Youth is wasted on the young, or so the saying goes. I’m starting to believe it–we’re youth obsessed. As a (relatively) young person myself, I’d like to ask why.

In my daily life I have precious few interactions with folks who are much older than myself. I live in the city, work from home and hang out mostly at the local non-profit art space where my wife works. What I want to know is, where’s the wisdom?

Enough of this taut skin, I need to see some character! I want some perspective! Someone spin me a yarn! Youthful glow? Boooorrriiiing! Give me some lines, wrinkles and crow’s feet–that’s something to behold.

I’d like to pass an afternoon smoking cigars with my long-gone granddads and watching the sun go down — not, filling the air with idle chatter. I need some of that precious “when I was your age” wisdom, something to make me excited about growing old. I mean, my friends are good and all, but what have we seen in our lifetime? The introduction of cell phones? Please. My “Pa” witnessed the two World Wars, the Great Depression and the proliferation of automobiles and air travel. In the knowledge department it’s a thimble to bucket ratio, and it’s time for us young folk to realize we’re severely out-gunned and ill-prepared.