"A test of a people is how it behaves toward the old. It is easy to love children. Even tyrants and dictators make a point of being fond of children. But the affection and care for the old, the incurable, the helpless are the true gold mines of a culture"
- Abraham Joshua Heschel
About this Quote
This quote by Abraham Joshua Heschel speaks with the importance of how a people treat their senior. It is simple to love children, as even autocrats and totalitarians make a point of loving them. Nevertheless, it is the care and love for the senior, the incurable, and the helpless that genuinely reveals the character of a culture. This quote speaks to the significance of respecting and honoring our seniors, as they are the ones who have lived the longest and have the most knowledge to share. It is a pointer that we must not take our elderly for granted, but instead reveal them the exact same love and respect that we show our children. By doing so, we can make sure that our culture is one that worths and cherishes its senior, and that our society is one that is constructed on compassion and understanding.
"Raising children is an incredibly hard and risky business in which no cumulative wisdom is gained: each generation repeats the mistakes the previous one made"