They say as one gets older the more one tends to become more conservative. That as we age, we regress more.
I don’t necessarily believe that.
What happens is that what we grew up knowing, whatever values they may be, tend to be pretty progressive for “our day,” but the world continues moving on, continues progressing, while more and more of us get stuck with the ideals that were instilled in us during that time.
THAT is how we become more and more “conservative” as time moves on. We don’t regress, we just get stuck as the world around us keeps evolving beyond us. That is all, really, your classical conservative really is — holding on more and more to what we once knew, growing less able to adapt to, and accept, change.
Adapt or die, it’s that simple.
I turn 50 in September. I am GenX, same as this person, someone I’ve known (at least on FB) for years. And it feels as if they’ve begun the unconscious, and inevitable, freezing in time.
sigh
A wise old sage once said, “We are what they grow beyond.” As much as I hope that I can continue to remain open to new ideas and can remain able to adapt to them and accept them, I’m certain there will come a time when I will have more difficulty adapting while the world continues to evolve, with or without me.
When that happens, it is my hope that I will at least know enough that it’s time for me to get out of the way.
What do you think? Do we all grow more conservative as we get older because we regress or because we can no longer adapt?
Leave a comment below, with your thoughts.
