We have all heard the phrase “respect your elders”. However, along with relics like the rotary dial phone, VHS recorders and the hand written letter, that concept may be getting a little dated. In many, if not all cultures, the notion that “old folks” are a valued resource to young adults or to society in general is becoming little more than a polite gesture. Does society really value wisdom and experience or are we developing at a rate where these once treasured capacities are no longer relevant? In the break-neck pace and environment of 21st century North America, it seems that elders or seniors are losing their influence on society.

On my Father’s Native Cree side, and in most Native American cultures, elders, those who have blazed the trail before us, have very high positions of respect, not only within the family, but also within the community. These elders are often consulted by family and community members on major issues or changes in direction. In my own Chapleau Cree First Nation Band (or community), elders even hold a political position within the Chief's council. I will acknowledge that perhaps native American cultures represent a special case since their communities have remained small and closely tied to nature and to traditional values and concerns.

In more typical western cultures, the movement towards highly urbanized centres, the adoption of new technologies and the separation of young adults from their families and communities for education and employment opportunities has created a "you don't know what I'm dealing with" attitude. Perhaps rightly so, young adults feel that their parents or elders have not experienced these new world problems. While this may be true, isn’t the beauty of wisdom that it can effectively be, and almost always has been, useful in applying to analogous situations from the past to the current, but different, problems of today?

In casually researching this blog, I reached out to some friends and colleagues from other cultures where I suspected that there was a more traditional respect for the experience and wisdom of elders. Dan, a native of mainland China, who immigrated to Canada in 2005, informed me that the Chinese culture is evolving much in the same way as western society has. The urbanization and “technologification” of new China is creating a similar attitude, that old people offer little value to solving new world problems. This situation is even more challenging where children have immigrated to America on their own leading the way for their parents to follow. Dan says that his parents are now joining his family in Canada but they will be foreigners in a new and unknown world so they feel somewhat at a loss to provide guidance and wisdom in a culture that is so new to them.

To get another perspective, I discussed this matter with a Jewish friend. Jonathan states that the fundamentals of Judaism are very clear and they do instill a strong sense of value in elders. However, he cautioned that “what is "fundamental" within the ethics and teaching of religious Judaism does not always translate into reality for a lot of people”. I think that we could all agree that the behavior of not practicing what you preach, or what is preached to you, is not limited to Judaism.

Jonathan referred me to a great article written by, Yanki Tauber,  transcribed from the teachings of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson or just Rebbe to his followers.

Yanki/Rebbe points out “In the 20th-century western world, old age is a liability. Youth is seen as the highest credential in every field from business to government, where a younger generation insists on "learning from their own mistakes" rather than building upon the life experience of their elders.”

Yangi/Rebbe goes on to state “We must change the attitudes of the leaders of the business and professional worlds, and of society as a whole. Most of all, we must change the self-perception of the aged (and the near-aged, and the near-near-aged) themselves. We must tell them: You are not useless; on the contrary, you are a greater asset to society than ever before, and with each passing day and experience your value increases.”

At Kamazooie, one of the goals is to create a link between those who are seeking insight and wisdom and those who can provide it. In addition, we are promoting the lost art of writing and story-telling by encouraging all members to tell the world about the interesting stories they have, or the great experiences they've had. By sharing our insight and experience we both help those looking to enrich their lives and we are able to find others who share our interests or passion thereby further enriching our own lives. The investment in time to document our inspiring stories also creates our own legacy by passing on virtues, wisdom and family history directly to future family members across time.

Young or “experienced”, I would like to hear how you feel about the benefit of wisdom. Do you feel it gets the respect it is due?  Is it valuable or must people learn from their own mistakes and chart their own destiny?