In a recent conversation with a friend on why is dealing with the youth such a big deal after all, one thought came up. For anyone in their 50s and beyond; our residual lives are equal to the lived experience of the young ones. With one third or Four fifth of the acquired understanding of life, a particular world view formed by deep personal struggles seems to be making those of a certain age seemingly wiser. Many seniors are often overcome by the urge to pass on this treasure to those with a lived experience literally equal to the rest of seniors’ lives. Louis Armstrong passionately sings out to me often “I hear babies cry. I see them grow; They’ll learn much more than I’ll ever know’. Having lived in a world that people of age socially constructed over many years, sometimes it is the only world we know and understand. What we don’t understand still exists and some youngster out there understands it fully.
Long years of working with young adults have enriched me in so many ways. The most significant impact of close interactions with young adults is that they all speak of the future they wish to make for themselves. The vocabulary and syntax of youth is rooted in possibilities, dreams and an unknown form of their present selves which is not cast in steel. Their hope and their fluidity has often rubbed on to me. There have sure been few nut cases, however, none that a good conversation and an open mind couldn’t fix.
Who teaches whom? Wisdom of past, or the mystery of future ? The youth struggles all around may be dismissed as misdirected, arrogant, and uncivil. But when the future seeks audience with the present; the present must offer the audience asked for. If for no other reason, then for respecting the fact that their stake in the future of the planet, society and workplaces is much higher and more long term. Youth mostly carries a lighter burden of the past, higher conviction about the future and deals with much bigger uncertainties of the present than most seniors. This dominant stakeholder group deserves the respect of an open minded audience; if the wisdom of past is to be passed on to the dreams of the future. Families, educational institutions, teachers, bosses, all of us seniors owe it to them.
Hearing them out is the first step. We can reason with them all we want; without hearing them out. This for sure is the recipe for loosing touch. Hearing them out, earnestly, openly, and with an intent to reason, without aggressively pushing the envelope is apparently a fairly simple ask.