Is there such a thing as a wise old man?

There are two sayings that seem to contradict one another. The first is that ‘age is just another number’ and the other is ‘wise old man or woman’. The latter is often used in movies where there is a dystopian society (much like in the movie, ‘The Giver’) where the elders were the wise ones who directed everyone’s lives, right down to choosing their vocation in life. It is also a much regarded way of life in certain rural communities where the elders convene councils to decide on someone’s fate. Or the elders are called upon to make the final decision or make judgement on an important subject. Now in some circumstances, age can be just a number. Someone in their 70s may not look like they’re in the 70s or, if they do, they may not act their age. Moreover, sometimes people’s bodies age better than others so that they not only feel younger than they actually are but look younger too. Sometimes how young someone feels is more important than how they look or how others see them. This is all about age being just a number. However, in some instances, age being just a number is clearly wrong, especially when the individual does something that looks unacceptable or foolish in their society or circle of friends. Things such as dressing inappropriately for their age or even marrying someone young enough to be their grandchild. Nevertheless, in some cultures this is acceptable but in others it raises eyebrows because it looks plain weird.

Now, speaking of ‘foolish’, is it always the case that with age comes wisdom? Is there even a correlation between the two? Again, just as it is not with age, it is not always the case when it comes to acquiring wisdom. Ever heard the saying ‘there’s no fool like an old fool’? Well, I’m sad to say that this saying is as true as ‘a wise old man’. Wisdom comes with experiences that one has had, whether they’re good or bad, and how we dealt with and reacted to those adversities. It is to do with whether we learnt from them and consciously made an effort to not repeat them later on.  It follows, therefore, that if a person did not learn from their adverse experience in their youth, then they didn’t grow and, thus, are none the wiser. In their advancing years, this particular person is not a wise old man or woman but simply an old fool, especially if they continue down the same path. If, during their entire youth, they kept repeating the same mistakes over and over again, despite the outcome of their previous actions then they are no wiser than a teen who knows nothing.

Sadly, the circle of life means that, as people age, they become physically weaker. Their memories are less sharp, they can’t hear as well as they used to and they lack the skills to cope with the changing lifestyles of today. They also begin to have this childlike demeanour which means that, often, they can be fooled very easily. It makes perfect sense that if an elderly person has not had a particular experience, they’re no wiser than you and me when we encounter the same or similar situation. That being said, it should be noted that even when an elderly person has had a particular experience and they reacted badly to it, they still continue to repeat the pattern years later. Some elderly people make great decisions. But the converse is also true. Many elderly people make very poor decisions especially when it comes to their finances. Even though they may have realised that their prior decision was wrong, they continue to make similar decisions when faced again with similar situations. It’s sometimes their lack of reasoning abilities (that might come with age) that prevents them from thinking rationally or just their plain stubbornness. Furthermore, that stubbornness is very hard for family members to deal with or overcome. Out of respect, they pussyfoot around their bad decisions, often dropping hints that are never picked up and the pattern of bad advice is repeated. These are not wise old people, they are fools, unfortunately.