By Shanker Man Singh
Times have changed a lot–it takes people past 50, 60, 70, or 80 years. If time really does change, why doesn’t it feel like turning 20 turns 30 or 30 turns 40? Why don’t people in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s think that times have changed and not when they are in their 20s and 30s? It didn’t come because, at that time, you also changed with the era, embracing the new change, and adjusting the rhythm with the new era.
In a related area, I once read an article by a doctor—a woman—who regularly visited disabled, very elderly women. Before leaving, she always hugged the woman. During one meeting, the woman said, “Doctor, I look forward to your visit. You are the only person who still touches me.” Lack of touch and lack of communication can make a person feel very lonely.
A person who does not change according to time feels that time has changed. Here is ‘change’ in a positive sense. By “change” there is no meaning in saying that a person was good before, now he is bad, or he was honest before and now he is dishonest.
Young people talk about the future because they have no past, and old people talk about the past because they have no future. Perhaps it’s a combination of loneliness and despair. They want someone to talk to and can sometimes ruminate about unrealistic things, hoping to hold onto a bit of human companionship for a little while.
Not all are like that one reason older people talk about the past is that it gives them a sense of nostalgia and helps them connect with others. Many seniors feel a sense of loss or inadequacy as they age, and reminiscing about their past can help them relive fond memories and feel a sense of comfort.
Older people often talk about the past for a variety of reasons. First, memories of past experiences can help them maintain a sense of identity and continuity as they age. It can also serve as a way to share wisdom and life lessons with younger generations.
Additionally, discussing the past can provide a sense of comfort and nostalgia, especially when reflecting on positive memories. Finally, for some older people, talking about the past can be a way to process and come to terms with important life events and experiences.
Why do old people talk about the past? Because written history is not always correct, many times, historical events are portrayed by the writers, in how they want us to believe the history, yet when you talk to the people who lived through it, they see things differently. Many history books are extremely biased. They choose to leave out the most important parts—the human parts of the story. The history books have played favorites, especially when they lean more on the white side than the real side.
Yes, white influence is very much a part of history, yet when older people talk about history and they already recognize how biased it has been, then you start to hear the truth.
History loves to glorify war, conflict, differences between cultures and ethnic groups, keeping people oppressed and segregated, and ugliness. If we, the elders, do not share this history, the past, with the new generation, the history books will remain full of inaccuracies.
Many things, as stated above, are biased in history, favoring one group over another. Sometimes history makes the situation worse than it really is or makes it look like it’s not so bad.
Listen and ask an elderly person about the history they lived, you will learn more than you ever could from a one-sided book. In the sense of progress, in the sense of moving forward in life.
In the meaning of ‘change’, we went from wearing tight half shorts to pants and later wearing pants till the seventh grade. Listening to our fathers, Talat Mahmood and Panjak Malik who loved Saigal’s songs. Listening to Rafi-Mukesh-Kishor, you and I are swayed.
For Udit Narayan, Kumar Sanu, Abhijit, Sonu Nigam your children longed for. You don’t care what their children hear, no one cares because you’re stuck. You feel the current music noise, just like your father Kishore Kumar’s noise. You have not changed; the world has changed for you.
When you grow your pyjama with wide peacock bells, your parents refuse to do such a varnagiveda in the era of narrow peacock pants. Today, the world of fashion has moved forward with ripped jeans. When you were in school, you never had a ten note to use because your father would tell you that we would get a half to use it, which I would save.
Do you think inflation has increased? I don’t see people’s salaries increasing along with the price of goods. Those comparing the price of ghee-oil-food-vegetable-petrol with current prices, ask how much gold weight is the salary of your class.
And now how much gold can be bought with the monthly earnings of the person doing the same job? There will be a comparison. Along with the price of goods, labor has also increased. Think a little deeper.
If the price of things did not increase, your monthly income would not increase. There is another thing. You’re spending where you weren’t spending before, so you feel like inflation.
Earlier, if you wanted to go out of the house, you used to go to the garden, the temple, or the house of your friends and relatives. Whose fault is it—to eat pizza now or to watch a movie at the multiplex? What is the cost to you from the government?
Earlier there was cheap fare to go out, pilgrimages, small-known unknown pilgrimage sites, and religious schools landing like relative’s houses. Now you want to go to Singapore, America, Australia, Europe, etc. and want to stay in a star or three-star hotel.
You increase costs and blame inflation. Earlier, common people used to put coins in the telephone box and talk outside after 11 pm standing at the STD booth. Now the mobile is in your hand. You are going to spend it.
You have to do it from your own income. Reduce the price of wheat-rice-oil-gas by increasing your expenses. What are you talking about? Unemployment has not increased; the attitude toward work has decreased. Everyone wants to get a job. There is a huge shortage of good workers in every sector–ask the owners of offices, hotels, factories, etc., even if they pay money, they will not get good people.
Why didn’t you get it? Because many people want to live a life where they make more money with less effort. Need easy money. Things that are considered luxuries for the middle class have now become their needs.
The salary was not middle class as they could buy AC at home and two-wheelers, and four-wheelers. So it is a sign of their progress, a sign of prosperity. But those who go beyond their speed and embrace luxuries as per their needs, become a radar road in the price of electricity and petrol. He was proud to live within his limits according to his income. It’s embarrassing now. What’s the shame in pulling backwards? But there is also shame. Even if the price of petrol is halved, such people will not be paid because they have blocked the way to earn more by working more and acquiring skills. Such people curse this age, inflation, society, and government. A man’s mind becomes a prisoner instead of developing, believing that the years he lived were great, now diminishing,
When he turns his choices into prejudices, he feels that time has changed. What a great gift of nature that s/he does not listen to the complaints of such people and the world continues to change. Senior citizens or ageing people have more life experience.
Senior citizens are much less likely to need to please people. There is no master to please them. Their friends are often other older people who are used to their directness. Hopefully, their families love them and take what they say in stride.
When they reach a certain age, most people stop caring what other people think about them. They are comfortable with who they are and don’t care if they step on their toes about what people think.
Doctors say that senior citizens should be allowed to speak more. Studies have shown that yes, their memory, mouth muscles, mental health, stress reduction, ear, nose, and eye tissue will be improved. Nepal is currently in the process of population growth, especially the ageing population. A growing population poses many challenges to social, economic and healthcare systems. To address these problems and address their needs, the Government of Nepal has formulated a separate policy and safety program for senior citizens and is also committed to various regional and international conventions to promote the welfare of senior citizens in the country.
The retirement age in government agencies of Nepal is 58 years. That is, old age in government service starts from 58 years. But the retirement age in education service is 63 and in legal service, this age is 75 years.
Therefore, the time limit of old age is also different in different areas. A woman married at the age of seventeen can become a grandmother at the young age of 35. Even at the young age of 35, her social role should be the same as that of an elderly grandmother when her grandchildren play and they call her Grandma. Because Nepali society has not created the role of a younger grandmother.
Senior citizens should transfer their acquired experience, knowledge and skills to the next generation. If a person remains active even at the age of 80, then it is considered to have the characteristics of youth. As time changes, the fun of living in this world doubles.
(Singh is currently a freelance Consultant. He was formerly the Executive Director, Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and a Former General Manager/CEO, Nepal Stock Exchange Limited (NEPSE), Chief, Nepal Chamber of Commerce. He holds a Master’s Degree from the Delhi School of Economics)
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect People’s Review’s editorial stance.
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