WISDOM VS. AGE

HAVE CHILDREN BEEN ACTING WISER IN THE LAST 20 YEARS? SOME PSYCHOLOGISTS THINK SO. I DON'T. I WAS RAISED BY A 'JEWISH' MOTHER WHOSE 'WISDOM' ACQUIRED FROM AGE, TOLD ME WHAT TO THINK AND WHAT TO DO, SO ACTING AND THINKING ON MY OWN BEHALF WAS OUTSIDE MY REACH. TODAY, HOWEVER, 3 YR. OLDS ARE HELPING THEIR PARENTS SELECT BETWEEN 'LOW FAT' AND 'NO FAT' CHOICES AT THE GROCERY STORE. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TODAY ARE RATED ON THE BASIS OF HOW MUCH MONEY THEIR GRADUATES WILL EARN, NOT ON HOW MUCH KNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE ACQUIRED. GLOBAL LIFE EXPECTANCY IN 1950 WAS 48 YEARS, BUT TODAY IT IS 68. HAS WISDOM COME ABOUT WITH AGE? IF AMERICANS HAVE LEARNED TO PAY THEMSELVES FIRST OUT OF THEIR PAYCHECKS (FOR SAVINGS), PAY CASH FOR THEIR PURCHASES AND AVOID DEBT - I'D ANSWER WITH A RESOUNDING YES! IF AMERICANS HAVE HELD ON TO THE TRADITION THAT PARENTS MAKE THE DECISIONS RATHER THAN THE CHILDREN, I'D ANSWER WITH A NOD! IF AMERICANS STILL BELIEVED THAT WISDOM THAT MUST BE IMPARTED TO THE NEXT GENERATION, I'D AGREE!

LOOK AROUND. PSYCHOLOGISTS HAVE NEGLECTED TO REMOVE THEIR ROSE COLORED GLASSES. WITHOUT PROPER PRIOR PARENTING, TOO MANY THREE YEAR OLDS, TEENAGERS, SINGLES, PARENTS, BABY BOOMERS AND SENIOR CITIZENS TODAY THROW TEMPER TANTRUMS OF DISCONTENT WITHOUT SUFFICIENT CAUSE. SUCH IS A LACK OF WISDOM THAT SHOULD HAVE ACCOMPANIED A SPECIFIC AGE.