How to Read “An old person’s forgetfulness and a young person’s thoughtlessness”
Toshiyori no monowasure wakai mono no mufunbetsu
Meaning of “An old person’s forgetfulness and a young person’s thoughtlessness”
This proverb clearly expresses human characteristics based on age. Old people have the weakness of forgetfulness, while young people have the weakness of thoughtlessness.
This isn’t meant as criticism. Rather, it’s an objective observation about the natural state of human beings.
As people age, their memory weakens and they forget things. When people are young, they lack experience and act without careful thought.
Everyone goes through these stages. This proverb recognizes these traits as unavoidable parts of human nature.
People use this saying to encourage understanding between generations. It promotes tolerance by accepting each other’s weaknesses rather than blaming them.
Even today, when we see elderly people forgetting things or young people acting recklessly, this proverb helps us understand. These behaviors are natural for humans.
No one is perfect. Every age has its own weaknesses. This saying contains a deep understanding of human nature.
Origin and Etymology
The exact first written appearance of this proverb is unclear. However, it was likely widely used among common people during the Edo period.
The structure of the phrase is interesting. It contrasts the characteristics of two generations at opposite ends of life.
The choice of words reveals an interesting perspective. For old people, the proverb mentions “forgetfulness,” which refers to declining memory.
This points to natural physical changes that come with aging. For young people, it mentions “thoughtlessness,” meaning a lack of judgment or careful consideration.
This represents mental immaturity due to lack of experience.
This contrast reflects traditional Japanese views about human nature. It shows a calm observation of human growth and aging.
The proverb acknowledges that each age has unavoidable weaknesses. In a culture that values Confucian respect for elders, this saying is notable.
It frankly points out the faults of old people too. In a way, it shows the realistic view of human nature held by common people.
The saying stands on the premise that no human is perfect. It contains the wisdom that having different weaknesses at different ages is the natural state of humanity.
Usage Examples
- An old person’s forgetfulness and a young person’s thoughtlessness, so we should forgive each other since we’re both imperfect
- An old person’s forgetfulness and a young person’s thoughtlessness is well said, since neither is perfect
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has been passed down for generations for a good reason. It captures the unavoidable truth of human growth and aging with a spirit of acceptance rather than criticism.
We all start as young people and eventually grow old. Throughout this process, we live with different kinds of imperfection.
When we’re young, we make mistakes because we lack experience. Our passion runs ahead of us, and we act without thinking deeply about consequences.
However, this is also a privilege of youth. It’s an opportunity to learn from failure.
On the other hand, as we age, we gain rich experience and wisdom. But in exchange, our physical functions decline. Memory loss is also proof of a long life.
The deep wisdom of this proverb lies in how it helps avoid generational conflict. When young people want to criticize old people for “forgetting things often,” it reminds them of their own “thoughtlessness.”
When old people want to complain that young people “lack judgment,” it makes them aware of their own “forgetfulness.”
Humans are imperfect beings. But that imperfection simply changes form with age. Everyone has some kind of weakness.
This recognition becomes the foundation for building a tolerant society. Rather than seeking perfection, we should acknowledge each other’s imperfections.
Isn’t that what it means to live as a human being?
When AI Hears This
The human brain consists of about 86 billion neurons, but memory capacity isn’t infinite. From an information theory perspective, the difference between old and young people can be understood as a “data compression rate” problem.
A young person’s brain stores raw data almost as is. For example, they remember the detailed taste of yesterday’s lunch or every word of a conversation with friends.
This is a state of high information “entropy,” meaning high information content. But there’s a problem.
While individual memories are vivid, the processing to integrate them and find “patterns” hasn’t caught up. In other words, they see the trees but not the forest.
That’s why they repeat similar mistakes. This is the true nature of thoughtlessness.
On the other hand, an old person’s brain has “compressed” years of experience. From thousands of human interactions, they’ve extracted laws like “this is what happens in this situation” and stored them efficiently.
This is the same principle as information compression algorithms. Just as a JPG image reduces file size by removing details from the original photo, the brain deletes details of individual events and keeps only the essence.
As a result, they may not remember last night’s dinner, but they can make important life judgments. In exchange for forgetfulness, they’ve gained judgment, a highly advanced abstraction ability.
In other words, the two aren’t in opposition. They’re positioned at both ends of an unavoidable tradeoff in information processing systems.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches us the importance of tolerance in accepting human diversity. At work and at home, we have many opportunities to spend time with different generations.
In those moments, don’t focus only on others’ faults. Remember that you also have imperfections in different forms.
When you feel frustrated by an elderly person’s forgetfulness, look at the rich experience and wisdom they possess. When you want to frown at a young person’s rash behavior, try to appreciate their flexibility and fresh perspective.
Because no one is perfect, we can complement each other.
Most importantly, this proverb teaches us to be kind to ourselves. If you’re young, don’t blame yourself too much for mistakes in judgment. That’s part of the growth process.
If you’re older, don’t feel down about forgetting things. That’s proof you’ve lived a long life.
Humans are beautiful precisely because they’re imperfect. By acknowledging each other’s imperfections, we can build warm relationships.
Comments