Perspective and age

[Horse Called War]

I'm 57 and I have been around long enough to have talked to just about anyone in my family and others who was born since 1900 and up. I stay young by the old and the new. I have done this way before the Web. Here is a suggestion. Find the oldest fart in your family and listen to what he or she has to say. You may learn something about life.

old motherfcuker :ROTF:

[FusionFarmer]

You gotta watch out when an old timer tells ya , he's forgotten more than you know, when in reality he's forgotten more than he currently knows. Actually you need to get advise from people who seem to know WTF they are talking about, and a sharp older person can have a lot of knowledge to share

[mhalsey]

Yep...Kev's post meant nothing to take to heart. C'mon fett.
But back to your point..I have lived and learned. I know life is short..I have lost many, as I'm sure many on here have too. I listen to people who have been before me, and those that are coming up behind me. And all I'm SURE of, is life is short, and I have to make the most of it. Both of my parents died in thier 50's. I'm 39..hmmm, hope I don't follow in their footsteps..but in case I do..I LIVING MY LIFE NOW!!! It is MY life, and I will live it as I see fit. It may not be up to other peoples standards etc..but it's MINE. So, live, have fun, live right, and enjoy your short time you've been given. Even if you live to be 100 it's nothing compared to the big pic.

Amen, Jeri!

[fett]

stop being so friggin sensitive

You didn't use any gremlins.:ROTF: And that scared me. And coming from an Admin, I was double scared.

[Joe_Steeler]

I am not going to get soft and philosophical or people here will think I am soft.

But I do believe we are here for a purpose, one that we will never be privy to. As humans we are here to learn and grow as a species, to better ourselves. To elevate our level of knowledge, understanding etc.
So yes Fett, I agree with you. We are to learn from the old, the good and the bad. Take the good forward, fix the bad and continue the iterative process.

How come humans, as a whole, suck??
Because we saw what happened during WWII, the killing, the genocide. In the last 15 years there have been no less than three high profile genocide examples for all to see: The Kurds, Darfur and the old Yugoslavia.

Many people still look at others as less of a human because the color of their skin.

We have not learned a fucking thing.

As I've grown older I realize how valuable my conversations, no matter how small, were with my grandfather and my father. I lost them both within a week of each other. I miss them terribly and wish they were here still. I have never been the same, I continue living with a great sense of emptiness since the left such a void.

[toejam]

You don't have to be old to be wise........

Exactly. It cracks me up when old people say you need to respect them, yet they feel they don't need to show respect to younger people. You show me respect, I'll respect you, I don't give a crap how old you are.

I was waiting on line at the checkout counter in the supermarket a few years ago, some old guy and his wife come walking through the entrance with a shopping cart and want me to move so they can get by. Uh, hello, you can only fit one cart in the little aisle at the register. I tell him he just came in the exit and I wasn't moving so he could squeeze by, told him to go back out the store to the left and walk around to the entrance. You'd think since he was old, he would/should have known better. Guess he wasn't as wise as he should have been. :ROTF:

[emperor_black]

Well, I've had my fair share of old people teaching me stuff like everyone has. I take 'em all, but choose which one's I'll keep.

[atilla]

Exactly. It cracks me up when old people say you need to respect them, yet they feel they don't need to show respect to younger people. You show me respect, I'll respect you, I don't give a crap how old you are.

I was waiting on line at the checkout counter in the supermarket a few years ago, some old guy and his wife come walking through the entrance with a shopping cart and want me to move so they can get by. Uh, hello, you can only fit one cart in the little aisle at the register. I tell him he just came in the exit and I wasn't moving so he could squeeze by, told him to go back out the store to the left and walk around to the entrance. You'd think since he was old, he would/should have known better. Guess he wasn't as wise as he should have been. :ROTF:

What you're talking about here is the difference between respect and courtesy. Too many people use them as if they are synonyms, and they are not. Nearly every person I meet gets my courtesy until they do something to lose it. Nobody starts off with my respect: That, they must earn, regardless of the amount of gray in their scalps.

[horns666]

Joe's "We have not learned a fucking thing"...Is perfect!

[thetroy]

How come humans, as a whole, suck??
Because we saw what happened during WWII, the killing, the genocide. In the last 15 years there have been no less than three high profile genocide examples for all to see: The Kurds, Darfur and the old Yugoslavia.

Many people still look at others as less of a human because the color of their skin.

We have not learned a fucking thing.

That is mostly true, except the reality is it's even worse than that - people have been doing that stuff since long before WWII. It's gone on for thousands of years.

But in all honesty I think it is finally starting to get better. Why? 3 reasons:

1 - Ease of travel around the world
2 - Media exposure to other cultures
3 - the Internet

[horns666]

I have elaborated and wrote much about this subject in my 17,000+ posts, as well in my own circles.

But here's some "quotes' from a few that dedicated much time on the matter.

"History proves that man is a beast of prey. The beast of prey conquers countries, founds great realms by subjugation of the other subjugators, forms states and organizes civilizations in order to enjoy his booty in peace... Attack and defence, suffering and struggle, victory and defeat, domination and servitude, all sealed with blood; this is the entire history of the human race..." — Richard Wagner

“Alas, where in the world have there been greater follies than with the compassionate? And what in the world has caused more suffering than the follies of the compassionate?” “Woe to all lovers who cannot surmount pity!” “Thus spoke the Devil to me once: Even God has his Hell; it is his love for man.” “And I lately heard him say these words: God is dead; God has died of his pity for man.” - Nietzche

"Man is just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his “divine spiritual and intellectual developments,” has becomes the most vicious animal of all!" - Anton LeVay

[Gunner]

Life is the ultimate sin, giving no rules but expected to win. I'm 43. I learned most lessons in life the hard way. I continue to make mistakes. If you don't learn from them, then it's all a waste. I've had and have nice houses. I've had and have nice cars, trucks, motorcycles, guitars, guns and so on. I've found the things that give you the most joy and happiness are the simple things. My daughter that's eight years old has taught me the most. She has giving me the most happiness and the most heart ache in my life. I think we are here to learn from life. I also think it's best to learn it in this life. Horrible things happen for no reason. I can't and I don't think anyone can explain why. I do believe some bad and good things happen to you for a reason. I also don't think you should judge or give your opinion on something if you haven't been though it yourself. That's my two cents.

[GodOfRhythm]

If, at this young age, there's one thing I know, really know in every fibre of my body and down to the core, it's to live right NOW! I don't know who said it, but a while ago, during a difficult period of my life I read something that, coupled with that time blew my mind wide open: "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take".

[atilla]

If, at this young age, there's one thing I know, really know in every fibre of my body and down to the core, it's to live right NOW! I don't know who said it, but a while ago, during a difficult period of my life I read something that, coupled with that time blew my mind wide open: "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take".

That would be Wayne Gretzky.

[horns666]

Life is the ultimate sin, giving no rules but expected to win. I'm 43. I learned most lessons in life the hard way. I continue to make mistakes. If you don't learn from them, then it's all a waste. I've had and have nice houses. I've had and have nice cars, trucks, motorcycles, guitars, guns and so on. I've found the things that give you the most joy and happiness are the simple things. My daughter that's eight years old has taught me the most. She has giving me the most happiness and the most heart ache in my life. I think we are here to learn from life. I also think it's best to learn it in this life. Horrible things happen for no reason. I can't and I don't think anyone can explain why. I do believe some bad and good things happen to you for a reason. I also don't think you should judge or give your opinion on something if you haven't been though it yourself. That's my two cents.

Hmmm Interesting, I identified with many common things in your post, and I'm 43 too..cool.

Welcome,

Bill Z Bub