In this piece, I’ll share two anecdotes with autobiographical hints about being labeled “ignorant.” It’s been a while since I last posted one on my site. While I’ve experienced many such moments in daily life, choosing one that’s truly worth sharing is never easy. I also hear stories from others, but an anecdote, by its nature, should be short and meaningful. Rather than going in circles with definitions, let’s get right to the point: Here are two of my own experiences.
The Old Man
One autumn day, a young man in his twenties was walking down the road. On the opposite side, he saw an old man approaching with a dog and a stick he had probably picked up from a bush. The young man intended to walk past—he didn’t like the look of the old man and thought there was nothing an elder could tell him. But he was wrong.
The old man hailed him and started complaining about something. The young man responded, expressing his own thoughts politely. Yet the old man disliked what he heard, and soon an argument began. Then, the old man did the one thing the young man hated most: he called him “ignorant.”
The young man was furious—he was tired of being labeled that way. Every time he argued with an elder, the story was the same: if they disliked his opinion, they called him ignorant. The young man replied that it was, in fact, the old man who was truly ignorant and uneducated, someone who resorted to insults when faced with things he didn’t want to hear. Hearing this, the old man grew angrier and accused the young man of being disrespectful. The young man, however, said he wouldn’t respect such a person and told the old man never to speak to him again. Then he continued on his way.
You Wouldn’t Understand
One winter day, a group of women was sitting at home, chatting. The son of the household overheard their conversation. He didn’t agree with what they were saying and tried to explain his viewpoint, but what he heard in return left him stunned.
As the discussion went on, it became clear that it wouldn’t lead anywhere. One of the older women started addressing the boy directly, but it was pointless. His opinions were firm, and he was determined to express them. Consequently, when the older woman couldn’t counter his arguments, she said, “You’re ignorant—you wouldn’t understand.”
The boy immediately replied, “When I say something that pleases you, I’m educated; when I say something that doesn’t, I’m ignorant.” Once again, a young person had been branded with that same old label. Ultimately, the argument ended there, and everyone went back to what they were doing.
Both of these anecdotes resemble experiences I’ve had myself. Unfortunately, instead of being good examples, many of our elders choose to belittle us or harshly criticize us—as if they were never young once. When I look around, I no longer see the wise, calm elders we were told about as children. On the contrary, most of them seem like people who only waste my time. Yet, they are the ones who should enlighten us with their experience and stand by us, not tear us down.
