The Myth of Age-Based Abilities

By Gayathri S

Age. It’s just a number, right? Wrong. According to some people, age is the ultimate determinant of a person’s abilities. If you’re old, you’re automatically assumed to be out of touch and unable to learn new things. If you’re young, you’re dismissed as inexperienced and incapable of handling responsibility. It’s like we’re all walking around with expiration dates stamped on our foreheads.

But here’s the thing: age has nothing to do with a person’s abilities. The idea that an older person can’t learn or adapt to new things is as ridiculous as the notion that a young person can’t think maturely or handle responsibility. These age-based generalisations are not only wrong, they’re harmful.

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When we make assumptions about people based on their age, we’re limiting their potential. We’re telling them that they’re not capable of achieving certain things simply because of the number of candles on their last birthday cake. And that’s just absurd.

Age-based generalisations don’t just hurt the people they’re aimed at. They hurt all of us. When we assume that someone is incapable of something because of their age, we’re robbing ourselves of the opportunity to learn from them and benefit from their unique perspective and experiences.

Age is just a number. A person’s abilities are not determined by how many years they’ve been on this earth. To think otherwise is not only wrong, it’s harmful. So next time you feel the urge to make an assumption about someone based on their age, take a deep breath and remember that age-based generalizations are just that: generalizations. And generalizations are rarely, if ever, accurate