The impact of culture is another critical data-point. For example, in some cultures, elders are viewed as being kind, wise and important while in others, grumpy and useless.
I strongly suspect that there is, I've seen this effect in play so many times at smaller timescales, and you'd expect to be even stronger at longer ones
In primitive cultures, reaching old age could be seen as an achievement, given the difficulty of surviving without a healthcare system. In most modern societies, however, aging isn't as challenging and elderly individuals are often "locked away" in retirement homes. In other words, they essentially disappear, living a life of a ghost. Moreover, what kind of wisdom would you expect from someone who spent their years merely waiting for the day of their retirement?
> Moreover, what kind of wisdom would you expect from someone who spent their years merely waiting for the day of their retirement?
The kind of wisdom that they have earned dealing with the daily practicalities of personal life, society, law, bureaucracy and in general the knowledge of navigating the winds of change for many decades. But in order to get the benefit of that wisdom, you have to value them as individuals with valuable experience instead of thinking of them as someone who spent their years merely waiting for the day of their retirement.
Perhaps the wisdom of advising that is not a good idea. And also that young whippersnappers who think that that is what the majority of old people spend their time doing may not be paying much attention to the world.
Reaching old age is still an achievement, especially for young male motorcycle riders, and experience of society and its history always comes for free. The "locking away" stage is something old people generally try to actively avoid, and mostly generally for those with actual dementia in any case.
I'm always curious as to how global these findings can be, the titles certainly don't narrow it down making it sound universal findings. Yet, could it be that these findings are universal and yet culture teaches us to ignore these changes?
A lot of Western culture. The expression "ok boomer" being a prominent example. I'd say any place where "traditional family values" are being eroded, so mainly wealthy urban areas.
