“I’m 40, I Know Everything”

Do you find it insanely annoying when your parents (or any older adults) think that you know absolutely nothing? And that they know everything because they have more experience ... or something?

Everyone has their specialties. But no one knows everything. I will never say I’m the smartest person in the world. I’m not. I am a smart person, sure, but not the smartest. I think things through and I make decisions based on fact. If I don’t know much about a topic, I’ll ask someone who knows more than me. Or I will do some research. I won’t pretend to know it all.

Being smart is knowing when you don’t know everything.

My mom went to purchase a new computer last month. That’s great, except she knows nothing about computers except how to turn one on. So she essentially got a random computer at the store. So she comes home with her new laptop. She was able to turn on the computer, but that was about it. Now she’s having trouble connecting to the printer, connecting to wireless, using the operating system, etc. Well, she could have admitted that she knew nothing about computers. I would have happily helped her find a computer that would suit her needs. And, instead of spending as much money on a computer, I could have found a simple computer without the extra add ons. I probably could have found one for half the price that was easier to use.

Just because she's older does not mean she knows everything. And it certainly doesn’t mean she knows more than me, just because I’m only 20.

Another thing that irritates me is that she claims I think I know everything. I am constantly getting this from her. “You think you know everything because you’re 20.” Of course, I have learned more as I’ve grown up. And it makes me more confident in what I do know. But I am tired of people looking down on me because of this. I’m not a child. I’m almost a college graduate. I live on my own. I don’t report back to people and I’m doing just fine on my own. They may be knowledgeable but they don’t know everything.

Teachers or professors will sometimes do similar things. Sometimes a teacher will tell you a lie. Not necessarily on purpose. They think because he or she is older, he or she knows more than me.

No one knows everything. It is perfectly fine to say "This isn’t my area of expertise" or something along those lines.

Don’t look down on anyone, older or younger. You may not know what they know. They could be smarter than you seem. Have experience in something else that you never expected. People who have a PhD are not the only smart people in the world. Experience is useful as well as education.

It’s rude to just look down on someone. Try listening to someone for once. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.