Why is youth wasted on the young?

Question

I've heard this saying before, and recently decided it's true. Youth is wasted on the young. I'm not old - only 33, but I feel older than I am sometimes - and I'm sick so my body acts older than it is. The other day I was passing a high school and I kind of remembered what it was like in high school and college. Kids that age are always so ready to grow up and do their own thing and don't appreciate all the exciting times that are to come. They don't realize that there are a million opportunities out there and all they have to do is show up for them. There is a million wonderful things to do and see and all they have to do is try. Why do you think kids don't realize what they have - that it's only when you get older that you realize how terrific that age is and that you wasted some of it?

Answer 1

I think it depends on what a person's values are. For example, I'm a few years younger than the Questioner but I've always (well, since I was 15)  valued my life as it is and not so much as it was, or as it may be in the future. While I typically live in the moment, I do take adequate time to reflect upon past successes and failings, while also planning for the future (to the best of my ability, as nobody knows what the future holds).

As far as why *most* kids don't realize this, I would speculate that our (American) culture does not foster this kind of self-realization in people until they reach a certain "level of maturity." Think about it; when you read a "coming of age" novel or watch a similar movie, who is the intended audience? The target audience for these tales are typically middle-aged persons or people who do not necessarily identify as youths but who are also not yet "elderly." Children or younger people in general do not tend to understand the kind of growth present in these tales, as their lack of experience typically denies them of the ability to empathize with such concepts. The same can be said for many other types of entertainment as well as various social graces.

I do not know if I would consider the follies and fancies of youth to be wasted time, but the best that any of us can do is to try to comfortably adapt to the pressures and influences of the world around us and in doings so, hope to discover ourselves for ourselves as opposed to conforming to the ideas of what people think we should be. This is a conflict that I believe endures throughout life, but is markedly prevalent (and consequently troubling to people) during adolescence and young adulthood. Perhaps this is why so few younger people are conscious of the perceived advanatges of youth.

Answer 2

I'm quite aware of this (btw I'm 18), but because of this, others say I act 'too old'.

ugh, can't please everyone I guess. :(

Answer 3

Well I'm pretty young if to say but actually some of us are aware of this...