Young Does Not Always Mean Ignorant

[RanceEric]

I'm tired of older people assuming I'm ignorant. Is it because I'm young? Do I look stupid? Recently, the older generation seems to think I'm incompetent. From telling me I "need to put air in that tire" (as I'm on my knees, hands on the tire, about to pull it off my car) to asking if I need help making my own coffee at Wawa. (What? that's also just creepy) And, the most recent camera-related incident, at the last camera show in Fort Washington, PA, I asked a vendor to look at his Nikon S he was selling, he let me (watched me like a hawk, though) and after I gave it back to him, I asked him a question about it that he obviously did not know the answer to. (he had the same reaction that a school kid has when the teacher asks him a question after not paying attention in class) So, my next question is, "How much do you want for it?" to which he hesitates.. Then, someone else (an older gentleman) walks by and he turns his back on me to chat with him.. I was appalled and disgusted. Must be nice to have a camera/photo business that does so well you can just turn away paying customers. 😉

Is this happening to any of the other, younger RFFers?

Just needed to vent a bit.. *sigh* Much better 🙂

 

[Roger Hicks]

Well, I'll warn you that although I well remember what you're talking about, at forty years older than you, I've seen the opposite assumption made just as often: "the old fool doesn't know what he's talking about, because he's past it."

Look at it this way: it's their problem, not yours. Astonishingly few things are your problem unless you volunteer to let them be your problem.

Or to look at at another way: there are just as many old fools as young fools, and vice versa.

As we say in France, "Bonne courage!" It's like "Good luck" but it refers to courage instead of luck...

Cheers,

R.

 

[f16sunshine]

Well mate with all respect do to you. Every generation deals with this. The old guy with the nikon, he is probably clinging to his youthful bitterness from being treated exactly as he treated you. I decided long ago to not be an ageist. Best advice for you is to quit venting and start producing. Blow people's minds with your talent and listen to the air going out the ageist balloon.
Cheers!

 

[RanceEric]

Well, I'll warn you that although I well remember what you're talking about, at forty years older than you, I've seen the opposite assumption made just as often: "the old fool doesn't know what he's talking about, because he's past it."

Look at it this way: it's their problem, not yours. Astonishingly few things are your problem unless you volunteer to let them be your problem.

Or to look at at another way: there are just as many old fools as young fools, and vice versa.

As we say in France, "Bonne courage!" It's like "Good luck" but it refers to courage instead of luck...

Cheers,

R.

Haha that's a very good point, Roger. I didn't even think about that. "Merci, mon bon monsieur."

Thanks, Andy 🙂

 

[_larky]

Oh yeah, I get this 🙂 But I play dumb so...

Best case, out of many, was when a 'designer' got into an argument with me after I explained to him that it was not possible to use a digital projector to project black light/shadows onto a wall. He refused to believe me, even though it's SO DAMN OBVIOUS because I was, get this, a 'whipper snapper'.

I almost punched him out.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Oh yeah, I get this 🙂 But I play dumb so...

Best case, out of many, was when a 'designer' got into an argument with me after I explained to him that it was not possible to use a digital projector to project black light/shadows onto a wall. He refused to believe me, even though it's SO DAMN OBVIOUS because I was, get this, a 'whipper snapper'.

I almost punched him out.

My favourite, about 35 years ago, was a proposal for an aquarium in Saudi Arabia. There were to be lights underneath and projectors above, so that the fish could be projected onto the ceiling, in the fashion of a planetarium. I pointed out that (a) they couldn't be held in focus and (b) the heat of the lamps would kill them.

I was told, "You're a very clever young man, but not that clever. They'll have thought of that..."

When they finally did think of it, I didn't get an apology...

Not in the same class as projecting shadows, it's true, but still impressively dim.

Cheers,

R.

 

[_larky]

Thinking about it; the lights cook the fish, the people east the fish... 😉

 

[pixelatedscraps]

It happens to people from both generations I think. I've been on the receiving end of it (I'm 31) and I also dish it out unwittingly as well (I know a 60yr old mother who continues to surprise the hell out of me by using Whatsapp on her two iPhone 4s).

Pause, and don't let it get to you. Then, with most negativity, move on.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Oh yeah, I get this 🙂 But I play dumb so...

Best case, out of many, was when a 'designer' got into an argument with me after I explained to him that it was not possible to use a digital projector to project black light/shadows onto a wall. He refused to believe me, even though it's SO DAMN OBVIOUS because I was, get this, a 'whipper snapper'.

I almost punched him out.

He wanted the projector to cancel out ambient light???

Okay. Get a Super-Bright Projector and project bright light with the shadows set as a dark region. Give everyone sunglasses when viewing the projected image. You can't cancel out existing light, but you can raise the threshold of what appears to be a shadow. Be sure to put your Pinky to your Lips and say "I'm thinking LAZUHRrrs".

When 21 and going to school I had a job rewriting atomic structure analysis programs to run on first generation vector supercomputers. At $960/hour for CPU time, I got a lot of respect from the PhD Physicists that I worked with. I could make my boss's code run 400x faster than what he could.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Oh yeah, I get this 🙂 But I play dumb so...

Best case, out of many, was when a 'designer' got into an argument with me after I explained to him that it was not possible to use a digital projector to project black light/shadows onto a wall. He refused to believe me, even though it's SO DAMN OBVIOUS because I was, get this, a 'whipper snapper'.

I almost punched him out.

I just figured out how to do it. Reverse the polarity on the wall-plug so it sucks light in, instead of pumping it out.

Dead easy, if you know nothing about anything.

Cheers,

R.

 

[dave lackey]

The first thing to do is not be defensive about your age...any age.😉 And for sure, don't be negative about anyone else's age.

 

[Beemermark]

I asked a vendor to look at his Nikon S he was selling, he let me (watched me like a hawk, though) and after I gave it back to him, I asked him a question about it that he obviously did not know the answer to. (he had the same reaction that a school kid has when the teacher asks him a question after not paying attention in class) So, my next question is, "How much do you want for it?" to which he hesitates.. Then, someone else (an older gentleman) walks by and he turns his back on me to chat with him.. I was appalled and disgusted. Must be nice to have a camera/photo business that does so well you can just turn away paying customers. 😉

The guy is just rude. it's not because your young or old, black or white, rich or poor. It just seems to be typical behavior today.

I've heard this complaint and the person assumes it is some type of discrimination. It ain't. I'm 60, white, well off and dress like it. In the last 30 days I tried to buy a D200 in two camera stores and got the same response. Clerk pulls out the camera, walks away and never comes back. Second time I was tempted to walk out the door with it and see if they noticed.

However, I'll also add this. I used to sell at camera shows. Some buyers are incredibly ignorant. It came be tough telling by looks if your stupid or not. A lot of dealers keep there stuff behind glass to stop people from handling the merchandise. So yes, I used to watch people like a hawk. And then there are the customers who ask questions for an hour and then go and buy the item from the guy next to you. So when I was answering the thousand questions and had someone come up that I knew from experience was likely to buy I stopped answering questions and turned to him.

Two sides to every story.

 

[LeicaFan]

More often than not, the reason why younger people aren't taken seriously has a lot to do with the way they carry themselves.

If a young person walks into a nice store and is dressed like a homeless person and ends every sentence with "dude", of course nobody will take them seriously.

As hard as I try to present myself in a mature fashion, there have been instances where I have been discriminated against due to my age. The worst case was when I went to a local camera store and inquired about a 5D Mk. II. I asked the salesman if they had any in stock, to which he replied 'No.' I explained to him that I would like to see one in person to see if it feels right in my hands (fair enough, right?) and he rudely told me that they don't play with cameras at the store and I would be fine with a T2i.

I was disgusted and offended.

 

[Beemermark]

Wait until you go to McDonalds and buy a cup coffee. They give you the senior citizen discount and I ain't one.

Oh to be young again.

 

[simples145]

Do they not say, ignorance is bliss?

 

[sevo]

More often than not, the reason why younger people aren't taken seriously has a lot to do with the way they carry themselves.

If a young person walks into a nice store and is dressed like a homeless person and ends every sentence with "dude", of course nobody will take them seriously.

I don't look my age, and this was even worse in my thirties. Back then, I had to have a partner front my business towards the financial representatives of my customers, as these generally were scared to deal with me. Hardly a matter of manners and carriage, as I was five years older than that balding guy next to me, and had much less juvenile habits - there is no doubt that some people judge you by apparent age.

 

[RanceEric]

More often than not, the reason why younger people aren't taken seriously has a lot to do with the way they carry themselves.

If a young person walks into a nice store and is dressed like a homeless person and ends every sentence with "dude", of course nobody will take them seriously.

As hard as I try to present myself in a mature fashion, there have been instances where I have been discriminated against due to my age. The worst case was when I went to a local camera store and inquired about a 5D Mk. II. I asked the salesman if they had any in stock, to which he replied 'No.' I explained to him that I would like to see one in person to see if it feels right in my hands (fair enough, right?) and he rudely told me that they don't play with cameras at the store and I would be fine with a T2i.

I was disgusted and offended.

I completely agree, but I was wearing a shirt and tie with a nice sweater and nice jeans (no holes in them)

Wow.. I would be too.. That's when you walk away and never go back!

EDIT: And I never say, "dude". Haha!