Does age really matter?

Discussion Topics

Your experiences

1. Are you friends with someone much older or much younger than you? Who is the oldest person you know?
2. Is a person’s age important in your culture? How do people feel about the elderly in your country?
3. Are there many things that the old can teach the young or are they hopelessly out of touch by the time they reach a certain age? What things were you taught by your older family members? How have they been useful to you in your life?
4. Do you like being the age at which you are now? In your opinion, what is the best age to be? Are you afraid of getting old? Have you ever lied about your age?
5. In your opinion, does age bring wisdom? Has your perspective on the world changed as you have grown older?

Your beliefs

1. Should adults try to teach young people lessons, such as the dangers of drinking too much, taking drugs etc., or should they leave them alone to find out about these things themselves? What are the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches?
2. Do you agree that you can never be too old to learn or start something new?
3. In most countries, compulsory education is targeted at five to sixteen year olds. Would it be better to offer it to pensioners who want to learn rather than young people who prefer not to be in school?
4. Should anti-aging products be illegal? In your opinion, should cosmetic surgeries be free to anybody who is over 50?
5. Do you agree that age doesn’t really matter as long as you stay ‘young at heart’? Youth is a state of mind, do you agree?

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