"Ageism" is nonsense

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My mum and stepdad are 26 years different.

I don't disapprove since mum already had a six year old, a degree, and about 10 years of experience at either uni or work when they got together. She had her own place. She was a proper, mature, adult who could handle herself. He was in debt so if anything he was the 'gold digger' (he wasn't, it was a pure love match).

I think when it comes to grown ups who've left home, had kids etc, it's not a major issue to have an age gap.

And certainly when it's a 'toy boy' the judgements are generally a case of shallowness from guys who never heard of 'cougars'

The head of our family is my granddad and he's 81. I respect my mum and auntie more than I respect my cousins & I respect him most of all. I respected my great uncle before he died, too, not in the same way as we didn't have direct lineage but as someone who I could listen to and get advice from. This is why I don't really get why older people are offended at my opinions - it's saying that within reason, elders deserve more respect and that's a sensible system.

Me and my cousins are adults but in a lot of ways we're still like we were as kids, at least when we're together or with older relations. My mum even calls my cousins 'little H' and 'little A'. H is getting married this year, she's 29, I'm over 30, but we're still our mothers' children.

Been thinking about this and maybe it's one of those things where my understanding of language or culture's the issue.

I think both these things:

1 It's silly to not assume people are generally different at different ages. That's not the same sort of stereotype as for eg 'black people are stupid'.

2 It's bad to dislike or otherwise have negativity towards people simply for being old. People are people and old age/just aging in general has its own benefits. Maybe some societies do this, especially the ones which are shallow and value those things found in youth such as health and beauty at the expense of those things found in old age such as wisdom and experience.

Well, I lost a place in grad school and a job in part because of my age. Ageism is not nonsense.