What I don't get...

[Buffalobiian]

"You're a kid" or "I'm older" is used for a few reasons:

1) They can't think of a better reason because they don't have any,
2) They can't think of a better reason because they can't explain it into words,
3) They can't be bothered to think of a better reason because they're lazy
4) They can't be bothered to think of a better reason because they think age/rank is authoritative and therefore the best reason.

I agree with everything Barles said.

I do not approve of the age card because it defaults a certain person's opinion as being right due to their age, rather than letting opinions be debated upon intellectual validity. In a technical argument (or rather, any argument in which you're trying to prove that you're right based on objective points), "Because I'm older" brings it down to subjectiveness inappropriately.

Where I do approve of its use is when the technical aspects of the argument have come to a standstill (ie grey zone), and the topic hinges on values and beliefs rather than straight logic or reason. As Barles has said, age "colours" the way you see things. In other words, your experiences and time spent alive can change your values and beliefs. What may be "worth it" when you're 20 years old may not be "worth it" any more when you're 40 years old.

That said, I "approve" of it being spoken about in order to give a perspective on the issue. It shouldn't be used to rule out younger thoughts on the matter. Because we're in the subjective region, someone else's changes after 10 years of living won't necessarily become your changes/realisations after 10 years. You lived in a different time, were possibly brought up differently and could very well experience things differently from each other during a 10 year period.

"Being older" can give a perspective or an anecdotal reference for someone who has not had as much exposure (either in the field you're talking about, or simply "being alive") to evaluate and think about, but should not be used to dictate that the younger person has to make one decision or another.


edit: How old are we talking about though En? Because biologically speaking, teenagers are still developing their pre-frontal cortex (which is used in decision making).

[Xelbair]

Whole point of argument is to make other side understand your point of view and convince them to adapt it.
Using this kind of argument(doesn't matter if you are right or wrong, or whichever of 4 reasons you've chosen) only infuriates the other party and decreases the chances of convincing them.

[Kraco]

Whole point of argument is to make other side understand your point of view and convince them to adapt it.
Using this kind of argument(doesn't matter if you are right or wrong, or whichever of 4 reasons you've chosen) only infuriates the other party and decreases the chances of convincing them.

If you are in a position of authority (real or imagined), you don't necessarily need to care about convincing the other person. It may save much time to cut it short. Of course it won't make the younger one any happier, but that's life.

[enkoujin]

I've just realized this my entire life - a lot of people have been saying this to me throughout childhood and teenage periods and it really stuck out one night. These weren't in stressful situations that required me to shut up and move, but on many different issues regarding decision making.

I also found out that credibility does serve a great purpose, but that background should be more articulated rather than condensed in such a condescending statement. I wouldn't mind if someone told me, "I've been working with laying down pipelines for the last ten years; trust me on this.", but if I get the "You're just a kid." treatment, I'll treat it as malicious.

[Xelbair]

I've just realized this my entire life - a lot of people have been saying this to me throughout childhood and teenage periods and it really stuck out one night. These weren't in stressful situations that required me to shut up and move, but on many different issues regarding decision making.

I also found out that credibility does serve a great purpose, but that background should be more articulated rather than condensed in such a condescending statement. I wouldn't mind if someone told me, "I've been working with laying down pipelines for the last ten years; trust me on this.", but if I get the "You're just a kid." treatment, I'll treat it as malicious.

Exactly - the second one just infuriates the other party and tempts them to ignore the advice/order.

[Abdula]

Far too many people seem to think age=life experience and it does not. Life experience is life experience and no one has a monopoly on it. Secondly a lot of people simply take a long time to learn from the experiences they have had. Thus they assume that if they did not understand something when they were younger, you can not because you are younger and that is just stupidity. Those are usually the reasons why the you're just a kid or I'm older than you argument is used in my experience.

[Kraco]

Those are usually the reasons why the you're just a kid or I'm older than you argument is used in my experience.

You should add to your list the basic fact: They heard it when they were young themselves, so they spread the love when they get older.

[Buffalobiian]

[Condition Ranking for Pre-owned Items]

Condition Ranking for Outer Box
A: No damage to the box is visible.
B: Some damage to the box is visible.
C: Box is clearly damaged.
N: No box/packaging is included. (item is loose)

Condition Ranking for Item
S: A like-new item. Guaranteed to be unused and unopened.
A: No damage or signs of wear can be seen. Item is either unopened or appears to be unopened.
B: Package has been opened and some slight damage is visible.
C: Package has been opened and conspicuous damage is present.
J: Item is either missing parts (the main body or accessories) OR the shape of the figure itself is visibly altered from the original prototype.

Why use "J"?

[Death BOO Z]

if you're selling something that meant to be used as spare parts, like an old motor or something,

[Buffalobiian]

if you're selling something that meant to be used as spare parts, like an old motor or something,

Could you show me an example?

I tried searching under terms such as "J motor parts", "used car grading system" etc, but I have yet to encounter a J-rated part or its explanation for the choice of that alphabet.

[Death BOO Z]

I'm sorry, I don't really shop online, so the above post was mostly an assumption.

[Animeniax]

These ratings are for used action figures/models, right? So J would be where accessories are missing or parts of the action figure are missing. Like an action figure with missiles or launchable fists, or interchangeable hands, but some of the hands are missing, would be rated J.

[Ryllharu]

Buff isn't questioning what it stands for, that's obvious, the chart is right there.

He's wondering why they go from S-rank, A, B, C, (common in any ranking in Japan, see any video game) to "J" in lieu of D or F.

It's probably the first roman letter of some Japanese word for incomplete/damaged or whatever.

[Animeniax]

If that was his question, then why not also question the use of N or S?

[Death BOO Z]

s,a,b,c is the usual. and N stands for "no package"
and J probably stands for junkyard condition.

again, I'm guessing.

[Ryllharu]

First you fail at basic reading comprehension and deductive reasoning.

If that was his question, then why not also question the use of N or S?

Then you prove it.

edit:
What I don't get is how you graduated high school. Then I remember that Texas writes textbooks that dismiss evolution, glorifies Ronald Reagan to new heights, and has officials claim other textbooks are "indoctrinating" students to Islam.

[Animeniax]

Wow, I bet you think a bunch of racist stuff too. Nice job generalizing. You left out the cowboy hats and that we all ride horses, you racist.

[Ryllharu]

Cute. You of all people calling me a racist.

Also..."Texan" ain't a race.

No generalization at all. But don't let facts get in the way.
(Yes, yes, NYT and HuffPo, but doesn't make it any less true.)

[Dark Dragon]

Actually, most of these revisions didn't happened until very recently. The Texas Board of Education didn't really become extreme right wing (or at the very least, didn't propose rewriting history) until sometime after the tea party movement, before that point most of the textbooks were pretty typical. Arguably the only bias that exist before then are related to world history rather than American, but that's another issue entirely.

So unless Animeniax is still in highschool or graduated within the last 2 years, he's largely unaffected by right wing bias of the current Texas education system.

If facts are going to be brought into the argument, it should be presented base on how it actually happened and within context.

[Animeniax]

Cute. You of all people calling me a racist.

Also..."Texan" ain't a race.

No generalization at all. But don't let facts get in the way.
(Yes, yes, NYT and HuffPo, but doesn't make it any less true.)

Talk about reading comp, I said you probably think a bunch of racist stuff too, since you're so given to generalize about large groups of people (ie people from Texas).

Actually, most of these revisions didn't happened until very recently. The Texas Board of Education didn't really become extreme right wing (or at the very least, didn't propose rewriting history) until sometime after the tea party movement, before that point most of the textbooks were pretty typical. Arguably the only bias that exist before then are related to world history rather than American, but that's another issue entirely.

If facts are going to be brought into the argument, it should be presented base on how it actually happened and within context.

Ryllharu doesn't care about the facts as much as he just wants a springboard for going on a rant.