WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF THE ROLE OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN TODAY'S SOCIETY?

So, last weeks essay question I presented to my English students was this: What is your opinion of the role of elderly people in today's society? Whenever I give an essay to my students, I will also complete the task myself for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it shows my students that I'm also interested in the work they are doing. I'm not just some obstinate teacher who is good at giving out assignments and criticising. I also join them in their efforts by showing my effort. And secondly, I just love writing, and I get to post it on my blog so you can all read it too. For my previous essays please visit HERE for a discussion of the advantages of the Zenith Hotel, and you can also follow THIS LINK for a run-down of the benefits of a possible train-line linking Kuantan with KL.

This one definitely got me thinking and my essay is a lot longer than the suggested 350 words. But anyway, I hope it provides an interesting and worthwhile read.

In today's ever-changing, technologically-advanced world where aeroplanes rule the skies and computers run the land, elderly people find themselves in an increasingly daunting place where they are unsure whether to stick or twist. Sticking is the easier option, but leaves them generally irrelevant; twisting is extremely tough as the world they are trying to gamble into is an entirely disparate one from which they came. It is a dilemma of the times, unheard of in all previous generations.

Image taken from www.casinopartynights.co.uk.
(I do not endorse the destructive habit of gambling)

The elderly aren't particularly fond of today's youth culture where children run wild, hang out on street corners late at night, and generally cause problems and disturbances to home-owners the world over. Neither do they approve of their loose morals and rebellious behaviour. The youth in turn, are not exactly affectionate of the ageing population. To them, the old people are boring, old-fashioned and demanding - out of touch with 21st-century reality. Their standards of expectation are severely outdated and young people find the same old lecturing a troublesome bane.

So where does this leave the elderly? What does the world expect of them? What is their role in the most sophisticated, high-tech, yet indecent, obscene society?

I believe the elderly still have a respectable role to play in today's society which can be highly beneficial for all of us younger, less-experienced people. They can offer us much in the way of accumulated knowledge and historical accounts, as well as being engaged in the workforce and in their own families.

To present a balanced argument, I will first discuss a few significant points as to the struggles the elderly are facing.

The inception of the internet completely changed communication in the world overnight. It is now possible for a person in Malaysia to chat with and see video coverage of a person in England in instant time. Conference calling makes it possible for people in a number of countries dotted all around the world to see each other and have audio discussions in real time. We have come a long way from the days of hand-writing and sending letters, waiting weeks or months for a reply. Yet that is the method of communication which most elderly people are familiar with and represents the era in which they were born. But they are rapidly losing status, as face-to-face conversation is being outweighed by instant messaging on social networks like facebook, yahoo! and msn. Writing to a pen-pal is now done by surfing the internet for friends on facebook, twitter, blogger, or a whole host of other friend-finding sites. People today are spending increasingly more time typing frantically on a keyboard than enjoying face-to-face, heart-to-heart communication.

With cutting-edge technologies surfacing with every passing year, people, and society, are looking to the future, and not to the past. This presents another problem for the elderly. Where once they may have been respected for their intelligence and experience, now their experience has very limited relevance in today's futuristic society, their opinions and offerings casually dismissed as inapplicable to the current age.

We often hear of them being 'stuck in their old ways' as they live a rigidly docile, early 20th-century life, in a vastly different landscape of the "noughties" (a term used to describe the years between 2000-2009) and beyond. Their peers are passing on as age catches up with them, and there is an obstinacy attached to the elderly as they persist in their tried-and-tested formula for life which sadly doesn't wash in today's society where change is the only constant.

This image is taken from www.g3nqf.co.uk
Not all elderly people are 'stuck in their old ways' or 'obstinate' but for those who are futile to change, a quicker than planned journey to the cemetery may be on the cards.

Amidst these trials facing the elderly, there remains a justifiable role for them to play in the final acts of their life.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and that includes the elderly population. Despite their opinions, which are derived from life experiences in a different time to ours, being a little out of touch as mentioned previously, I still often find myself musing, "If we were in the old days..." The horrible decline in morals and standards displayed by teenagers and young adults today is a huge worry. I think we could do with having our minds refreshed with higher standards of modesty, dignity and self-control. On the whole, we are a graceless, ungrateful society who live a life of luxury and ease.

Without attempting to class my father as 'elderly', I remember him telling us how difficult life was back in his day, which included sleeping with the rats. Many of our grandparents will recount the travails of living amidst wars where safe shelter, protection and food were never guaranteed. Some things are good to remember and we could do with realising how lucky we are and the freedoms we enjoy today. 

Indeed, he who is not informed of history can never be properly prepared for the future.

Family history is now a major force in learning about our ancestors and finding out who we really are and where we came from. Elderly people can reveal many important gems of information such as names, dates and places to aid us in our genealogical quest. If we don't know our progenitors, we don't really know ourselves.

I also feel that the elderly can still contribute to a country's economy by bolstering the workforce. I'm sure, with all their experience and stories to tell, they would make fantastic teachers, particularly in the field of history. 90% of all my students have reported negativity with learning history at school. Contrast the two following situations:

1. A young teacher reads right out of the textbook concerning the Declaration of Independence of Malaysia concerning the day of 31st August, 1957 when Malaysia achieved its independence from British rule. The students have heard about it before and are tired of listening to another boring history class being dictated from a book.

2. A retired OAP (Old Aged Pensioner) puts the textbook to one side, and with a tear or two in his eyes, recounts the exact moment when he stood there watching the Malaysia flag be hoisted into the air, describing the immense feelings of pride that gripped his heart in that moment of history.

A large bulk of today's world leaders are elderly. They are charged with the painstaking task of making vital decisions for the peace and prosperity of the world.

Image taken from www.news.bbc.co.uk
World leaders including the Queen are largely into their 2nd half-century of years.

Young leaders have found it tough, most notably Barack Obama, who after a highly successful campaign trail, now endures criticisms of his leadership from all quarters. Even footballing superstars like Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, considered 'elderly' within the sphere of football, bring so much magic and indispensable experience that no amount of money can simply purchase. The greatest football manager in the Premier League, Sir Alex Ferguson, is well into his 70's and is the most important man at Manchester United football club because of his years of experience in the game. Their enduring success lies in changing and adapting themselves to the modern game.

Image from telegraph.co.uk
Sir Alex Ferguson holds the Premier League trophy for the eleventh time

Finally, elderly people find great joy in grandchildren. In today's busy world where both parents often go out to work, the elderly have the opportunity to be guardians of their grandchildren, help to raise them in a positive way, and of course, spoil them rotten!

I remember with fondness Saturday afternoons at Grandma's house. We were so excited to go there to play for a few hours each weekend. We went on trips down to the South Coast of England with my grandma, and we enjoyed eating our 'chip butties' at my other grandparents' house!

And so we are left with this task of deciding the status of elderly people. And they are left with the conundrum of whether to remain in their old-world ideals, or to adjust to the new world realities.

Stick or Twist?

That, most definitely, is the most prominent question on their minds.

Half-way stage assessment

With winter well and truly whistling in, we have time to take a look at Manchester United's season so far and evaluate the overall performance of the team.

Firstly, we have had to cope with the sale of Ronaldo which has left a gaping vacancy to be filled at Old Trafford. Although he had a quiet start on the right wing, Antonio Valencia has now warmed to the task by weighing in with seven goals and several assists. The Ecuadorian now looks like he can go from strength to strength as he understands his role in the team and learns how to play the United way.

The downside for United so far has obviously been the unlucky timing of injuries to the entire defence. We have struggled without the twin towers of Ferdinand and Vidic, including the loss of the back-up in Brown, O'Shea and Evans. Playing Carrick and Fletcher in central defence has come at a cost and we need to get Ferdinand and Vidic back to full fitness as soon as possible.

The midfield is perhaps our strongest area in terms of numbers yet it has been flimsy at times as Ferguson has rotated between Carrick, Fletcher, Anderson, Scholes and Gibson. He still hasn't found his best combination. None of the partnerships have really seemed to click. Anderson had a good season last time out with some impressive performances in big games, but this season he has really struggled with mediocre displays. He can't seem to make a forward pass to save his life. Nani is no better. For me he's the worst player on our squad list. He played some matches earlier in the season and was totally awful in each outing. I'm sick and tired of his pathetic performances. A complete waste of time and money. Anderson and Nani would be two good sales for me.

What Man. Utd are really missing in the middle is yet another player with a long-term injury - Owen Hargreaves. A player with aggression, bite, passing ability and somewhat of a free-kick specialist, he never stops running and fighting for the cause. The sooner we can get him back to match fitness the better. It will be like signing a new player.

Wayne Rooney has been the shining star for the Red Devils this term and finds himself at the top of the premier league scoring charts with 14 goals as the second half of the season begins. The sale of Ronaldo has certainly benefited Rooney, as he has now been pushed up into his best position - centre forward - and the goals are flowing nicely. He has struck up decent understandings with Giggs and Valencia. But as good as Rooney is, he can't do it all on his own.

I don't know what to say about Dimitar Berbatov. We know he has the talent, which we saw week in, week out at Spurs, but he just isn't clicking at Old Trafford, and his lazy attitude on the pitch is not helping matters either. To have paid 30 million pounds for a goalscorer, with a return of just five goals this season, is a deal which has backfired terribly. Rooney needs a partner who knows how to put the ball in the net, not try fancy flicks that don't come off. Berba would be the first name on my list of sales this summer.

Michael Owen has neither provided too much accuracy in front of goal, showing too many missed chances and fluffed mis-hits when in good positions. Manchester United need to find another front man to take some of the load off of Wayne Rooney's shoulders. David Villa would be a perfect acquisition. He's a goal machine.

While Scholes has been distinctly off the pace, fellow-veteran Ryan Giggs has been flying and playing some of his best football of his career. He has adapted to his loss of blistering pace by using his super-quick footballing brain to pick out passes, score the odd goal and rip the odd full-back (Micah Richards comes to mind!)

Gabriel Obertan and Darron Gibson have put in some impressive displays and look the best of the younger players to make it through to the first team. Rafael, when playing, looks a pretty excellent right-back too.

So while there has been disappointments and doubts in this strange season, Man.Utd still lie 2nd in the table, a point behind Chelsea, have a semi-final in the Carling Cup fast approaching (weather permitting) with enemies Man. City, and have a mouth-watering tie with AC Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League. Everything is still there to play for. If certain key players can return to the team and stay there (Van Der Sar, Ferdinand, Vidic, Hargreaves) then we may be able to bring some silverware back to Old Trafford this season.

Manchester Derby Day

My throat is still a little heavy and sore this morning. I sound like when I was an adolescent going through puberty with that suddenly deep voice breaking through my voicebox. Thanks to Michael Owen's unbelievable stoppage time winner, this condition might last all day.

It was the return of Carlos Tevez which was one of the main talking points in the lead-up to the match.

He was roundly booed every time he touched the ball which I thought was just a little harsh given the work rate and effort he put into his two years with the red half of Manchester. The Old Trafford crowd were particularly happy when he was cautioned midway through the first half.

And it all started so brightly for Man. Utd with Wayne Rooney ghosting into the box, and in an act which I can only decribe as the parting of the blue sea, Man. City's defenders crumbled around him as he slotted the ball under Given for a rapid start.

Ben Foster made a blunder for Man. City's equaliser, allowing Tevez to chase down a lost cause, nab the ball from his grasp and square for Gareth barry to slot home from 12 yards. It was a day full of mistakes from both sides, but Foster's gaffe was an absolute gift.

United came out of the blocks quickly in the second half, the majestic Giggs crossing perfectly for Fletcher to head home four minutes after the interval. But within minutes, Man. City had levelled again when United's defence simply allowed Bellamy all the time in the world to cut inside and fire an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

Man Utd were dominating the second period though and if it wasn't for Shay Given they would have been out of sight. With ten minutes remaining Giggs sent over a wonderful ball which Fletcher met again for a carbon copy of his earlier goal, to surely give United the three points.

But awfully for Ferdinand, he gifted the ball to Bellamy in the 90th minute as he tried to scoop it over his head, failing miserably. Bellamy ran the length of the United half and calmly tucked it past Foster from an acute angle. How I laid in to Rio after that. I really thought his lazy error had cost us the game.

With four minutes added-on time, United pushed to find a winner. When Rooney stood over a free-kick near the half-way line, the clock had already spilled over to it's sixth minute. When that free-kick was headed away by the first defender, I expected to hear the referee's whistle and two points lost, but it didn't come. Amazingly, the game continued. Perhaps Richards and Wright-Philipps were expecting the same, because they completely switched off in what happened next. Rooney lofted the ball skywards and when Giggs collected the loose ball, he threaded a perfect pass through the gap to the on-rushing Owen. I don't remember him touching the ball once since he came on, but this first touch was elegant and his second touch was even better, slotting the ball over Given's despairing hand and into the bottom corner of the net.

Old Trafford erupted, my apartment erupted, it was the most complete and utter joyous disbelief!

Mark Hughes will be livid about the amount of stoppage time added on, but Alex Feguson was ecstatic at putting Man. City back in their place with a 4-3 win and all bragging rights safely with the red half of Manchester as it should be. Michael Owen proved what a world-class, quality finisher he is with this two-touch cameo to bring the points to Old Trafford. What a fantastic match and a most dramatic ending!

COME ON UNITED!