Ban the over 50's from Voting

reply to post by parrothead0333


Good post.

I learned so much by sitting at the table on our farm at breakfast and listening to Grandma H talk about everything she went through in her life.

Women couldn't wear lipstick or they were considered "easy"
Women had a back room at the bars for women only to drink a beer.
Colera and the flu, they're house was quarantined and she used bleach to disinfect everything which probably saved them...........all of them survived
The first and second world war
Pearl Harbor
Their neighbors were Japanese being taken away............it could happen again
Something fishy about Roswell
Something really fishy about JFK.
How life was really far back, her stories and how they met adversity were so interesting, I never tired of listening to her wisdom.
And by the way she told me that a woman ought to be able to shoot a gun accurately, know how to raise a vegetable garden, take care of livestock, mend fences (both the kind to keep animals in and make amends with people).

This woman was a treasure trove of information of how to can, jar, preserve, live off the land, herbs for healing, how to birth a cow, sheep, etc.

I learned so much again from this wise old woman, may her soul find peace, light and love.

We talked for hours every day and she had knowledge that only living a long full life can give you.

If all of a sudden all the old people disappeared, along with their knowledge and life experiences, you young ones would be up a creek without a paddle.

You'de learn, you'de survive but having a elder along to tell you, "Oh that happened to me and I got around that problem by.............." would make your life a lot simpler.

Some knowledge can only be gained by experience.

reply to post by beezzer


You are correct, our school system has been a major factor to OP's generation. The A, B, C, D and F grading system has been broomed in fear of someone getting a complex. Let us not forget that when I worked at McDonald's in high school we had cash registers with dollar and cents buttons, now the OP's generation is so smart they have buttons with pictures of hamburgers, fries, etc on them. Oh, and let's not forget the cash tendered button so that they don't have to figure out how much change to give back to the customer. I may not know how to tweet but I can count change back to someone. Sheeeeeesh...............


Peace...........yak055h

Why not quiz the people before hand to see if they are intelligent enough to vote? Just like they should do with people that want to have kids. I mean in order to see if you are coherent enough to drive don't you take a test? Why should it be any different to vote? I'm not saying people over 50 shouldn't be allowed to vote, but do you let a 50 yr old that can't see good enough drive? No. So why let a 50 yr old that isn't in touch with reality or current events vote? This would at least get some what of a better result (if not mishandled, like that happens ) , but then again who are we kidding. It really doesn't matter who WE want in office and who WE want voted in. They are going to put whoever has been programed to play the part in there regardless. I used to believe my vote counted. Now I just don't care because nothing ever changes and each day that goes by gets worse and worse with no immediate solution in the future. Our government was built to fail... and they are well on the way to succeeding their goal.

reply to post by SmArTbEaTz

Why not quiz the people before hand to see if they are intelligent enough to vote? Just like they should do with people that want to have kids.

I'd be careful if I were you! After reading your post, I'm not real sure you would pass such a quiz!

Furthermore:
Most sixth graders already know how to "have kids"! Maybe it would be a better idea to save "Sex Ed" for those getting ready to graduate from high school. You know..., as sort of a graduation gift...

do you let a 50 yr old that can't see good enough drive?

If we're going to allow a 16 year old to do that..., well, hell yeah! Why not?

So why let a 50 yr old that isn't in touch with reality or current events vote?

Why should you vote? You don't seem to be in touch with reality! Here's my proof:

It really doesn't matter who WE want in office and who WE want voted in. They are going to put whoever has been programed to play the part in there regardless. I used to believe my vote counted. Now I just don't care because nothing ever changes and each day that goes by gets worse and worse with no immediate solution in the future. Our government was built to fail... and they are well on the way to succeeding their goal.

If you want to be a defeatist, and stick your head in the sand, that's fine with me. Quite honestly..., I think that might be a good idea!

See ya,
Milt

reply to post by angus1745

why dont you just kill us all? Then you can balance the budget for a week and we can be spared the incredible stupidity of your generation.

Originally posted by The Sword
reply to post by laiguana

 

It lays waste to the idea that age brings wisdom.

This isn't always the case.

Even I acknowledge than Ron Paul would make a far better candidate than Sarah Palin.

The problem is, people over 50 are intimidated by intelligence and the idea that younger people are getting smarter with each generation. The result? They vote for an anti-intellectual candidate, one that's "folksy" and boring and all that tripe.

What a load of tripe this post is.
You are mistaking intelligence and "smarter with each generation" as being the ultimate.
I know of plenty of intelligent young people, who are not smarter than me.
Why is that?
Intelligent people are not necessarily smart, some are incredibly stupid, sound like you may fit into that category.
This postis just another example of the "I am young and know everything" syndrome.
One day you will turn 50 and how would you feel, so technically savy and intelligent now , only to be taken of the voting roll, because younger people than you feel the same way about you as you now do about us oldies.

Originally posted by cobol
reply to post by angus1745

 

why dont you just kill us all? Then you can balance the budget for a week and we can be spared the incredible stupidity of your generation.

Um, who would run things then? Figure out finances. Military detente? Who actually killed JR?

Originally posted by intrepid

Originally posted by cobol
reply to post by angus1745

 

why dont you just kill us all? Then you can balance the budget for a week and we can be spared the incredible stupidity of your generation.

Um, who would run things then? Figure out finances. Military detente? Who actually killed JR?

All I have to add to this debate is a title from P.J. O'Rourke:
Age and Guile Beat Youth, Innocence, and a Bad Haircut

Originally posted by Teeky

Originally posted by Unity_99

Originally posted by Teeky
reply to post by angus1745

 

I agree to what you are saying to a certain extent. I think people over 50 need to start letting younger people take control of society more. The older generations are holding on for dear life to power and I think it's sinking the economy, society, etc...
Old people are cool but the youth are the future, and when I'm 50 I hope to still think progressive, and not be so afraid.

50 isn't old, and is working class. Elderly are citizens too. But 50 is not elderly. What kind logan run pills are you on?

Dude what is Logans run? When I turn 50 I will be old and I can accept that. Too bad most can't. Most people over 50 are afraid still trying to run the show with an iron fist. We still use oil to power cars and all because old people who run the show won't let go.

Thats quite alot of assumptions and generalizations you keep spouting as fact there.

"Logans run": it was a cheesy 70's movie. A futuristic, closed;centrally run utopian society. Where everyone is given a crystal in their palm at birth; at 21 years it starts glowing and you are "selected to "renew " during an elaborate state run public spectacle of death and dismemberment.
the character "Logan" is a "sandman"(i.e. state policeman) who chases runaway oldsters" 21and up "...Until HIS chrystal glows(his time is up); he decides to... wait for it ... "run" for his life. Hence "Logans run" starring mark Hamil( "luke skywalker" as "Logan"IIRC)

We"older folks" have all seen it..and the possible evil permutations of a centrally planned utopian vision... ( experience counts; when the "communists"start spouting their childlike ideology).


Uh, too lazy for google?

Originally posted by alpinestar


I've ran into a few of what I would call "enlightened" older people. People who understand that the youth has and always will come up and take over the responsibility of running this world of ours. People who actually embrace the energy and new ideas that come from younger generations. People who's collection of ideas and beliefs are not so crystalized that they welcome change and new concepts. One thing that we can see has ALWAYS happened through the years...change. Older folks who can not only accept change but embrace it knowing that the answers they've come to in their lives are just that..."their" answers and not necessarily the right answers...are the ones that need to be sought for wise council.
Putting down younger people for the fact that they are younger is a horrible sign of ignorance.

Yeah. Change we can believe in.

Originally posted by dawnstar
reply to post by Laokin

 

but, aren't you showing the same bias??? assuming that everyone one over 50 is slow, blind, and incapable of logical reasoning??
I do believe the younger generation does have a higher percentage of illigitimate babies than my generation does....
does that one show a superiority in logical reasoning???
and well, fine, you kids are all into technology, but, well, if one of those nice big solar flares come along, are you gonna be tracking down grandpa to help you balance your checkbook because you can't add or subtract, without your trusty calculator???
you are showing the same kind of bias, there's just as many people in your generation screwed up and lost as there were in mine, maybe more!!!

really, I find it rather cute, oh look hon, those kids that we used to scream at to move so we could get down the streets are telling us that we should just move aside, that they are more capable of running the show.....
ya, look, there's timmy know......"Hey Tim, get the heck out of the middle of the road, somone's gonna run ya down!!!"......I'd be happy to step aside, but I'm afraid that they'd steer the country into the path of a convoy of semis!!!

edit on 1-5-2011 by dawnstar because: (no reason given)

edit on 1-5-2011 by dawnstar because: (no reason given)

Did you not read my post? You must not have read my post.

I never ONCE said that anybody over 50 is slow, blind, or incapable of logical reasoning. Never even hinted/inferred/suggested/insinuated that at all.

I very specifically stated, that young people can be smart, and old people can be dumb, and that old people can be smart, and young people can be dumb. I very specifically stated that age has no factor on this metric. I very specifically stated that the only thing that matters is a persons "Understanding" of the subjects they are talking about.

I hate quoting myself, but here we go...

I'd say the kind that makes the younger generation stoop to your level and try to ban you from voting.

(I think it goes without saying that would be a horrible, horrible, mistake... as I just got done explaining that it has nothing to do with age, as much as it has to do with understanding.)

I did however say, that the person I was responding to, who was a self proclaimed over 50, was of the exact persuasion that would make a young person wish to ban old people from voting. Insinuating that he was one of the "stupid" people the OP believed had no viable reason to vote.

I however didn't say that "All people over 50" are stupid.

I also am very opposed to the OP. And as you can see in my quote (The one where I quoted my self right there ^) that banning over 50's from voting would be a major mistake.

There is bias in every post everyone makes. My bias was opposed to the OP who said all people over 50 are slow, blind and incapable of logical reasoning. Meaning, I disagree with that statement.

I really don't know how to make it any clearer. If you're over 50 too... than maybe the OP is on to something and I've been wrong this whole time. (That was sarcasm, if you didn't notice.)

I would like you to tell me how I demonstrated a philosophy that states I want young people to run the country? Because what I really said, is YOUNG AND OLD PEOPLE should run the country. Have some old people for the wisdom they did indeed gain, have some young people in there to oppose the old peoples more extreme views.

It's called "Balance."

If old people ruled the world soley, they wouldn't understand internet theft. If young people ruled the world, they may create greater deficits due to the inexperience of budget managing.(This is a gross simplification and not intended to be a factual statement, but intended to be an example of the type of situations that are relevant to this conversation.)

This however doesn't mean that an old person can't use the internet, or a young person can't truely understand budget balancement.... this just means that less old people actually do use the internet, and less young people actually have experience managing large quantities of funds.

So I propose we use both of them, is a sort of unique harmony.

What I do see however in your posts, is a bias against the younger generation. By the way, The baby boomers came before me.... I do not represent the generation that produced larger quantities of offspring.

I have no kids. Out of the 100 friends or so that I have, there is 1 who has a kid under the age of 25.

BTW, I'm 25. I'm the 2nd generation after you, you would be my "Grand" person. I'm 5 years from 30, you can be president at 35. I'm the age of people who should be entering the fields to run shi.

It's also quite evident, you don't like my mom to much. My dad is 60, I'm his only child. My mom is 40. Just another reason you can't just quantify all kids into some kind of "Generational" sense. My dad is your generation, my mom is your kids generation, and I am your kids kids generation.

My mom has 4 kids, my dad has 1. I have none. My mom is part of the "baby boomer" generation. Funny, how this has anything to do with running countries.



P.S. (Cuz I can never have a good post with out a post script)

If technology got wiped out by a solar flare... I'd survive just fine. I know how to do math just like you in my head and with pencil and paper. In school, they often don't allow calculators for this very reason, guess you didn't think of that.

Furthermore.... I know how to hunt and prepare food from that source. I also know how to build shelter. I also know how circuits work, and actually know how to build them without machines. We use machines to mass produce, it's not impossible to create a walkie talkie without a factory. I can also build a combustion engine that runs off of grain alcohol. I also know how to distill grain alcohol from corn. I also know how to grow corn.

I can do that. Oh, and If I need help somewhere because I don't fully understand everything, I can go to the library, and read it..... on get this, PAPER.

So, really -- I have to ask, do you really think we are all just stupid??

Furthermore, the military and factories have most of their electronics EMP proofed, incase of Nuclear explosions OR solar flares...

I'm going to school in august for computer programming, so provided I finish before the solar flare, I'll be able to build computers from nothing, meaning -- if I had to, I can just build a new calculator.

How about that?

Originally posted by Teeky

Originally posted by Unity_99

Originally posted by Teeky
reply to post by angus1745


I agree to what you are saying to a certain extent. I think people over 50 need to start letting younger people take control of society more. The older generations are holding on for dear life to power and I think it's sinking the economy, society, etc...
Old people are cool but the youth are the future, and when I'm 50 I hope to still think progressive, and not be so afraid.

Dude what is Logans run?

When I turn 50 I will be old and I can accept that. Too bad most can't. Most people over 50 are afraid still trying to run the show with an iron fist. We still use oil to power cars and all because old people who run the show won't let go.

So...50 is old?
Yeah...guess when someone is 50, they could be ancient to someone that has NO CONCEPTION what aging really is.

Human beings are a mass of cells, living, breathing masses of cells that over time renew until there is nothing left to renew and they die. The BODY may die...but the essence of what is each and every HUMAN BEING does not.

Age is irrelevant....what is relevant is what you believe...what YOU want from this existence...in your lifetime in this place. I can guarantee you many people over the age of 50 do vote and they vote what they believe in, just as many of the ones under 50 vote for what they believe in. Sooner or later...those of you that believe voting really matters will wake up and realize...VOTING doesn't matter...it's just as much a scam as the rest of the lies most that are pushed as truth.

Both young and old have the abilities to use the knowledge and wisdom contained within the mass of cells given yearly age. It just depends on whether you are awake enough to know what you already know. Just because a person is 50 or older doesn't mean they are any more fearful, or stupid than their piers at the bodily age of 18 or 30.

Get it people?

reply to post by Laokin


Hi Laokin,

I remember reading your original post! Yours was one of the more reasonable, and I actually enjoyed reading it!

Cheers, and keep up the good work! You will do well!

See ya,
Milt

PS:
I almost forgot...:
Star for you my young friend!

reply to post by Laokin


That's a very good post. You've made your point well. I just want to point out that not all "old' people are technologically behind. I am just over 50 and I am an electronics engineer. I don't think I am behind the curve. I am also married to a 29 year old woman and have a 15 month old baby. You just can't put people in a box like that. Sorry, don't mean to preach to you, I'm talking to those who are displaying ignorance here. Peace.

reply to post by Laokin


Well said Grasshopper. That is an impressive skill set.

Another extremely valuable skill would be to add celestial navigation. (As a hunter you may already to some degree if you do so at night.) That might be a handy talent going forward and fun and fascinating to learn. I wish I started when I was your age as it is more difficult for me now.

Originally posted by wtbengineer
reply to post by Laokin

 

That's a very good post. You've made your point well. I just want to point out that not all "old' people are technologically behind. I am just over 50 and I am an electronics engineer. I don't think I am behind the curve. I am also married to a 29 year old woman and have a 15 month old baby. You just can't put people in a box like that. Sorry, don't mean to preach to you, I'm talking to those who are displaying ignorance here. Peace.

Oh bud, we made the same point... my point was that we can't put people in a "generational box."

And like I said, that statement wasn't intended to be an actual fact as it was used as an example to the context of things relevant to an age gap.

It's absolutley true, that old people use technology. My grandma out techs me TBH. She's got a facebook, a trackphone to beat rising costs of cell phones, she's got an ipad.... all that nonsense...

But I would be inclined to believe less people my grandma's age are as technically savy as her.... Unless your profession was in a technology field, like electronics or programming.... then you would most likely be up to speed, since you spent your years pioneering that field for us.

*Edit* I feel like an idiot now. I just reread your post, and realized you weren't talking to me when you were pointing out that not all old people are behind the curve. (I firmly agree with you, and I doubt your behind the curve either. I learned mostly everything I know from people over 50.....)

Hi Laokin,

I remember reading your original post! Yours was one of the more reasonable, and I actually enjoyed reading it!

Cheers, and keep up the good work! You will do well!

See ya,
Milt

PS:
I almost forgot...:
Star for you my young friend!

Thanks alot Milt, I hadn't read all of the thread when I posted that, but I just made a point to get up to speed, and I have to say..... to you too....

I think you pretty much held it down for your generation. It makes me happy to see that stereotypical generational disconnect being proved a fallacy in real time!

:-)

Star back my wise friend.

Originally posted by kinda kurious
reply to post by Laokin

 

Well said Grasshopper. That is an impressive skill set.

Another extremely valuable skill would be to add celestial navigation. (As a hunter you may already to some degree if you do so at night.) That might be a handy talent going forward and fun and fascinating to learn. I wish I started when I was your age as it is more difficult for me now.

Oh great point.... I'll put that on the list of things to learn. I wanna be a pilot in the future, and hope to eventually get my own boat as well, in which celestial navigation will most definitely come in handy...

Thanks for the suggestion, some how I over looked that completely... I was in Staten Island Community Colleges Astronomy Club at age 6, and had telescopes my whole life...... but haven't taken it serious since I'm about twelve.... I guess maybe that's why I never realized the importance of it??

:-D

Originally posted by romanmel

Originally posted by angus1745
I seem to have universally pissed everyone off with this.

Firstly let me tell you I am quite close to 50 myself, and I'm British not American, I only live in the U.S.

Well, that answers a lot of questions. So you are British over here living off Americans. Ain't that special!

You had to come over here to enjoy our freedoms. Now you want to tell us how to live. A subject slave of the inbred monarchy wants to tell us a thing or two. The old saying "Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones", comes to mind.

Enjoy your freedoms??? I moved here from Scotland and I have never felt so bloody stifled and controlled in my whole bloody life. Living off Americans eh? I have never had to shell out so much money just to own a home, inflated taxes, moneygrabbing lawyers and local governments.

yes it's bloody paradise on earth mate, how dare I bite the hand that feeds eh?

Exactly what kind of non freedoms do you think I was suffering in Scotland? a subject slave of the inbred monarchy eh? Thats great stuff. Did you write that yourself?

What a numpty.

reply to post by angus1745


OH! NOW we get it! You MOVED here from somewhere else (Scotland)! And you watch the comedians on tv? Yep! Lets leave the country to you...yep. great idea. Put away the remote son........think how smart you still wont be at say....40!

Originally posted by mysterioustranger
reply to post by angus1745

 

OH! NOW we get it! You MOVED here from somewhere else (Scotland)! And you watch the comedians on tv? Yep! Lets leave the country to you...yep. great idea. Put away the remote son........think how smart you still wont be at say....40!

I'm 42. and smarter than the average bear, definitely smarter than you. You make assumptions about my age. I'd gladly give up my right to vote to prevent the destruction of my species. My personal arrogance and feelings of 'entitlement to vote' are transcended by the need for survival of the human species. If I abuse my freedom to the point that I lie down in the path of progress then I should be brushed aside by the aforemetioned.

I dont remember volunteering to run the country but since I wasnt born here I can give up that dream.

Truth is I dont need J Stewart or Colbert to tell me these things, because I can read and have eyes and ears. I didnt realise watching comedians on TV could degrade ones credibility. That's an interesting twist on the twisted viewpoint of the old.

I hate to say it but sometimes I see hope for America, I read a few ATS posts and that feeling leaves pretty quick. Some of you folk really need to lighten up a bit.

Lifes a joke. Don't take it so seriouslly.



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