We've all heard it. If someone of an older generation expresses a bigoted or narrow-minded point of view (about race, gender roles, homosexuality, etc., etc.), and it's argued that they can't be blamed because they are from a 'different generation.'

Do you accept the idea that someone can't wrap their mind around a modern concept, and can't be enlightened, because it didn't exist in their youth? Should their prejudiced/bigotry be dismissed?

IMO, stuff being modern has nothing to do with it. What is right and what is wrong are not contingent on what is socially acceptable and therefore, I don't feel what generation you are has anything to do with it. Bigotry is wrong and it was wrong in their generation. (Although I think bigotry is an overused label used to describe merely points of view that are deemed politically incorrect) People wanna call somebody a bigot if they aren't all overjoyed of whatever they want to do, as if they have a right to have their actions condoned. IMO, bigotry wasn't stronger in the older generation; it's just morphed into a new kind of bigotry. It's still a "my way or the highway" attitude.

Shale, I wasn't trying to be ageist, or to paint all persons of a certain age with the same brush. I'm aware that bigotry is ageless, and that not all older people are bigots; which is why I specifically said 'if someone…' However, the chance that an eighty year old who is sexist, racist or homophobic will have others inclined to dismiss their narrow way of thinking because of their age, and the generation they came of age in, is higher than if an eighteen year old has the same attitude. A younger person will be less likely to be given an excuse for it than an older person would. That's all I was getting at. If the excuse should wash at any age.

The "they're from a different time" excuse ran out 20 years ago IMO. Today's senior lived through the civil rights movement & MLK, through Women's Lib., and Stonewall/The medical community removing homosexuality as an illness. And were young when all these things happened, so there's less excuse for an older person of today to be bigoted toward the usual things.

That may have been from THEIR generation but it's still carried over into THIS generation and I don't buy it's because all those kids of the bigots simply didn't know any better because they heard the same crap their whole lives.

No, their prejudices should not be dismissed. They've lived through the evolution of some major social issues and it's up to them if they want to evolve too. They may have been raised a certain way, but there's no rule that says their mind can't open and evolve like everyone else, it's just easier for people to be as they always were instead of changing. They can accept new ideas - if they choose to open their mind.

I was fortunate enough to be raised by a very open minded grandmother. I would say there is a difference between bigotry and racism. for instance I really don't like religious fanatics, and Islam seem to produce the most. Islam has no race. Then there are the Fred Phelps gang, too bad I don't believe in hell, because I would relish the idea of them there. Are you gay? I don't care, I am for same sex marriage (which we already have here in Canada). Are you orange or purple? I don't care about that either, are you a good person? I do care about that. If you are male how do you treat women? I care about that. Do you treat people in general with respect until they prove they don't deserve it?

Chris wrote:

We've all heard it. If someone of an older generation expresses a bigoted or narrow-minded point of view (about race, gender roles, homosexuality, etc., etc.), and it's argued that they can't be blamed because they are from a 'different generation.'

Do you accept the idea that someone can't wrap their mind around a modern concept, and can't be enlightened, because it didn't exist in their youth?

Yes and no, I'm going to lean a bit towards no. A lot of 'older' Americans are a product of their time and their generation. People act like racism or bigotry is innate. It's TAUGHT. If that's all they were taught, what do you really expect of them? Of course they can be enlightned and fortunately enough, there have been quite a lot that have expressed and realized how despicable racism and bigotry is, but someone who grew up in that time and refuse to part from his/her ways, it's whatever. For example: if some, let's say....25 yr old white guy decides he wants to disrespect me and call me a "nigger".....I'd prob. roll my eyes. But if some 65 yr old white man with roots in Alabama ups and calls me a "nigger", I'd take that quite differently. That 65 yr old knows the *real* negative connotation behind that word way before it became a term of endearment.

Quote :

Should their prejudiced/bigotry be dismissed?

No. Ignorance is ignorance. Some people know and are comfortable with it. What can you do?

Impact wrote:

The "they're from a different time" excuse ran out 20 years ago IMO. Today's senior lived through the civil rights movement & MLK, through Women's Lib., and Stonewall/The medical community removing homosexuality as an illness. And were young when all these things happened, so there's less excuse for an older person of today to be bigoted toward the usual things.

Ditto. It's becoming less and less rationale to dismiss the bigotry of the older generation, unless they're about 90 years old. Middle aged and early seniors were kids and young adults when the civil rights movement was escalating....they saw examples of enlightenment, even if from afar....but chose to cling to bigotry instead.

I don't think bigotry should be dismissed. Yes, things were different when my grandparents were growing up, but times have changed. 20 years ago, I could see that being an excuse, but not anymore. My grandparents taught us that everyone should be judged by the things they do, not by their ethnicity, religion, socio-economical class, or whatever.

I remember watchign an interview with and old lady who was glorifying the atomic bomb and what it did, saying that there would never be anyone of her generation who didn't think it was a wonderful creation and absolutely necessary to drop the bomb on Japan because they were horrible people who deserved it. I turned off the documentary in disgust, outraged by the bigotry and ignorance this woman displayed. I wish now, though, that I had caught her name, as I'd love to write to her and tell her that my grandparents didn't agree with the bomb being dropped, that they were horrified by the effects of the bomb. Her ignorance was more than I could stomach.