Our Elders

Feelings are very mixed about our elders these days, we were brought up to respect our elders, these days kids generally don't.
I don't feel the elderly are treated very well at all and i'm dreading getting old bbut why is the world like this, some cultures, and other countries treat their elders like gold, after all it is these older people who brought all of us to where we are today so why aren't they treated better?

Violet said:

after all it is these older people who brought all of us to where we are today

I think maybe you said it all right there, violet. Our elders taught us how to act and how to behave. We are merely emulating what we have seen.

Do you think elderly or not respect should be earned rather than expected?

I know certain elders who don't deserve any respect at all.

Coming from the background I have, I definitely believe that respect must be earned...not freely given.

I spent 21 years in the military dealing with officers who thought that they deserved respect just because. It almost always took them a while to realize that respect comes from actions...not a degree.

As far as the elderly go...I had a deep respect for my mother and would do anything for her at any time. BUT....when it came to my father....only grudgingly would I go out of my way to do anything for him. It may sound bad, but......respect goes where it is deserved.

No it doesn't sound bad at all and I completely get where you're coming from

I feel that through each generation of parents and grandparents,there runs the same line.    'You must do what you are told??'   The main ruling with me.  Ran through with that ruling until I reached 21.

My children had to be home by 10pm,especially daughter being a female.   A little more lax with my son,besides he joined the Air Force at 17 as a cadet.

Go back to the Victorian age when in no way did a young girl go out on the streets. Not unless she had a safe escort..

Compare that with these days.....no wonder young teenage girls disappear,who's fault is that.

I see it as a two way thing to get respect you have to earn it,its not freely given.to respect others you must also respect yourself, when I was a child older people who were known to the family were called auntie and uncle,related or not, I never felt comfortable with that so I never did it,much to everyones horror. I have always been classed the black sheep of the family.i was very close to my grandmother and her sister they are the only ones who understood me.older people were always drawn to me.they still are but things have changed in the world, the trust that was once there is now gone.and as far as im concerned without trust you have nothing. kids cant play out anymore like we did.you don't know your neighbours now like you once did.
 I hear it so many times as one of my jobs, about older people having no repect for the younger generation.complaining for even walking past their house.expecting us to do something about it.so as far as im concerned respect is a two way thing to get respect you have to earn it, and that goes for everyone young and old alike.

 Namaste

not dizzy [ - ie - i'm corded ] by 'today's live n ruckus' so elders are just like any else, and it's a happy person thing.

it's not about 'big bong let's get it on' taste - for respect, it is 'big bong let's get it on' taste - for admiration.