In recent years, older individuals have received less respect within the society. This is mainly because of the influence of modern lifestyle and globalization. This essay will discuss the root causes of this phenomenon in details, as well as the negative consequences which can affect the older generations.
To begin with, modern lifestyle portrays less conservative and traditional practices, and current generations tend to be more open-minded, and pay less attention to social norms and cultures. Thereby, they act out accordingly, and do not show much respect too elder people, unlike in the past. Furthermore, in today’s digital world, young individuals are generally more adaptable to technological innovations and they usually feel superior to those who are much older than them. As a result, the younger generations often feel proud of their skills, and show negative attitude towards others, including older people. Additionally, such phenomenon becomes more obvious in religious countries, including our country, as previous generations showed their gratitude toward older people, following the Buddha teachings. However, today’s young adults are highly influenced by various external cultures and beliefs, which in turn makes them to act oppositely.
One of the major consequences of this practice is that it can degrade the roles of older people in society, especially in teaching, academic, and politics sectors. Consequently, this can result in older individuals feeling depression or other mental aliments. On top of that, there can be huge social disparity in the workplace, in terms of positions and authorities, as young people are likely to get greater opportunities due to their superiority in digital literacy.
In conclusion, it is undeniable that the majority of older people are being less admired nowadays compared with those in the past. This is significantly due to the influence of globalization and modern living aspects. This can bring detrimental effects to society, particularly for older people, feeling more isolated and inferior. To mitigate these issues, governments and authorities should create appropriate job opportunities and support continuous learning for older people to adapt the fast-paced society.