Why Old Farts Are Wise

[Subdeacon Joe 19,788]

Something I found and shared on FB, and a response.

 

"If you wonder how the old farts got to be so wise, now you know. We made the same mistakes and had to fix them, ourselves. Yes, it does really suck. But, you learn not to make those same mistakes over and over, again. Amazingly, at some point, if you're smart, you'll actually start listening to those old farts and NOT make their mistakes. Oh, you'll still make your own mistakes and learn from them. So, SUCK IT UP, Buttercup, you've only begun to embrace the 'SUCK'. As time goes by, you see guys younger than you, making the same stupid mistakes. If you try to say something, they'll tell you to mind your own business. There's an old saying, 'If you want to learn something, ask a teenager. He knows everything. Actually, he knows nothing. Young people, being a teenager doesn't stop at the age of 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 100+ years old. Teenager is a mindset, a sense of having arrived, no longer needing to learn, they know everything. There comes a day when you think that 'Old Farts' think they are smarter than you. WRONG, they've made more mistakes than you can even dream, but they've learned from them. Learning is an exercise you'll do until the day you die. When this becomes a constant in your life, you're no longer a 'teenager'. Yes, there's a time you'll become the 'Resident Old Fart, or 'Old Greybeard' and you'll wear that label as a badge of honor."

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 673]

The secret to being The Wise Old Fart is to never let them know HOW you know what you know.

[Pat Riot, SASS #13748 16,571]

Another secret to being a wise old fart when trying to teach a teen, or whoever, that they made a mistake is only saying “I told you so” once. Repeated admonishments usually have the opposite effects over time. 

 

If somebody makes a mistake, point it out and let them learn from it then move on. 
 

No one likes a spiteful vindictive bitter old bast***!

[punxsutawneypete 219]

My dad had a great response when I complained about getting what I thought was unsolicited advice:

 

"If the older generation didn't pass along its knowledge to the younger generation, we'd still be living in caves."

 

Now I find myself saying it.

[DocWard 4,401]

4 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Another secret to being a wise old fart when trying to teach a teen, or whoever, that they made a mistake is only saying “I told you so” once. Repeated admonishments usually have the opposite effects over time. 

 

If somebody makes a mistake, point it out and let them learn from it then move on. 
 

No one likes a spiteful vindictive bitter old bast***!

 

I don't know that I've ever told my daughters "I told you so." I have asked them things like "so, what have you learned?"

[Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485 340]

The ability to make good decisions comes from experience, the kind of experience you get by making bad decisions.

and

Experience is a harsh teacher, she gives the test first and the lesson follows.

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 2,787]

I've always admired folks who learn from their mistakes. 

Me.  If I'd learned from all my mistakes; I'd be a genius now!

[Cypress Sun 2,137]

In the words of Red Foreman.....Dumbass.......

[MizPete 1,005]

I spent years preaching to Grandson #1:  Do you know how easy life could be if you would just do what we tell you to do?

[Geronimo Jim SASS # 21775 77]

Everyone gets advice.  Only the wise profit from it.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935 5,413]

On 1/26/2020 at 9:38 AM, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Another secret to being a wise old fart when trying to teach a teen, or whoever, that they made a mistake is only saying “I told you so” once. Repeated admonishments usually have the opposite effects over time. 

 

If somebody makes a mistake, point it out and let them learn from it then move on. 
 

No one likes a spiteful vindictive bitter old bast***!

Oh hell, Pat, lots of people like you anyway.  

[Sixgun Sheridan 3,263]

Old farts never die.

 

...they just smell that way.

[Cypress Sun 2,137]

1 hour ago, Sixgun Sheridan said:

Old farts never die.

 

...they just smell that way.

 

Tent your wife once, just once......you'll find out that they REALLY never die.

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 1,228]

On 1/28/2020 at 2:26 AM, Geronimo Jim SASS # 21775 said:

Everyone gets advice.  Only the wise profit from it.

 

 

 ...... seems that the wisdom comes from trying to profit from the "less-than-good" advice ...... 

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 2,787]

[Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 2,787]

[Doc X 288]

When the kids were teenagers and I'd catch them at something they'd always ask how I could have known they were going to do. I'd just look at the offending kid and ask, "Do you think I was BORN this age?"

 

[Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life 663]

Experience is recognizing a mistake when you make it again.