Institutional Knowledge.

Approximately 3.19 Million Americans die each year.

Most of them are old.  As in, over 65.  The majority of these deaths happen to those over 75.  And being 80 or over means they drop like flies.  Like lemmings rushing to the sea, they travel headlong into the abyss.  And there's no way to avoid it.  

None.    

And they take with them all the knowledge and experience they gathered over the span of their lives.  All the pain and joy and happiness and sadness and learning they collected over an entire lifetime.  All the mistakes they made and all the solutions they learned to avoid a repetition of those mistakes.  All the book learning.  And all the experience gained from the school of hard knocks.  In short, all the smarts they gained from just living; and avoid dying.

With exception of the small minority afflicted by various disease states that rob them of their mental faculties, most are "compas mentis."  Meaning as smart or smarter than they were decades earlier.  In fact, they know the answers to nearly every question.  Except knowbody is asking.  They are just put out to pasture and of no further consequence.

Exceppppt, they take with them all the institutional knowledge they gained over that lifetime.  It's lost.  Gone.  And forgotten.  By everyone but them.

No, our society doesn't value age.  Unlike some societies which revere age, like our indigineous populations, we Americans value only youth.  Americans blow huge sums to look young.  Face lifts, and tummy tucks, and butt lifts.  Just look at the Kardashians and you'll know what I mean.  Veneers, and hair plugs, and hours in the gym to try and maintain youthful looks.  No, Fellow Patriots, with certain exceptions, we hire from the Yale faculty lounge far more than we do from those who've strained to keep on living.  And learning.

Although my memory isn't what it used to be, I'd say I'm far smarter than I was decades ago.  And so are most of those my age.  Yes, they know the answers to most any question, it's just that nobody's asking.

I'm not complaining, mind you.  I've worked hard to achieve my decades of knowledge and experience.  Much of which I try share in this unassuming little blog.  And I've worked hard to keep learning and knowing and sharing.  I think it helps keep us mentally sharp.  We shouldn't warehouse our elderly.  We should fete them for managing to avoid becoming a Darwin Award recipient.  And lament the fact that we're wasting the loss of their knowledge and experience.   

I've long believed that this plain of existence is our final exam.  It's just that we have to die to know if we passed.  But until we do, I ask that we love our elders.  And ask them their opinions.  

They have them.  Except nobody's asking...