Entry nº 31: The generation gap is one which cannot be bridged

The gap between young and adult people seems to be being bridged by adults that try to do whatever they can to look as young as possible, and whit the prolongation of youth for a longer period. But the truth is that artificial bridges like plastic surgery are of no use when years go by and you get older and useless; therefore, the generation gap is one which cannot be bridged.
It seems that the age of technology has left no room for old people and everything is created by and for young people. If you are young, intelligent and beautiful all doors will be opened to you but if you are old are destined to live confined in a residential home far from your family, in the best of the cases. In other cases you resign yourself to live in complete poverty and loneliness without the adequate health-care provisions. The current social attitude towards its older members was different in the past, old people’s experience and wisdom were of major importance in the family life and in the whole community. Young people were polite and respectful to their elders, they obeyed their parents because they know better. Not until the 1950s did attitudes start to change and nowadays this custom still survives in some ancient communities.
One way of changing this attitude towards the elderly is, to a great extent the parent’s responsibility. Parents must teach their children to value and learn from old people. Parents should give old people the place they deserve in the family nucleus instead of leaving them aside as if they were obsolete gadgets. As youngsters are more independent than years ago, they have a distant relationship with their own parents. Understanding parents can narrow the generation gap by being closer to their children, paying attention to their thoughts and feelings without pretending to be their friends. Consequently, both generations would be more connected and in the future the elder would be cared for and respect as they deserve.
In conclusion, the generation gap must not be bridged because each generation belongs to a different stage of life with their own characteristic features. But these features must be respected and appreciated; each generation can learn from the others. In this way the generation gap would not be so difficult to overcome.