Stephen is a web developer, Bahá'í, and interfaith activist in St. Paul, Minnesota. He likes to write about religion, social justice, sustainability, science, programming, &c.

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poetry, prose, and other strings of words · 1993 - 2003

Thoughts on the Aged

1996? 1997? 1998?

Today the aged—those retired from work and prone to sickness and disease—are becoming an ever increasing percentage of the population of the world. With medical advances and greater care, people are living longer—but not necessarily better. The quality of life for the aged has not gone down tremendously (or so it seems to me), but the number of years the people live with a less than adequate quality of life has increased with dramatic implications for society. Are the aged becoming a burden on the younger members of society? Do they have anything to offer to another's life, or are they just a drain on the economy? Furthermore, should the elderly have the "right to die?"

Perhaps the elderly do become an economic drain. However, they shall always remain important to society in this fact if no others: the elderly provide the experience, wisdom, and spirituality of the past that is necessary for the younger generation's growth in the future.