Older people should practice kindness and presuming competence of younger people -- including our own younger selves.
People tend to speak with such contempt, disdain, and even hatred of their younger selves, with descriptors like "stupid" and "clueless." Ageist attitudes about the incompetence, laziness, or generally negative qualities about younger people often seem to be rooted in older people's contempt for their own younger selves.
It's understandable to feel a certain distance from your younger self, or to feel embarrassed by your past ignorance or limited perspective. Our experiences constantly change us, and, we hope, we're constantly learning new things. As famous boxer Muhammad Ali put it, "A man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life."
But acknowledging and appreciating these changes does not have to mean contempt for your previous self. Your younger self was not terrible, stupid, lazy, or irredeemable. Your younger self is not evidence that younger people should not have rights or voices.
Remember, your present self is your younger self to your future self. Years from now, you will have changed, had new experiences, learned things, and have a different perspective. How will you want your future self to look back on who you are now?
You made mistakes in the past. You will make mistakes in the future. You made decisions you regret in the past. You will make decisions you regret in the future. It is likely that at least one major decision you make this year will be one you regret at some time in the future. Does this mean your choices now are invalid? Does this mean you shouldn't be allowed to choose them? Give younger people, including your younger self, the respect you want for your future self.
They deserve it.
