Does age=intelligence?

In English class, we recently read a chapter from “Metaphors We Live By” by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. (link) This chapter analyzed metaphors in our society that are used so often that we aren’t even aware of them. Some examples of these metaphors are “Time is Money” and “Argument is War”. These are just two metaphors that have become common assumptions in society. They are so common that we often don’t even realize that these metaphors exist. After reading this chapter I started to think, what other metaphors subconsciously dictate our life? One specific metaphor that I have noticed in our society is “Age is Wisdom”. Many people live under the assumption that wisdom automatically comes along with age and that the older you are, the more intelligent you are. The number of years you have lived is used to define your intelligence. One area where this metaphor is especially prevalent is teenagers. There are distinct stereotypes surrounding the judgment, intelligence, and maturity of people within the teenage years. Here are some examples that I have noticed of how people view age in our world.

1. “She’s young, she didn’t know any better.”

If a teenager messes up or does something completely wrong, sometimes age can be used as an excuse. As if youth means that the person who blundered simply does not have the intelligence or wisdom to have realized they were making a mistake. In this way, we attach a negative connotation with the word young using it to mean stupid or immature.

2. “I hate teenagers.”

An old man I know always says this about teenagers. My teacher in fifth grade also made similar remarks by telling us to only come back and visit her when we were older. Its not that all adults actually hate teenagers, but there are definitely negative stereotypes surrounding teenagers. Teenagers are generally viewed as immature, unwise, and just plain annoying.

3. “She is so mature for her age.”

I’ve had many adults and relatives in my life say this about my sister and me to my parents. As if given our age we should be immature? We live under that teenagers are immature and thus when we happen to encounter a relatively mature and intelligent teenager, we are surprised. This person is “too m

Is this a valid metaphor to live by? On the one hand, I would say yes. Generally, older people are wiser than younger people because they have experienced much more and have gained knowledge and understanding through experience. In this way, age is a valid measure of wisdom. But on the other hand, is this always the case? I don’t think it is fair to say that all teenagers are less wise than all elderly people. Some young people are actually very mature and wise. Nonetheless, these stereotypes surrounding teenagers help support and underlying metaphor that we live by.

Analyzing this metaphor also got me thinking on a broader question: should we question these metaphors we live by? In some ways, I believe it is important that we recognize the metaphors we live by but are unaware of because these metaphors are often times not 100 percent valid.