Is Young a synonym of Stupid?
I’m about to turn 30 years old (yeah, you can start with the jokes), but as a quasi-young professional, I find it offensive when superiors make comments about things associated with youth. My co-worker/author wrote a blog last about how it feels to look young, and how does that affect others reactions and interactions; I look exactly my age, yet I feel some people choose their subject for conversation based on the fact that I’m still relatively-young.
I don’t believe these comments come from older people looking down on me, but for them trying to put themselves in younger shoes if you may, trying to grasp that youth that escaped them. I believe they don’t mean anything bad with it, yet, I hate to be measured with a general rule of standards for people my age or younger. I didn’t grew up doing drugs and getting drunk, that was just not me, and I don’t appreciate when I end up in some kind of stereotype just because I still have some hair left and no beer gut.
No one would dare to make a comment about my race, because I’m part of an “Ethnic Minority”, but for some reason making a stereotype out of my age is acceptable. Women, minorities, mothers – they all complain that they are treated differently, yet young people are treated in a standard that its not necessarily true for some of us. No one needs a 30 year old teaching what’s appropriate work conversation and what is not, but as a rule of thumb I would stay away, from Sex, Illegal Drugs, Pornography, and Your Mother. I may be young, but I know at least this much.
I understand that getting older is confusing (hell, I’m turning 30) but holding on to your younger years by comparing the generation behind you to yourself, it’s not only unprofessional, but extremely unfair for those of us that had enough brains and values to know that we would have to face adulthood at some point.
I’m NOT a generic, common man, and I hope that is one of the reasons I why was hired; I would like to be spoken to in such manner, even if the person on the other side it’s nothing like me.
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Frank, I know exactly what you are talking about. I feel like people treat me very differently because I am a young employee. And for some reason people love to talk about getting drunk with me. I barely drink and I don’t want to talk about the few times I’ve been drunk with my boss. But what irritates me more is when people I work with assume I don’t know certain things because I am under 40. I know how business works. It’s not like I am 15 and never had a job before so stop talking to me that way. Not only do I have idea, I have good ideas and I would like it if you listened to what I am saying.
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:23 PM
Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say
that I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog posts. In any case
I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!