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Why should we respect the elders?

The purpose of this essay is to discuss the reasons for which the elderly people should be
respected. Although the question might seem quite obvious, it is too often taken for granted
and it is not thoroughly analyzed. Therefore, it needs reconsideration and proper analysis,
which, hopefully, will be provided in the paragraphs below. Both general and specific reasons
will be given.
From the most general standpoint, it appears that the elderly people should be respected
simple due to the fact that they are human beings. ach and every human being deserves to be
respected because of the dignity, which is an inherent feature of our species. Any kind of
discrimination against individuals based on certain specific qualities of personality or
appearance is basically morally wrong and should be eradicated. !t is obvious that people
cannot be discriminated due to their race or gender, so it should become equally clear that
they cannot be discriminated due to their age.
Another argument stems from the principle "do as you would be done by", which probably
stems from the #hristian "$reat #ommandment" and can be regarded as a cornerstone of the
western culture. %ore specifically, this principle says& "'o unto others as you would have
done unto you.( Following this rule, we should respect our elders simply because we want to
be respected as well and we e)pect to be treated with respect *+ohnson Thane ,-.. This
principle is not only based on the ethical considerations, but also on quite pragmatic ones.
verybody is certain to get old unless they die young. As a consequence, sooner or later they
themselves will e)pect the respect and care. !f everybody followed this particular principle,
the human relationships would gain a new dimension and most of the social problems would
disappear. /urely, this is only the ideal rule and it is na0ve to e)pect them to be put into
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practice at any occasion *1attles 234..
!t should be remembered that this rule has also practical and pragmatic applications as it
guarantees the integrity of the society as a whole and each social group in particular. 1hen
people respect and care about each other, the society simply works better. !t is much easier to
achieve the collective goals since the cooperation strengthens the abilities and skills of
specific individuals. #onsequently, the mutual respect reinforces the consistency within the
group. !f you belong to the group in which you are cared for and respected, you are more
likely to be more cooperative and motivated. 5o wonder then that most societies try to follow
the principle of mutual respect and emphasize its importance endowing it with a religious
significance.
Apart from the argument of general nature, a number of more specific points can be made in
order to show how important it is to respect the elderly people. They deserve respect because
they live long enough to gather e)perience necessary to understand what life is about. !t is
often argued that nowadays there is very little that young people can learn from their elders. !t
is frequently pointed out that the world is changing so quickly that they have almost nothing
to offer in terms of knowledge and skills *+ohnson Thane 6,7.. !n fact, it is difficult to e)pect
that the elderly people will know how to use the latest model of a mobile phone or what is the
news of the day. 8owever, their e)perience and knowledge have more general character as
they refer to the underlying principles of human e)istence& growing up, maturing, getting old
and dying. Thanks to such e)perience, the elderly people seem to know better what really
matters in life. The fact that they have gone through so many various e)periences and
subsequent stages of life gives them an opportunity to see it from many perspectives. Their
perception is much more richer and versatile since it stems from the variety of e)periences,
both positive and negative. #onsequently, they are worth respect no matter what their
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particular positions and views on political or social matters are and whether we are inclined
to agree with them or not.
1hat is more, they are worthy of our respect for the reason that they live with death as a
realistic and near possibility. !t might sound cruel and brutal, but the fact remains that the
elderly people are respected due to the inevitable prospect of death, which actually makes
them more vulnerable and weak in one way, yet at the same time more stronger and dignified.
!t is difficult to e)plain why most people feel respect and even awe faced with the person who
is seriously or terminally ill. 9robably, they are afraid of dying themselves and, as it is
something mysterious and ine)plicable, they prefer to remain calm and solemn while facing
it. $etting old is inherently linked with suffering whether we like that or not. Although
popular culture would like to portray elderly people as cheerful or grumpy eccentrics, the
reality behind these stereotypical images is quite different. $etting old involves pain,
suffering and illnesses, despite the fact that nobody is likely to admit that easily. Apart from
physical pain and suffering related to different illnesses, old people are too often condemned
to social e)clusion : they are more likely to be isolated or separated than members of any
other age groups. !t seem as if the society is somehow afraid of them. ;et, the fact is that we
owe them respect for what they have gone through and what they have achieved in their lives.
!t needs to be remembered that the previous generations paved the way for us. 1e tend to
forget how much we owe them in terms of technological and social progress. %any people are
likely to take for granted any amenities and liberties of which they take advantage on a daly
basis. !t probably seems to them that they were acquired effortlessly and without any
sacrifice. 8owever, a quick glance on the history of the previous century may prove that the
things are quite the opposite. !t required an enormous effort to build a stable and relatively
rich society like ours. The people who were born many years before us have contributed to the
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overall shape of our society nowadays. #ertainly, it might be criticized for a number of
reasons, but it needs to be realized what kind of difficulties and problems they were faced
with and how they managed to deal with different challenges *+ohnson Thane <7..
=espect for elders is a dominant characteristic of most civilizations and cultures across the
globe. !t seems to be the cornerstone of any civilization which is likely to succeed. For
e)ample, the #onfucian philosopher %encius says&(Treat with respect the elders in your
family, and then by e)tension, the elders in other families.( *Bell 64,. !t is true that the
universal respect should start with one"s relatives. 1e care for them and respect them because
of natural bonds, but then we realized that the respect which we feel towards them should
e)tended to the others as well because they are equally worth it.
The social perception of the elders have been undergoing a number of significant changes for
many years now. The average life e)pectancy has been rising due to the medical and social
progress. As a result, the number of elderly people has been steadily increasing. 5ow, they
form a larger portion of the society than it used to be in the past when people were more likely
to die at a younger age. 5owadays, it is quite normal to en>oy the presence of one"s parent
until one gets fifty or even si)ty years old. #onsequently, it might be said that the elderly
people begin to form an important component of the modern society. %oreover, a number of
contemporary societies is undergoing the process of aging, which means that there is a
growing proportion of elderly people. =espect for them becomes a matter of necessity since
they form an important and increasingly influential group. They have their own ambitions and
aims, which have to be taken into considerations by political and social leaders since they
make up the significant part of the public. The integrity of the modern society requires the
respect for old people. ?therwise, the communities will suffer from the growing
inconsistency, which may lead to the increasing alienation and isolation. !t needs to be
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realized that the elderly people are no longer an invisible minority, but they will probably be
more visible in all areas of life. A number of businesses and services directed to them
e)clusively are already operating. 9robably, there will be even more of them in the
foreseeable future. !t is hard to imagine how these businesses can operate without the basic
respect for their most important customers. !t is not only about the money, but also about the
quality of service which we provide to others *+ohnson Thane 623..
As it might be seen from this considerations, there are a number of reasons for which we
should respect the elders. The reasons are of various nature. They are ethical, they might be
based on the religious code of morality, or simply stem from the universal non@religious
ethics. As it was already mentioned, the respect to the elderly people is rather a universal
phenomenon, but obviously it has its own history : its won past, presence and future. #ertain
reasons mentioned above are of universal nature, whereas the other are strictly connected with
the present social or political situation. 5evertheless, they are all reasonable and valuable and
none of them should be ignored for the sake of others. !n conclusion, it needs to be said that
respect for the elderly people is often the matter of being sympathetic, which cannot e)plained
in terms of rational thinking and reasoning because it is rather a matter of personal
inclinations and sensitivities. !n other words, there are people who are more likely to feel that
respect due to a number of various factors related to their personalities and upbringing.
8owever, it worth remembering that such seemingly obvious things like respect for the
elderly should also be based on logical reasoning, which was presented in this essay.
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1orks #ited
Bell, 'aniel A., ed. Confucian Political Ethics. 9rinceton, 5+& 9rinceton A9, 2BB4.
+ohnson, 9aul, and 9at Thane, eds. Old Age from Antiquity to Post-Modernity. Condon&
=outledge, 6--4.
1attles, +effrey. The Golden Rule. 5ew ;ork& ?)ford A9, 6--<.