Do you feel that advice from older people carries a special weight because of their greater experience?
I'm gonna say no. I think there are a lot of situations that can come up in our lives that someone somewhere has to have been through before. But just because they've been through something similar doesn't necessarily mean they have the best advice for your situation. There's a good chance that I would just give their advice the same weight that I would give to that of a trusted friend. Honestly, I get some old folks in the bank that come in spouting off all kinds of stories and advisory statements, and more often than not, they just come off as crazy. And I think I've made it clear before that I'm not the most patient person in the world. Listening to an older person definitely requires a patience that I don't always have readily available. I feel bad about that, but it's just the way that I am.
*Question of the Week comes from The Book of Questions by Gregory Stock, Ph.D.
Speaking as one a half-century old, I'd have to agree with you Aaron. Certainly we do learn from experience, but there are so many other factors to be considered and times change, what worked then might not be the appropriate response for now. I do share my experiences with other people (and probably bore them to tears) but I also expect them to consider other options and to do what feels right for them. My father believes that he knows the right answers to everything for everyone, and that mentality is annoying!
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