I have noticed that in Iran age of retirement does not technically exist. Look at our government and state figures and in particular an entity called “Canceller of Guardians”. By looking at their age it simply reveals that their average age is over 65 years old!! This is surprising in a country that about 70% of its working force is youngster that their age is among 19-29 groups.
Are they afraid of the fact that young generation is not going to be bonded to revolution’s principles?
From psychological point of view, older people are always saying that young are not what they were. The same comment is made from generation to generation and it is always true. Today, comparing to the old time, young are better educated they have better means to analyze problems and they have more freedom to think. They get exposed more to one another opinion because of utilizing new technologies, and most important of all, they get a chance to look into matters from different point of views because of this easy information and ideas swapping.
Today, because of fast growing of technology, we percept this differences more vividly.
The young grow up faster and experience responsibility much earlier than their parents. The old always assume that they know best for the simple reason that they have been in this world longer. They do not want that their values being questioned or threatened.
And this is precisely what the young are doing. They questioning the assumptions of their elders and disturbing their complacency. A generation ago our precedence took the matters into their hands and decided for us; they choose revolution and war. Should not we question the rightfulness of their decision making?
The old are used to emphasize on solitary decision making. For instance, head of a family or state would think what is good or bad for the entire family and citizens without much of consultancy. I always wonder why the previous generation used so much violence when they could easily solve problems through negotiation and tolerance. Traditionally, the young generation has looked into elders for guidance. Today, the situation can be reversed. One of facts that they can learn from youngsters is the fact that enjoyment is not sinful. Enjoyment is principle one could apply to all aspects of life. It is surely not wrong to live in present time and get synchronized with world and enjoy life. As today someone put it “we should help the living for sake of death.”
A first hand experience I can provide is from my own father. My father who is around age of 72 and still trying to make himself busy with jobs that are perhaps not very appropriate for him to follow up at this age per say! I have told him a few times, why do not you let me take care of them, and his respond is sure, I let you do it, but can you do it!? What I realized is the fact that he wants me to follow his shoes in doing or directing any given job. If I do otherwise, it is not technically considered the job is being done!! Something I personally refuse to do is to follow up my parents’ way of solution to provided problems.
I wish to relate what I said to the fact that our mentality is not democratically developed. That is why many parents wish to directly, or indirectly get their children do what they wish them to do. This at heart is against democracy. Many of Iranians, not all, pretend to be democratic but at their hearts they are not. Pretending to be an advocate of social equality and group decision making but at their heart being far from it. This is what they have been grown up with. So, starting from our family why not practicing democracy right at home with family and friends. So, as it has been said “everything runs in family”!
2. I travel almost everyday with taxi. I am beginning to conclude that many women are self-conceit or selfish. Once I was sitting at back of the taxi where 3 adults have difficult time to fit in. A woman put up her purse between me and herself taking some room that I could use to not lay on the guy beside me. This problem has occurred to me several times!
