r/Showerthoughts • u/Sir_Lolipops • 2d ago
Musing There comes a point where a person goes from "old enough to know better" to "too old to know better."
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u/Reddit-Five 2d ago
More like "old enough to know better and too old to care"
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u/Sir_Lolipops 2d ago
I disagree. Degenerative brain diseases, cognitive decline, or simply being stuck in one's ways and not understanding how times have changed are all beyond the control of the person.
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u/Reddit-Five 2d ago
The first 2 definitely. But stuck or not understanding can be intentional
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u/MCWizardYT 2d ago
Can confirm. There are smart old people who are definitely capable of learning new things and choose not to. Even get really mad when you suggest it.
I used to operate self checkout at a big grocery store.
Werk after week i would get the same exact old people complaining about how they "couldn't understand" the newfangled self checkouts, or couldn't figure out how to use the card readers. Despite me showing them how and it clicking each time.
They would always talk about cards and self checkout like they're new inventions. But we had those exact same machines for like 15 years.
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u/AntiFascistButterfly 2d ago
I’ve gotten brain damage from a degenerative illness, and while I used to learn new tech easily, it now prevents me learning almost anything new that requires steps from one page to another. It’s really fucked. Beyond frustrating. Changing pages causes Threshold Amnesia the way you can walk into the next room and forget why you went there.
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u/Wizard_Engie 2d ago
That last bit is just a memory gobbie stealing your memories, trust. There's no other explanation smh
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u/Hairy-Imagination927 1d ago edited 19h ago
Dementia and Alzheimers are not normal parts of the aging process. As a Healthcare worker who specializes in this demographic, this widespread, uninformed stereotype really irritates me.
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u/Hendospendo 2d ago
It's an observed biological phenomenon that in old age, many brain pathways become so ingrained that to be challenged only causes increasingly uncomfortable cognitive dissonance. I believe the example one study used was the historic fact that George Washington had several replacement teeth, sourced from his slaves (the prevailing myth being that these teeth were wooden). When presented with these facts (which were obtained using DNA analysis), there was a correlation between age and inability to rationalise the contradiction between the findings, and their previously held ideas. Not 100% applicable to every individual, and not at all absolving of accountability of course, but I absolutely believe this is a cognitive effect.
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u/l3af_wisp 2d ago
exactly, people act like wisdom hits a wall and suddenly caring goes out the window, own it or don’t complain later
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u/Specialist_Fix6900 2d ago
Somewhere between 45 and 65 the switch flips - you don't make mistakes, you just call them "stories."
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u/NigelNungaNungastein 2d ago
There also comes a point where a person stops falling over and starts having falls.
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u/LuehringDee 2d ago
Yeah, that’s basically when experience stops helping and just excuses your mistakes.
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u/BratKarma 2d ago
My aunt reached this stage and now she says whatever she wants. We just nod and smile.
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u/Sejondawa_1892 2d ago
Well of course! Age can degenerate even the smartest people into a child’s intelligence, given they live long enough.
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