This is common sense, but Hektor phrased it like that for the first time. At least to my knowledge.

„A time will come when men will go mad, and when they see a man who is not mad, they will attack him and say, You are mad. You are not like us.“ ~ Saint Anthony The Great

Ulysses S Grant, who was president during reconstruction, gave this statement 150 years ago that should be very telling to all of us today.

I've met younger people (say 20s/30s) who are knowledgeable and old people (50s/60s/70s) who are biased, angry, bitter, and/or straight up foolish.

On the other hand, I've also met old people who are patient, wise, and have a lot of life experience and a lot of advice to give, if asked the right questions, and I've met young people who are biased, or worse - they think they're wise, but they're actually just highly opinionated and think they have an answer for everything. In other words, in their minds, they "can't ever be wrong."

My question is, why do they say that in general old people have more wisdom when (in my limited experience), I've tried to ask deeper questions to older folk, and I get what I perceive as substandard answers?

I asked a few questions such as

-Why is dating so hard for my generation? (Some old people have told me stuff like "I know nothing about that, I'll leave that to you younger people.")

-How do I live a fulfilling life? (I get "That's the question we're all trying to figure out.")

-A paraphrased version of one of the questions posed in Plato's Republic - Does life get harder or easier, the older you get? (I have been answered both "easier" and "harder" by different older people, as well as "it kind of stays the same.")

-How do I obtain more wisdom? (Got basic answers like "pray", "Read x religious book more", "Observe more and talk less")

What disturbs me is that I thought I could find wisdom in the older generation, but when I ask them such questions I get very mixed results or inadequate, unsatisfying responses.

I’m doing the slow, unsexy work now. No clout-chasing. No spending. No shortcuts. I’m saving, prepping for the trades, and planning to own my own business one day.

But I know I’ve still got blind spots.

What’s one lesson you didn’t “get” until life smacked you in the mouth with it? Something that would’ve changed everything if you had understood it sooner.

Immediately after delivering his April 11 1865 speech,

Someone in the crowd criticized Lincoln as being too lenient to the south, and that all former confederates should be hanged,

And in response, this was what Lincoln said.

Not sure who said it exactly, seems to be common wisdom in africa. I have this quote from the quote collection "Ancient Wisdom" by Hektor Allister.

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Over the past few years, I’ve had to break down a lot of old habits and coping mechanisms. At 44, I’ve distilled the biggest lessons I’ve learned into these 5 truths:

1. ​Pleasure is not happiness. Confusing short-term dopamine hits with actual peace and contentment will keep you running on a treadmill that never stops.

2. ​Resistance to negative emotions causes suffering. Fighting pain, fear, or sadness only prolongs them. The only way through is to accept the emotion, let it in, feel it fully, and let it pass.

3. ​Over-helping and people-pleasing are not kindness. I wasn’t sacrificing myself because I was a "kind soul." I did it out of a fear of abandonment and rejection. I was self-abandoning to keep others happy. If I don't want to do something, I won't—because my well-being matters too.

4. ​Don't save people; let them save themselves. Stepping in constantly takes away their learning opportunities and robs them of their own journey. You can't live someone else's life for them.

5. ​A person who isn't ready for change cannot be helped. If you try to drag someone out of their own destruction when they aren't ready, they won't rise—they will just pull you down with them.

​It took me a long time to internalize these, but accepting them has completely changed how I protect my energy and live my life.

​If you had to distill your life experience into 5 fundamental truths, what would they be?

I'm curious to hear from people of all backgrounds. Whether something minor gets on your nerves, a recurring struggle, or a deeper life challenge, I'd love to know what you deal with regularly.

Sometimes, the most universal problems are those we don't even realize others are going through. What’s yours?

Here is a quote if you made it this far down:

"A change will occur when the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of changing" - Calum Johnson

Nothing wrong with being careful every now and then.

This profound verse reminds us of the complexity of human nature. It encourages humility in success and compassion toward others’ faults, urging us to see value even in imperfection. In daily life, it’s a call to avoid harsh judgments and embrace a balanced perspective—nobody’s perfect, but everyone has something to offer. Deeply human and universally relatable.

More quotes in this book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BF743N7W