What the? Do you even understand what the phrase "by definition" means? There is literally nothing about the word "youth" that includes short attention spans or what is considered by them.
The word definition may be misplaced/misused. But the premise of the post as a whole is entirely correct.
There are smart youths who pay attention and take heed of what the elders say knowing they speak from a lifetime of experience. There is a reason why major decisions were left to the town elders and why the elders were the head of the family. (lest they suffer because of the inexperience, brashness, and arrogance of youth) And why there are more 45 year old Colonels then there are 26 year old Colonels. A very young Colonel is a very rare bird indeed (pun intended)
The elders and many before them have either learned from the mistakes of those made before them and taken heed when they themselves were young. Or have already made and lived through the same mistakes they see youths make or are about to.
Then there is the not so smart hard headed youth. They might be highly intelligent intellectually. But not so bright in the experience or wisdom dept. Smart kids that refuse to listen still tend to make dumb kid mistakes. They are the brash arrogant obtuse youth. Rife with life's inexperience. They couldn't care less what the elders have to say or the lessons they teach or what anyone else thinks for that matter.
The elders can talk rationally to them till they are blue in the face. They may even try the ugly but often effective "Patton" doctrine "When I want something to stick I give it to them loud and dirty. Then they remember it." Often because they see the dumb kid as mirror images of their youth when they were the "dumb kid" making the same mistakes, using the same arguments and rational.
Too hard headed for their own good. They think know it all already. That their way is better and only way. The moment and its short term gains is all that matters to them. But then again even ten years is a long time for them. When to the elders its a mere blink of en eye. The "Dumb kids" equate immediate and short term success with long term success, profitability and credibility Or that long term credibility is gained by short term success. They think its not how you play the game but that you win the game.
The elders know this just isnt so. That how you play the game is at least as important as winning the game. They learned through lifes experience that credibility, respectability and honor all go hand in hand and you cant achieve ultimate personally meaningful success in life, love, or even a game for that matter without them.
The hardheaded "dumb kid." just HAS to find out for themselves what the elders knew all along or had learned long ago.
Ahh but there is one certainty. One thing the elders have on their side. One weapon the hard headed "dumb kid" cannot defeat and ultimately cannot ignore or escape. And that thing is time. One way or the other sooner or later the "dumb kids" eventually get it. then the elders dont look so dumb anymore. As I told my kid and he has been comming to realise. "The older you get. The smarter I am going to become".
And one comfort. At some point in a future time. It will be today's "dumb kids" who will be the elders chewing on tomorrows "dumb kids" and they will find themselves giving the same lectures. Often using the same words they themselves hated to hear that were used on them when they wee the "dumb kid"
Anyone who is a parent of a kid older then say 10 knows exactly what I mean.
