Adolescents should empathize with the thoughts and feelings of the old generation in an extended family. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Our society is always evolving at a dramatic pace. As a result, people's attitudes, beliefs, and ideologies change throughout time which leads to dissent between the younger and older generations, especially in extended families. To solve the previous problem, there has been an opinion that adolescents should express a sympathetic attitude toward the thoughts and feelings of the golden-ager. Personally, I partly agree with this perspective.

In the first place, it is undeniable that the elderly own an abundant amount of experience. It is because our grandparents had gone through thick and thin, and witnessed the beauty as well as the negative aspects of society. Therefore, their advice is seriously considered a priceless treasure. In no circumstances should the young turn a deaf ear to those timeless lessons. For instance, it is a compulsory condition that every couple must bring their lover to a meeting between their family if they both decided to proceed with the marriage. Paying attention to the comments on their partner effectively supports them in getting the right conclusion.

On the contrary, being always obedient with a view to creating a harmonious atmosphere is not an ideal belief. Frankly, some of the viewpoints of the old generation are imposing, even narrow-minded. To illustrate, it is a common phenomenon in Vietnam that the elderly have unknowingly placed a burden on young generations by expecting them to follow the path of medical science – a great profession with a high salary in the old society. Unless the teenagers put attempt to express exactly what are their dreams, they will sacrifice their whole lifetime meaninglessly just to fulfill what call “sympathizing” with the thoughts and feelings of the elderly.

All things considered, highly respected the golden ager is a beauty in Vietnamese culture, which helps maintain a stable connection between members of an extended family. However, adolescents should also learn from the older generation wisely and learn how to sincerely express their point of view. Only when sympathy comes from both sides will it bridge the generation gap.