forums. I already do.

The real question is: are seniors (including me) wiser than younger folks to give advice
on life issues? The old fashioned quaint notion is that we are older and wiser-(older butwiser is a beer!)
I know many seniors I would not trust with advice and younger people that I do trust.
It all depends on how you have spent your life until now. People are smart in different
ways and areas. I wouldn't trust a senior with love advice but I would on issues of money
and health, maybe. My life experiences are so very unique that I doubt others would understand.
Someone would have to divulge much detail about their situations just so a senior could give
accurate advice. Then how do you know they are telling the truth?
What say you?
 

Crap, I'd like to think we're older and wiser. But no it isn't a given plus all the changes in the world can be a bit bewildering. I mean take dating advice...would you be able to give a teenager dating advice? Now they have electronic geegaws, different values, music, slang. I guess the basics of a relationship are still the same though.
 
I don't know if elders are all wiser, but I would hope that organization would provide training, and do some screening before someone could join. Unless I am misunderstanding. Is it a type of franchise? I would also hope there would be ground rules because if it is a business, you need to be familiar with any liabilities. I would advise you to do some research before considering it. It does sound like a worthy organization providing guidance to youth who may not have someone to talk to. There is a broad scope though, as far as problems go. It could be simple or very complex. At least on a forum you could be selective about which problems you may be comfortable addressing.
 

As they age, I've noticed many seniors I know are crystallized in their thinking and less flexible or open minded than they were as a young person. Many are stuck in a time warp, eg. old hippies with the same outdated philosophy and habits. Sorry, not very optimistic point of view, but there it is.
 
I agree that seniors in general are not wiser, they have just seen and experienced more of life's ups and downs.

I try to only dole out advice to a person that I believe will be receptive to it.

I think listening to young people, in a non judgemental way, is more important than advice.

On the general subject of advice: Fools won't heed it and wise men don't need it!
 
I define wisdom as ideas or thought that endures over time: it tries to be universal.
That's why the Bible and other sacred books are considered wisdom by their faithful readers.
God's thought is intended to survive. In another sense, wisdom can be merely statements that
are true but not obvious and not perceived by our 5 senses. And not math either.

Socrates is famous for saying that the wise man knows he is not wise. People who say they are
wise are not so wise--their thinking may be shallow and not always true. Socrates always said he
was not wise, Your philosophy lesson for today! (Elder Wisdom Circle does not agree.)
I like giving advice about matters of love but I am not so wise!
 
Victor said:
I define wisdom as ideas or thought that endures over time: it tries to be universal.
That's why the Bible and other sacred books are considered wisdom by their faithful readers.
God's thought is intended to survive. In another sense, wisdom can be merely statements that
are true but not obvious and not perceived by our 5 senses. And not math either.

Socrates is famous for saying that the wise man knows he is not wise. People who say they are
wise are not so wise--their thinking may be shallow and not always true. Socrates always said he
was not wise, Your philosophy lesson for today! (Elder Wisdom Circle does not agree.)
I like giving advice about matters of love but I am not so wise!
Click to expand...

That's a good one I'm glad you shared it. Every time I've seen someone describing themselves as wise they always turn out to be a narcissistic idiot that only thinks they're wise. Very good post Victor :)
 

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