Teenagers are notorious for assuming they know everything when in reality they know so little. They're notorious for it among adults, that is. Teenagers don't actually believe it about themselves, or it would cease to be true. I haven't been a teenager for a while, but now that I'm in my thirties, I keep bumping against this phenomenon. They are not self-aware. Am I??
This particular knowledge gap often leads me to two critical questions:
1) Does it make sense to offer advice or opinions to someone older than me? Even when I'm directly asked for it, sometimes I can't help thinking they're looking at me like I'm that 16-yr-old backseat driver. Granted if they are older and wiser, they ought to know what to do with my opinions, but that doesn't make me feel (or look) much better.
2) What if the advice and opinions of my elders* differ significantly from my peers? Is this an issue where older generations are benefiting from additional hindsight and I'll think similarly when I get to their age? Or is this an issue that has changed enough since they experienced it that their experiences are not entirely applicable?
The first mostly affects my vanity. But the second affects some major areas of life (including parenting choices about education, adoption, technology, etc).
As with so many things, I find myself wading through the confusion with two key tools: research and prayer. Is it enough? Ask me when I'm 65.
Until then, please feel free to let me know your thoughts on the subject.
*I'm using "elders" to refer to generations ahead of me (i.e. 15+ years older than me), not the church office-holders. And while I generalize about their opinions, I do realize they're not universal - just similar enough to be thought-provoking.
Note: I took the picture above when Noah was exploring the tunnel at Dragon Park.
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