Topic: Re: age and wisdom

[Evergreen]

Because 20-30 year old males are all balls and no brains.  Remember when we were their age?

   

Umm.. As a 30 something male I think I have to beg to differ with you.. Seriously, a lot of old guys think they have all the wisdom, because they failed to listen when they were younger.  Somehow, they have become old and wise; at least, in their own eyes.  That isn't to say that there isn't a fair share of stupid 30 year olds.  Some people do learn things in life at various ages, usually people wisen up, but there are those who just get more bitter and arrogant, like my uncle.  At 65, you think he could have learned already that he burned all the bridges with all his family members and friends.  He died alone and reviled.  His own wife had him murdered.  A dumb 30 year old like myself tried to help knock some sense into him, but trying to reason with an 60+ year old narcissist is as easy as trying to convince a wolf to become a vegetarian.

I have seen a lot of stupid people across the board of all age groups.  

Let me think of one example, where younger teaches older.. At Tri-County Gun Club in Portland this 60+ year old guy decided to go up and change his targets while the range was hot and people were shooting.  A bunch of younger guys screamed at him to get back.  He didn't seem to care despite the fact they were yelling at him furiously.  A nice combination of balls and brains if you ask me.

[ID Tactical]

Umm.. As a 30 something male I think I have to beg to differ with you..

Thanks for proving my point!

[Evergreen]

Thanks for proving my point!

How?  The listening part?    Agreed a lot of people don't listen.. But that problems seems to expand into old age for most people, IMO..

[ID Tactical]

How?  The listening part?    Agreed a lot of people don't listen.. But that problems seems to expand into old age for most people, IMO..

By posting about my rhetorical post.  Wait fifteen years and you'll get the humor of it...

[Evergreen]

By posting about my rhetorical post.  Wait fifteen years and you'll get the humor of it...

I'm balder than most 50 year olds.. That must mean I have premature wisdom ..  


If I made a statement that 50-60 year olds are all senile, grouchy old farts, gosh.. I bet I get my A** kicked tomorrow..  Hey, no means of disrespect, you're suppose to respect your elders..  Sometimes my big balls get the best of me.. My apologies.. 

[e11charlie]

Wow this thread went to shit. What do younger people have no wisdom? Doesn't the wise man know that he is never complete in his wisdom? Even if the route of some wisdom comes from those younger than themselves?

[luvmy45]

Yeah, not sure what the change in direction had to do with the price of pmags in Boise? 

So... We will just put this in its own topic... Discuss wisdom vs age...

[Havanagunner]

Maybe pain play's a lot into the bitterness. Mostly caused by being so "smart" as a 30 something male.

[Evergreen]

Oh Gosh.. How did my post end up in it's own thread..  

In a nutshell, stupid people tend to be stupid into their older age and wise people tend to be wise into their older age..  It is just that people are generally stupider when they are young and wiser when they are old, but it is truly relative to the individual person.  Ludwig Van Beethoven was a legend in his early 20s..

[Bill, Idaho]

Wisdom and intelect are two different things.  Beethoven is a bad example. He was a genius, as far as music composition, but that has very little to do with how wise he was. 
Kind of like the difference between being street-smart and book-read smart.  To put it in terms of something most of us on this forum can relate to, I would bet all of us have met or know someone who can quote ballistic coefficient charts from memory, and what gun manufacturer made what model with which finish and caliber during what years----but have no clue how to actually hit a target.
 An inteligent person might know how to text while driving, but a wise person knows better!

Wisdom, is the ability to use the sum of information gained, in combination with common sense/real world application. Intelect is the amount of information gained. 
 As far as age verses wisdom----I think it's a retention thing.  I learned decades ago stupid hurts (as it certainly should).   

[2big2fail]

   Gun control advocates are composed of all genres, intelligent, dumb, successful, young , and old.  Helmke(for example) is successful, and smart, but they seemingly all have trouble with the same societal principle.  They are all stupid IMO,(because I'm frustrated with their failure to process the most basic logic) however, they don't all go around walking into walls.  
  I guess my point is- stupid is a combination of issue based opinion, varying different habits, and social environment from a different perspective.
    Who's smart and who's stupid?  Bush or Obama, Pelosi or Bohner, Pierre or Helmke, Christianity or Islam?  The answer is easy when you know what side you're on, but it doesn't make the other side stupid, just misguided in your view even when their logic is certainly broken.
   Don't count you're opponent out because you think they're stupid or incompetent, you'll be surprised.
The guy at the range-walking out to the target- was probably not stupid, it's likely more of an ego thing.  Nobody's really that stupid, just that important.  He knows everyone will cease fire while he takes care of his business.

[Evergreen]

 
The guy at the range-walking out to the target- was probably not stupid, it's likely more of an ego thing.  Nobody's really that stupid, just that important.  He knows everyone will cease fire while he takes care of his business.

You're right, the guy who walked to get his targets while everyone was firing rounds wasn't stupid.. He was just UNWISE     It was quite a large range, Tri County and not everyone saw him walking out to get his target and people were still firing.  Hence, why those wisdom-lacking youngsters were screaming their brains at him and everyone else to stop firing and to get him off the range.

I agree many people do grow wiser with age.  However, not all people become wiser on a linear scale.  Some people learn faster than others.  The example I was making was just to prove that old age doesn't always make people wise, nor does youth guarantee you lack wisdom.  

I think when a man hits his mid 20s he has matured and left most of his juvenile traits behind.  My opinion is that if someone in their 20s and 30s acts juvenile and lacks wisdom, he will general not be much better in his 40s and beyond.  

It's like good wine and bad wine.  Good wine is good even when young, but when aged it is superb.  Bad wine always taste like crap even when well aged.  

P.S. Beethoven wasn't a great example.. Perhaps Socrates would be a better example.  He was unleashing the hidden powers of wisdom from a young age; literally, addicted to wisdom in its pure form.  


And finally, a quote from the Wikipedia gods:

Psychologists have gathered data on commonly held beliefs or folk theories about wisdom.[6] These analyses indicate that although "there is an overlap of the implicit theory of wisdom with intelligence, perceptiveness, spirituality and shrewdness, it is evident that wisdom is a distinct term and not a composite of other terms."[7] Many, but not all, studies find that adults' self-ratings of perspective/wisdom do not depend on age.[8][9] This stands in contrast to the popular notion that wisdom increases with age,[9] supported by a recent study showing that regardless of their education, IQ or gender, older adults possess superior reasoning about societal and interpersonal conflicts.[10] In many cultures the name for third molars, which are the last teeth to grow, is etymologically linked with wisdom, e.g. as in the English wisdom tooth. In 2009, a study reviewed which brain processes might be related to wisdom.[11]

   I think this should stimulate the debate..  

[ID Tactical]

The wisdom I have gained from keeping my mouth shut and listening to my elders for the past fifty years tells me I should bow out of this discussion.  Especially since those same elders taught me that 20-30 something males are generally dumber than "box of rocks"...

Later...

[Evergreen]

   I'm staying out of this one too.. Good idea

[2big2fail]

You're right, the guy who walked to get his targets while everyone was firing rounds wasn't stupid.. He was just UNWISE     It was quite a large range, Tri County and not everyone saw him walking out to get his target and people were still firing.  Hence, why those wisdom-lacking youngsters were screaming their brains at him and everyone else to stop firing and to get him off the range.

I agree many people do grow wiser with age.  However, not all people become wiser on a linear scale.  Some people learn faster than others.  The example I was making was just to prove that old age doesn't always make people wise, nor does youth guarantee you lack wisdom.  

I think when a man hits his mid 20s he has matured and left most of his juvenile traits behind.  My opinion is that if someone in their 20s and 30s acts juvenile and lacks wisdom, he will general not be much better in his 40s and beyond.  

It's like good wine and bad wine.  Good wine is good even when young, but when aged it is superb.  Bad wine always taste like crap even when well aged.  

P.S. Beethoven wasn't a great example.. Perhaps Socrates would be a better example.  He was unleashing the hidden powers of wisdom from a young age; literally, addicted to wisdom in its pure form.  


And finally, a quote from the Wikipedia gods:
   I think this should stimulate the debate..  

Dude.............breeeeeathe!.....              better?
let's meet up, I'll buy you a cup of decaf.  Really, I will.

[Evergreen]

Dude.............breeeeeathe!.....              better?
let's meet up, I'll buy you a cup of decaf.  Really, I will.

Decaf?  ..  Decaffeinating coffee mutates the molecular structure of the bean and reduces all the nutrients and antioxidant abilities of the coffee.. Not to mention, Decaf taste like crap and I just cannot tolerate coffee that doesn't give me a nice jolt to my nervous system.


In a perfect world, there is no 20 or 30 year old men and no decaffeinated coffee..  

Nirvana is a world of wise 50 year old men sipping on highly caffeinated cappuccinos.

[mikedamerell]

Nirvana is France?  say it isn't so!

[eddymunster]

I believe it is a matter of experience rather than IQ.

[mikedamerell]

I would agree that various experiences add to wisdom.  However doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is insanity.  There must be variation in experience to build wisdom.

[luvmy45]

As a general rule, 20 something year olds are stupid as all get out, sure there are exceptions, but they are just an extension of the teenage years when you are invincible, the world is wrong and you have all the right answers.

30 something year olds are old enough to know they are not invincible, but believe that since they have survived the 20 something year time frame that they know now everything and that the wisdom they gained in their 20's now make them smarter than anyone eles. They still believe, for the most part, that they have the all the right answers now, as opposed to then, and that everyone else is still wrong.

40 something year olds, are old enough to know that they are not the smartest people in the world, but believe that since they have survived the 20's and 30's, and now probably have some kids that are approaching the teen's that they know what they did wrong, and are willing to admit to mistakes in their past, and attempt to do the right thing. They still believe, for the most part that they now have all the right answers, and that while the world does have some things to offer them, and are open to a few new ideas, and pretty much think all 20 and 30 something year olds are dumb as snot and should listen to their elders, mainly them, and shut up about stupid things.

50 something year olds... well, I'll let you know when I get there. 

[RGinIdaho]

I beat you to it BK!

By the time you reach 50, you realize that learning from your own mistakes is not all it's cracked up to be. Hell, if it was, I'd be a genius.

Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make them all yourself.

[Grumblecakes]

anybody that thinks they are wise is an idiot. trust me im one of the wisest people i know 

[Evergreen]

+1 Grumblecakes

What I have learned is that you can never try to argue with someone who claims to be wise; no matter what you say, you will be wrong.

[Bill, Idaho]

Good judgment comes from experience.

Experience comes from bad judgment.