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Can 20 years of a life experience compensate for the lack of intelligence?
Discussing whether or not one has respect for another is a very moot point. Respect is simply the admiration of another in very high regards. The only reason to be discussing this issue is for the older gentle-man/woman to feel accomplished in one's community by living their existence up until their current age. I believe people should PRETEND to respect their elders if they do not. Intelligence is simply a means to acquire knowledge without experience. Over time one is very capable of learning what one with a "different" intelligence could have earlier on; however, that is not to say that there is an assured 100% chance such an occurrence will happen.
It seems unlikely that one does not challenge his views in 20 years, or at least that his views do not get challenged by others. If they get challenged, it seems silly that person keeps them if others provide sound arguments. Therefore above theory about 20 years passing by with person giving no second thoughts to their views seems silly. Not only we are exposed to challenges, but also to new relevant information and arguments. Therefore, 20 years seems like quite an addition to intelligence. In some situations where experience gained over 20 years can be useful it can substitute intelligence. In other situations your experience may be irrelevant. This is valid both for technical stuff, as well as inter-personal relations. For example, people often have silly prejudices regardless of their age. So there is no use that someone has 50 years, if (s)he has not spent any time during life challenging basic assumptions about their views, opinions... Intelligence wins in those situations. One is not the same as the other. Apples and oranges! What is intelligence? Respect needs to be earned. Same is with disrespect. Until one of those two are earned, it is best to be neutral, or even slightly respectful. There certainly are a few thoughts I disagreed with when I was young, but do appreciate them now, years later, as now I have some experience with which I can relate to them. Do older people deserve respect just because they are older, and supposedly are wiser? Can 20 years of a life experience compensate for the lack of intelligence?
