Are old people obsolete?

[smegballs]

Not really intended as a serious kill all the oldies thread btw...

Pre literature, and definatley pre-internet, old people were a repository of information. Going back to caveman days, if you survived to old age, chances are you had a good idea of what berries to eat, which ones to avoid, what leaves to chew when you had a headache etc etc. As such old people had value in the accumulated knowledge they could hand down to the younger members of society.

With modern literature and especially the internet, there is access to a massive repository of data much easier accessible that repeating yourself 17,000 times to your grandad trying to be understood. Old people's one redeeming value has been replaced by a system that is broader, deeper and easier than accessing that data through a person as an interface.

While plenty of old people can support themselves, and long may they do so, by the time they reach needing 24 hour care, lots of medical complication etc etc what is the point of them being alive.

In my case, I'd hope someone just puts me out of my misery if I live to be that old if I am incapable to taking myself out. My brother gives me a life expectancy of 35 so I may not even have to worry about such things!

[yen_powell]

What about the young/middle aged people who need 24 hour handouts, healthcare, housing etc and produce nothing of value to society in return?
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[The Artist]

There are obsolete people of all ages.

[smegballs]

[cornish]

[yaigi]

Nah, not at all, you can't find out EVERYTHING on the internet, there's LOADS it's no good for. Questions such as "Where was it i dropped that massive ice cream when I was a kid and cried ALL the way up the hill to the castle cos you wouldn't buy me another one, Grandma?"

Plus, so long as they aint gone doolally, the retired ones make handy cheap babysitters.
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Currently own - Fazer 600, 2000, Red. (But no riding as baby on board atm)

[angryjonny]

Old people still work in a power cut.

Well... most of them do.

[doggone]

They aren't really obsolete as they are still consumers effectively redistributing wealth accumulated through their working lives.
We hear a lot about problems with some needing care for years but the majority manage perfectly well until the last few weeks.

[Snodvan]

There is of course anoither issue - you presume that all the lovely "information" on the webby thing is CORRECT. Believe me it is NOT. For many things Wikipedia is the prime example of wrongness. Even Britannica has parts that are blatently incorrect - I know because I have been involved in editing some technical bits of said tome. Having said that, the bits I have submitted are fine TODAY, but will be out of date in 20 - 30 years.

Snod
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04 (UK Reg) BMW F650cs, but really 02 first Reg in Holland

[Benson_JV]

[U_W v2.0]

i go down and see my mum and nan each week, off down shortly actually.

nan usually has some interesting tale of her younger days.

she was a commercial vehicle driver for perry's vauxhall, owned and ran a pet shop, ran a bakery, hardware store, used to bake professional cakes including making all the sugar/pastry based flowers and god only knows what else, she was an amazing painter before arthritis. and thats just off the top of my head.

always been a good, reliable source of help and information.

the stupid bitch down the road however, bragges about never working a day in her life sponging off welfare all her life and not knowing her arse from her chin. to which i really want to inform her both her arse and face have 1 thing in common, they both chat shit.

so yes, some people are fucking useless, others are still damn awesome.
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[smegballs]

Just to be clear, if I ever wanted a proper top-notch, first rate job doing, whether it was tuning an engine or making some bespoke furniture etc etc. The type of person I'd seek out to do the work would be some retired (or just about to) old-school chap who'd been doing the thing all his life. They don't seem to make them like that anymore

A man like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E68dYHzYuBQ&feature=related

[mistergixer]

[Sload]

[scorps]

Know what I like about "old" tradesmen? they fucking clean up after themselves is what, not like the lazy useless youngsters nowadays who look at you in horror and say labourers do that shit

I work in construction and get sick of the whining from them
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Do not presume that I am male.

[Benno]

I really don't understand how/why people can rant about "old people".

I'm 21. I could rant about 31 year olds but I don't, because it wouldn't make sense, because 31 is just a number, and it is a number that will be assigned to me eventually. The same goes for all ages.

Old people, in most cases, have generally 'done their bit', spent a lifetime working and surviving, and are now unable to do so as productively as younger members of society. It's certainly a measure of how civilised and advanced we are how well we take care of our older citizens.

When you reach this age, your attitude of "just put me out of my misery" will be long gone, I am quite sure.
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I'm autistic. That means I'm smarter than you.

[scorps]

you are right Benno.
I sit and chuckle at the bairns on here who think anyone over 30 is past it. Boy are they in for a surprise when they get there
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Do not presume that I am male.

[angryjonny]

[smegballs]

[TaiChi]

[smegballs]

[mentalboy]

[TaiChi]

[Ariel Badger]

[Skudd]

Old people are very good at filling up the cemetery.
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