What did you think of older people when you were young?

It's not uncommon for youngsters to think older folk are 'behind the times' ...but does every generation think that?

In what ways did you think your generation was modern and in what way did you think the older generation were not

Re: What did you think of older people when you were young?

My Gran was a modern Gran....in sense of humour and opinions...not stuck in a by-gone era.

I thought all "older" people were wrong and know-it-alls...as I got older I realised they may have been right when offering guidance and advice.

The older generation thought the the 60s were best...nah, definitely the 80s.

When I was young I hated the attitude of some...those that thought kids shouldn't be heard, had no idea of what was good for them etc.

I'm glad more parents seem to listen and hear what their kids have to say.

My kids think I'm pretty modern in my music tastes and genre...my parents were dinosaurs when it came to music.

Re: What did you think of older people when you were young?

I think the older generation seemed so remote when I was growing up. Respect is one thing but to creep around not daring to speak until they'd finished and not much interplay between adults and children, seen and not heard, dreadful!!
Far too dismissive, old fuddy duddies!!! really, hated it!
I like to think my generation is not repeating the pattern, who knows?

Re: What did you think of older people when you were young?

I enjoyed spending time with older people, but as a child, I always found other children boring... till I got into my teens.
By then I liked pop music and new fashions, but if I wanted to learn something I always listened to older people, because they had experience, and I believe that experience is the best way to gain knowledge.

Maybe our opinions on older people are based on personal experience, so we may all have different ideas!

Re: What did you think of older people when you were young?

I never really viewed older people as boring as I was always encouraged to spend time with my Grandparents which I enjoyed. My parents were (and still are) up with modern times and modern music etc.

I remember when I was a Mod in the late seventies , when winkle pickers were back in fashion. My Granddad gave me a pair of originals which he had kept for years.

Re: What did you think of older people when you were young?

I didn't meet my grandparents until I was nine years old so Jimmy and Lily next door were substitutes. A really nice old couple who were great friends to my mum and who used to look out for us if mum was late home from work. I in turn remained friends with them right up until Lily died and Jimmy was shuttled off to a care home never to be seen again.

That was the time when we had communities of course and all the neighbours used to hang around outside when the weather was decent, when there was a local wedding or organising the local bonfire night with some cooking parkin or jacket spuds for all to share. We kids as a consequence of mixing with all ages grew to respect the older ones which is how it should be.

Re: What did you think of older people when you were young?

I remember being afraid of managers , business owners and bosses when I went for job interviews , it was terrifying as I always felt intimidated by their old fashioned and strict ways .

When my mum was my age I saw her as an old lady , she didn't really have a life , she was at the beckoning of my dad and other sons who still lived with her .

My sister and brothers all say we never thought we would get "old" or get here

Re: What did you think of older people when you were young?

My generation was modern. We were part of a massive social experiment. I remember at my first school having hippy teachers with progressive ideas. So old people to me were my parents generation who were very old fashioned compared with the times, strict and very opposed to all the permissive society changes that were happening at the time. They'd grown up during a far more conservative time. Some of their friends were very traditional and much older so from a very different era. A lot changed in the 70s so that made everyone who was not part of the movement seem old and disapproving. Oldies were always complaining about young people's long hair, bad attitude even their way of walking etc. It was a social struggle.

We are now starting to go back to a more conservative way of thinking so there is less of a barrier between old and young. Teens aren't so mortified to be hanging out with the parents. In some ways parents are cooler than their kids a bit like ab fab.

Re: What did you think of older people when you were young?

oh and most of the old ladies in those days had lots of terrible make up and looked florid and unhealthy - over forties all had that curled hairstyle like hilda ogden. People had less healthy lifestyles, everyone smoked ate fatty food and gold top milk (my dad's favourite on his cornflakes with loads of sugar, along with a full english breakfast). Nobody looked after their teeth and many had dentures or bad crowns. These days we have HRT and healthy lifestyles. Getting old doesn't have to mean being frumpy and falling apart any more. The physical changes and people exercising more and eating sensibly mean that people look far younger for longer and dress more like those twenty years younger which removes barriers.

Re: What did you think of older people when you were young?

What a lovely post Judd.