Friday 28 February 2003

Pic of the day: Of course, sometimes they really are adorable ... like this picture from the anime Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu.

Youth worship

In many societies of the past, special respect was paid to the elders. They were treated favorably and held in high esteem. These days, the young are in favor. Even the old try to be young.

Of course there are reasons for this. In the past, life for most was nasty, brutish and short. Those who survived to ripe old age were rare, and were living libraries of knowledge that might otherwise have been lost. They had an important function in telling the younger ones about what happened in the past, and the legends they heard when they themselves were young.

Today, a child can tap into libraries that hold more knowledge than anyone could ever remember in a lifetime. Lack of knowledge is not a problem anymore; information overload is. And furthermore, the information changes, sometimes daily. What was relevant fifty years ago is largely forgotten now, except in a few disciplines. Even in the study of history, new knowledge surfaces from excavations and new analysis methods so fast that the old are hard pressed to stay updated. A nimble mind is worth far more than a large bulk of old knowledge.

Since at least World War One there has also been a steady progress in intelligence, approximately 10 points per generation. This means that on average, normal people will have barely genius level grandchildren. And on average, normal people will have barely retarded grandparents. There are of course exceptions in both directions. This Flynn Effect may also be a reason why the elderly are no longer held in the same high regard.

***

So, the case is pretty clear-cut then? Not quite. Most young people are more than just nimble: They are downright unstable. Their limited experience means that young people easily jump to conclusions, and act on incomplete information. Older people know from experience that things are rarely as obvious as they seem, and they stop and think before leaping into action. Well, at least some of them do. They simply have a larger internal base of experience. This is subtly different from a base of knowledge, which you can get by just studying. Experience shows you what is more important and less important, and you can weigh these things intuitively and instantly. With pure knowledge, you don't get this weighing, and if anything stands out it is usually the special and colorful and extreme.

It is the same with emotion, quite apart from the fact that the brain isn't completely wired for adult emotions until a bit into the reproductive part of life. While youthful emotions may be more intense, they often lack the sheer volume of a more experienced soul. When you realize how much an emotion will affect your life if you follow it through, and you still decide to do so, it is a more momentous action even if not as loud. And also over time, you learn to filter out the spikes and the rapid fluctuations. Like a deep river makes less noise than a shallow river and yet carries more water, so the emotions of a mature soul can also run strong and deep.

***

Of course, living a long life does not necessarily make you mature. Especially since we live in a society which does not actively encourage maturity. It encourages a youthful look and behavior. Once you lose that, there is little left. You are supposed to stay "young in mind" until all hope is lost and you crumple into decrepitude and death. At best you may have a career as grandfather or grandmother, but even that is rapidly fading now, with the nuclear family dispersed all over the country. Loneliness, weakness and death. The end of youth is the end of all, in this world.

It was not always this way. In India, for instance, a man was supposed to give his home and his money to his son when his children were grown up. Then he would concentrate on spiritual development for the rest of his life. He would, while he still could, go on pilgrimage. And (ideally) everywhere he went, people would treat him like their own father. It was a new but meaningful part of life. His advise would be sought after, he would be admired and encouraged. In theory, at least. Of course, most good things in any society are somewhat unsure.

Today we have midlife crises, but they don't lead people to enter a new and more evolved stage of consciousness. Well, except a few Jungians. But by and large, we are supposed to just do more and more of what we did when we were younger, gather material things. "He who dies with the most toys wins." To begin feeling discontent with this worldview is a medical condition that needs chemical treatment, while your friends and family patiently wait for it to pass.

Youth sure has its good sides, but we have to accept that it is not meant to last forever. Whether you believe in God or Evolution, you should understand that we were not meant to be young for 70 years. In the same way most men would be lousy women and the other way around, most older people are a failure when they try to be young. Instead, we should be true. Dispel illusion, discard advertising. Be who you were meant to be.