Old People Enjoy Reading Negative Stories About Young

A study by Dr. Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick and co-author Matthias Hastall suggests that your grandma's self-esteem gets a boost when she hears about the stupid things young people do. "Living in a youth centered culture, they may appreciate a boost in self-esteem. That's why they prefer the negative stories about younger people, who are seen as having a higher status in our society," said Dr. Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick. From the article: "All the adults in the study were shown what they were led to believe was a test version of a new online news magazine. They were also given a limited time to look over either a negative and positive version of 10 pre-selected articles. Each story was also paired with a photograph depicting someone of either the younger or the older age group. The researchers found that older people were more likely to choose to read negative articles about those younger than themselves. They also tended to show less interest in articles about older people, whether negative or positive."

They have a saying

[oldhack]

The youth is wasted on the young, but the decrepitude is aptly deployed on the geezers.

hmm

[Anonymous Coward]

Reminds me of all the news stories who point out how today's 20- and 30-somethings are living at home with their parents, as opposed to the baby boomers who were ambitious and hardworking and started their own households in the early 20's. You can tell they were aimed at older readers because it ignores the fact how the boomers' greed destroyed the current economy, thus necessitating their children and grandchildren to stay home because they can't find jobs.

Old People Enjoy Reading Negative Stories About Yo

[BergZ]

That would explain why we've been told, since the beginning of time, that society is collapsing and "kids have no respect these days":
"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."
~ Socrates (399 BC)

Re:Old People Enjoy Reading Negative Stories About

[IndustrialComplex]

Unfortunately, there is no evidence that Socrates ever said that. Your quote first appeared in the book Personality and Adjustment in 1953. There is no evidence of the quote before that date. See

If you want to get technical about it, there is no direct evidence of Socrates saying anything. Most of what we know about him is through second hand accounts.

Youth-centered culture?

[Anonymous Coward]

Youth-centered culture? Is that why the boomers are doing everything they can to ensure that no subsequent generation will have the same prosperity they did?

Re:Old People Enjoy Reading Negative Stories About

[flynt]

Didn't their society end up collapsing? Yes, the human race went on, but with quite a gap in the ideals of that culture.

I don't buy this study

[fuego451]

From the blurb at the top, it sounds as though the researchers could have misinterpreted their results. I can't imagine an old fuck (love ya Georgie) like me getting an ego boost from seeing young folk fail, except for the mentally challenged or those in the beginning stages of dementia. I don't have much time left and it does my heart good to see younger men and women succeeding in every human endeavor around the world which, of course, includes my children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Re:Old People Enjoy Reading Negative Stories About

[smellsofbikes]

"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

~ Socrates (399 BC)

Unfortunately, there is no evidence that Socrates ever said that. Your quote first appeared in the book Personality and Adjustment in 1953. There is no evidence of the quote before that date. See

http://www.bartleby.com/73/195.html [bartleby.com] http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=398104 [google.com]

Although, from that second link, they make it clear that Plato claimed Socrates had made statements to that general effect, and Plato himself had directly stated something similar -- so while Socrates may not have said those specific words, it's pretty clear that both Socrates and Plato were saying things that were so similar as to be practically identical when the vagaries of translation are taken into account, as did Hesiod at roughly the same time. So the OP's point, that "the kids these days are all lousy slackers" was being made 3000 years ago, is still valid.

Re:nutshots rule

[harrytuttle777]

Sure, lets take everyone out of the gene pool who takes risks, and likes to experience a little danger. Too bad our great grandfather's didn't think the same way. Think of all the lives that would have been saved from starvation, drowning, and dehydration if our forefathers had had only decided to act responsibly instead of venturing out across new lands and seas when they had no idea what was on the other side. They probably didn't even have health insurance when the did it. Yes siree, safety and responsibility is the best policy. I can see absolutely nothing wrong with your line of reasoning.

Explains why old ppl vote Republican...

[King Coopa]

Because they like to dump their problems on the young generation in the form of short-term gains.

Re:nutshots rule

[Amouth]

there is a difference between taking a risk and being stupid..

what you list is taking a risk.. grinding a rail with a high likely-hood of falling and giving your self a nutshot and not bothering to wear a cup.. that is stupid.. i can see making the mistake once.. that is why we have 2 of most things.. but more than once is just asking for it.

am i a fan of the always play safe? no.. do i care to wear a helmet when i drive a car.. no.. do i take the time to wear one when i race cars on a track, yes

Not true...

[Anonymous Coward]

at least, not as far as this grandma is concerned! I think it's just another attempt to force a wider gap between the generations (and judging by some of the responses here, it's not a difficult task). Oh, and just for the record, I am not a 'miserable shit' and I do NOT vote Republican. Talk about generalizations...

Re:nutshots rule

[Anonymous Coward]

Do you realise how much of an idiot you sound like when you use the word "fail" like that?

Re:Ummm so what?

[Have Brain Will Rent]

Where have I been? Out in the world participating in it and watching what goes on. The article is correct - we live in a youth oriented culture and that's pretty obvious with a little bit of observation. Go to a retirement home and ask the elderly if they feel high status and valued by society... let us know what they say.