Most of our seniors don't deserve respect - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#14784142
For most of human history and pre-history, elders received a lot of respect because of their acquired wisdom (and physical longevity) and were a great source for decision-making and problem-solving.

But most of our current seniors are boomers or Gen Xers.

These last few generations aren't wise at all. They spent most of their "wisdom-developing time" interacting with commercial mass media and became wisdom-less fools whose pseudo-common-sense was programmed in their heads by years of car ads and sitcom situations.

The elders of the last few generations are as wise as the Flintstones. As thoughtful as Gilligan's Island. As useful as Three's Company.

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#14784302
QatzelOk wrote:For most of human history and pre-history, elders received a lot of respect because of their acquired wisdom (and physical longevity) and were a great source for decision-making and problem-solving.

But most of our current seniors are boomers or Gen Xers.

These last few generations aren't wise at all. They spent most of their "wisdom-developing time" interacting with commercial mass media and became wisdom-less fools whose pseudo-common-sense was programmed in their heads by years of car ads and sitcom situations.

The elders of the last few generations are as wise as the Flintstones. As thoughtful as Gilligan's Island. As useful as Three's Company.

soundtrack



I think that what you really mean is, it's NOT the seniors fault, it's the inability of younger generations to even recognise the accomplishments of their elders.
I was born in the early 1940's,post war Britain, with it's welfare state, failed to rid our nation of it's class bias towards the rich or better-off, which persist under every 'Tory' & 'Labour' government.

The 'Tories' perpetuate division so that they keep the poor in their 'allotted' place at the bottom of the money pile & 'Labour' keep them there in order that they are always in hoc to them, cap-in-hand & Benefit begging 'don't bite the hand that feeds you' mentality.
Your elders have created the world you inhabit & 'you' will never know the sacrifices that they made for 'you'.

You know what, the 'appreciation' that these younger politicians give to pensioners like me is an 'OLD' Basic State Pension of £119.30 per week or £122.30 in April, that's £98.85 per week LESS THAN THE 'TAX FREE PAY' ANNUAL allowances for a single person, that equates to £11,500 tax free pay per annum or £221.15 per week.

By comparison to the UK Basic State Pension, the National Living Wage from April is annualised at £12,500,whereas an 'OLD' BSP pensioner who has worked-paid for his state pension for 50 years gets just £6359.30 per annum from April.

Before this 'TORY' government came in, ALL 'benefits' & Basic State Pensions were above the Tax Free Pay levels. The difference was, 'Labour' never raised the Tax Free Pay levels, the effect is that 'Labour' do NOT 'care' about those on the 'Old' Basic State Pension.
To add insult to injury, I worked 50 years, yet anyone that has never, ever worked, can claim Pension Credit of £155.60 per week & receive additional 'benefits' that makes the better-off than a BSP pensioner that's worked 50 years, how is that 'dignified' or 'social justice'?

For someone receiving this 'OLD' Basic State Pension, try living on that.

The TORY Manifesto promised that these seniors like myself would live in 'dignity', you try living in 'dignity' on the above amount.
The so-called 'triple-lock' is a 'CON', of that amount 1.16% of the 2.5%BSP increase goes straight back to the Treasury arising from the 2010-11 'TORY' budget increases in V.A.T from 15-20%, with that 1.16% representing the 'inflationary' effect of that V.A.T increases & that's before the many 'stealth' taxes since then by the 'Tory' government's.

Just remember this, your standard of living is a result of our past efforts, you are riding virtually 'free' on those past efforts.

We paid for your benefits, such as education, parental benefits, health, housing etc, compare the amounts your parents received with our pensions or your benefits, you will see the complete lack of respect accorded to our generation that enslaved our existence to making a better world in which our descendants can live.

Just look at the almighty mess that these 'younger' generations have made of this country, it beggars belief, believe you me.
Last edited by Nonsense on 10 Mar 2017 23:45, edited 4 times in total.
#14784312
What would be helpful is reestablishing unions, starting with Walmart. Plan a complete shutdown, starting in November.

I know their pay starts higher than the federal minimum wage, but it's ridiculous to advise the workers to apply for (tax payers paid) food stamps. They know the workers need a pay rise.
#14784355
The past several generations have gotten too comfy. And people feel so entitled. We live in a world of privilege. We forget that our ancestors toiled in the fields, they used their brains and wits to survive in the wilderness, they hunted and gathered, they fought for survival in the middle of nowhere. They fought famine, wild animals, the weather, plants...and they learned so much.

I do not feel that boomers and Gen Xers are wise. Some people just know how to cheat and manipulate to get to the top. They try to justify the things that they did but not all of it was honest.
#14784367
MistyTiger wrote:
Some people just know how to cheat and manipulate to get to the top. They try to justify the things that they did but not all of it was honest.


Do you realize that is an insulting comment? You don't mention that there are many honest hard working people that are able to do very well without cheating and manipulating others.
#14784374
Hindsite wrote:
Do you realize that is an insulting comment? You don't mention that there are many honest hard working people that are able to do very well without cheating and manipulating others.


I did say "some people" in the first sentence. And the conversation mentioned Bill Gates. He had an advantage since his mother was already working in the tech industry. How hard did he work? Probably not as hard as someone like Jobs or Dell. I do not think Dell even went to college. He was fixing computers out of his garage.

I am not talking about honest and hard working people.
#14784422
Some young people are assholes. They think people had it so good and they have it so bad. It's a common perception of youth in every generation.

Notice I used the word "some young people".

Most people, of all generations, who are successful, have gotten it thru hard work(or inheritance like Trump).
#14784438
[quote]Godstud wrote:
Most people, of all generations, who are successful, have gotten it thru hard work(or inheritance like Trump).

President Trump did not inherit the presidency. He seems to be working hard for us now. That's all I care about.
What happened in the past is no concern of mine. I am looking to the future and the coming of the Lord.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
HalleluYah
#14784482
Trump got all his money by inheritance. That's simply a fact you don't like to acknowledge.

Fuck Trump. He can to go Hell.
#14784484
Hindsite wrote:He seems to be working hard for us now.


Ummm no. He is working hard to make America FUBAR. He is an example of someone who is intensely self-absorbed and delusional.

Trump needs to go to the loony bin. We need a president who is for the people, not against us. He has made the US look like a freak show circus.
#14784529
Stormsmith wrote:You mean those gizmos, dreamt up by boomers like Steve Jobs? :lol:
.

In the 17th Century, some brilliant Steve Jobs/Bill Gates type invented a kind of heroin for children. And like OxyContin today, it was a huge hit, gutting the intelligence of the peasant class for a few generations of healthy sales.

The Boomers grew up in sterile suburbs without any real community. They learned their "values" interacting with commercial products.

They can do no good. They don't know what "good" means. They only understand "a good deal," which has been defined for them by mass brainwashing by product-salesmen.

This is a bit of a disaster because human survival, since the dawn of technology and speech, has depended on the continuity and perspective that only wise old people can maintain.... But not just any old people, old people who have regularly socialized and spoken about important, big-picture things all their lives and have thought about important, big-picture things things for hours and hours while alone in nature.

That's what "elders" are.

Where can the young turn to for wisdom? Books? Other texts? Snake-oil salesmen reviving scams that worked on other isolated peasants in the past?

Godstud wrote:Trump got all his money by inheritance. That's simply a fact you don't like to acknowledge.

While many successful Canadians get their money by investing in mining companies that put 8-year-old children to work. Some use their social skills to manipulate their way to a rent-seeking scam. The problem isn't "how" we get our money individually. It's how we distribute it socially.

And boomers and Xers don't have the capacity to understand "us" anymore. They grew up in isolated bungalows, trapped in cars.

When you tell them that cars kill millions every year, they reply that they themselves drive very carefully. That's all that matters to these "unwise old people behind massive lawns." Me. I. Myself.

"Get the fuck out of my way!"

Nonsense wrote:I think that what you really mean is, it's NOT the seniors fault, it's the inability of younger generations to even recognise the accomplishments of their elders.

I DO respect the accomplishments of older generations, who actually had the time and social contact necessary to be wise when they got old. Virtually all the wisdom of the 20th Century occurred before WW2, TV, and suburbia.
#14784595
MistyTiger wrote:
Trump needs to go to the loony bin. We need a president who is for the people, not against us. He has made the US look like a freak show circus.


I am glad to see that you are so open-minded and unbiased. Just remember that there is no gain without a little pain.
HalleluYah
#14784600
QatzelOk wrote:In the 17th Century, some brilliant Steve Jobs/Bill Gates type invented a kind of heroin for children. And like OxyContin today, it was a huge hit, gutting the intelligence of the peasant class for a few generations of healthy sales.

Riveting.

The Boomers grew up in sterile suburbs without any real community. They learned their "values" interacting with commercial products.

Some did. Some grew up on farms. Some grew up in cities. Some joined boy scouts, baseball leagues, hockey teams etc. All went to school, etc. Your use of communities needs defining, because you seem to depend on it to make your point, but it doesn't seem to make any sense. Boomers and younger people did interact. It's this generation, the under thirties, that seem to depend on telephones etc, and even so, I presume they're talking with someone.

They can do no good. They don't know what "good" means. They only understand "a good deal," which has been defined for them by mass brainwashing by product-salesmen.

This is simply ridiculous.

This is a bit of a disaster because human survival, since the dawn of technology and speech, has depended on the continuity and perspective that only wise old people can maintain.... But not just any old people, old people who have regularly socialized and spoken about important, big-picture things all their lives and have thought about important, big-picture things things for hours and hours while alone in nature.

That's what "elders" are.

Well, no. Not necessarily. Take maths and physics. Most of the valuable thinking occurs before age 35. They will work on it until they die, but it's in the perfecting of the theory. And there's nothing intrinsic to the wilderness to promote wisdom. Most of what we learn we learn as everyone has from school and university, books, and even television. There are a lot of good documentaries airing on no end of topics, if you're interested. But that's knowledge. Wisdom is the ability to think things through, as is said in India, "yes but how will it look tomorrow?", which anyone can do.


Where can the young turn to for wisdom? Books? Other texts? Snake-oil salesmen reviving scams that worked on other isolated peasants in the past?

It's up to each person to chose how they communicate. You seem to be confusing wisdom with knowledge, morality, and lifestyles. Think about it.
#14784670
You're a "Boomer", aren't you Qatzelok. Why don't you tell us all about your lack of ethics, thoughtlessness, and your selfishness. I'd like to know more about you, your mindset, and your ilk. You seem to know everything about everyone. You probably fit right into that "most" category, that you speak of, but can't see the hypocrisy from your high-bicycle.
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