can u be 21 and know it all?

chrissb7

people in there mid thirties and fourties claim to know how the world works and they've seen it all and yet they complain about the world and the state its in.As a youth i want to pose the question knowing the world at 21? well considering we grew in to this day and age we are far more prepared for the world than most being young means flexible i believe to approach these 2 things you would hav to have a certain level of maturity to adept change and succeed in the world so yes maybe we do have all the answers and we do know how to face lifes challanges better than people twice the age.

Random

A 21yo can't know what it's like to be a 61yo.

That is all.

phasers

nobody fully knows how the world works young man

Karlusss

Nobody knows it all.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Everything except punctuation and spelling, it would appear.

Beyond that, no. Stop being silly.

Einstein

not so much know the world, but have experienced more cons and blags, learnt from them, know all the signs and know how better to deal with 'em.

mumhaabu

At the age of 19 I abandoned all liberal and social beliefs and quickly understood how the world works. Within 500 days I had more money earned than I was set to make in a decade. I certainly believe I know alot, I cannot say I know it all but I have a far greater understanding of the globe than others.

I hold my core beliefs of liberty and personal freedom coupled to the underlying work ethic that money is the bottom line always. I beleive each human being was put on this earth by god and from the moment go some are destined to be successful and more will be idiots.

Considering most people take until their forties to abandon their entrenched liberal mindset, I would say that the majority of people have no clue at 21 but I had!

Foxhound38

To succeed in the world it helps to be able to spell properly and use punctuation...

MagicMarker

chrissb7 wrote: »

people in there mid thirties and fourties claim to know how the world works and they've seen it all and yet they complain about the world and the state its in.As a youth i want to pose the question knowing the world at 21? well considering we grew in to this day and age we are far more prepared for the world than most being young means flexible i believe to approach these 2 things you would hav to have a certain level of maturity to adept change and succeed in the world so yes maybe we do have all the answers and we do know how to face lifes challanges better than people twice the age.

What?

cnocbui

chrissb7 wrote: »

well considering we grew in to this day and age we are far more prepared for the world than most...so yes maybe we do have all the answers and we do know how to face lifes challanges better than people twice the age.

You really should print this out, frame it, pop it on a wall and have a really good laugh at yourself in 20 years time.

MagicMarker

mumhaabu wrote: »

At the age of 19 I abandoned all liberal and social beliefs and quickly understood how the world works. Within 500 days I had more money earned than I was set to make in a decade.

Money daddy gives you doesn't count.

Mmmm_Lemony

Short answer is 'no'

Long answer is 'No, i should know'

meh, i'm 21 and think I know more about how the world works than my mother or father..

Sea Sharp

You're gonna be wiser at 40 than you are now. That's not to say (or to say) that you're an idiot now.

Nobody has the world sussed, but you can get closer as u age.

BJC

mumhaabu wrote: »

At the age of 19 I abandoned all liberal and social beliefs and quickly understood how the world works. Within 500 days I had more money earned than I was set to make in a decade. I certainly believe I know alot, I cannot say I know it all but I have a far greater understanding of the globe than others.

I hold my core beliefs of liberty and personal freedom coupled to the underlying work ethic that money is the bottom line always. I beleive each human being was put on this earth by god and from the moment go some are destined to be successful and more will be idiots.

Considering most people take until their forties to abandon their entrenched liberal mindset, I would say that the majority of people have no clue at 21 but I had!

So you're dissilusioned with life by the age of 21, great.
Aboandoning all social and liberal beliefs is a bad thing by the way, especially by the age of 21.

I do believe we have the next Mussolini on our hands...

BJC

Deleted User wrote: »

meh, i'm 21 and think I know more about how the world works than my mother or father..

But would that be because of more education?
The OP needs to narrow his focus also. Wise and knowledgable are two independant attributes not mutually exclusive.

destroyer

chrissb7 wrote: »

people in there mid thirties and fourties claim to know how the world works and they've seen it all and yet they complain about the world and the state its in.As a youth i want to pose the question knowing the world at 21? well considering we grew in to this day and age we are far more prepared for the world than most being young means flexible i believe to approach these 2 things you would hav to have a certain level of maturity to adept change and succeed in the world so yes maybe we do have all the answers and we do know how to face lifes challanges better than people twice the age.

When I was 21 I was just like you, believing older people were out of
date and I knew more than they did, and just like you I'd have a few
drinks too many and rant incoherently and nonsensically about it.
I may even have written it down like you,though just didn't have anywhere to post it back then (thankfully) for the world to see

BJC

BJC wrote: »

But would that be because of more education?
The OP needs to narrow his focus also. Wise and knowledgable are two independant attributes not mutually exclusive.

ya, more education and more interest in world events i guess..

Mmmm_Lemony

destroyer wrote: »

When I was 21 I was just like you, believing older people were out of
date and I knew more than they did, and just like you I'd have a few
drinks too many and rant incoherently and nonsensically about it.
I may even have written it down like you,though just didn't have anywhere to post it back then (thankfully) for the world to see

And now?

JDxtra

chrissb7 wrote: »

people in there mid thirties and fourties claim to know how the world works and they've seen it all and yet they complain about the world and the state its in.As a youth i want to pose the question knowing the world at 21? well considering we grew in to this day and age we are far more prepared for the world than most being young means flexible i believe to approach these 2 things you would hav to have a certain level of maturity to adept change and succeed in the world so yes maybe we do have all the answers and we do know how to face lifes challanges better than people twice the age.

Well, for a start you certainly don't know it all when it comes to spelling and grammar...

Rented Mule

You can't know it all at that age, although we all thought we did.

....now get off my lawn you damn kids !!

builttospill

It would be typical of a 21 year old to actually believe that. I could sit here and write a thesis on why this musing is utter nonsense but I'm much too older and wiser to bother me hole.

destroyer

Mmmm_Lemony wrote: »

And now?

And now....... I know very little more than I did then ,the difference
is I now know how little I know if you know what i mean

Armin_Tamzarian

mumhaabu wrote: »

Within 500 days I had more money earned than I was set to make in a decade.

Wait a minute.
You're saying that after 500 days you'd messed up so badly that it would take you over a decade to earn as much as your first year's wages?

Jeez, that's pretty tragic kid.
Most people try to increase the size of their annual wage as they go through life but you seem to have goofed up big time.

You're not one of those guys that caused the current 'Economic Crisis' are you.
Oh dear, did daddy get you a job down the stockbrokers and it all went horribly wrong?

Not to worry, if things get really bad you'll be able to sell your nice BMW and survive off the proceeds for a while.
Just don't try to invest the money you get for it...

P.S. If you're going to Troll at least make an effort...

Armin_Tamzarian

To answer your question O/P.

When I was 12 I thought I knew it all.
This continued until I was about 24.
Then I suddenly started to realise that I knew feck all when I was 21.
At 24 I knew a little more, but still alot less than I thought I used to know.
I slowly started to realise that wisdom comes with age.

At 27 I guess it was easier to realise that I then knew quite abit more then, than I had know at 24 but I still know feck all really.

It's a pretty standard thing I believe, the arrogance of youth.
Most 21 year olds seem to think that they know it all but come back
to them a few years down the line and ask them to reflect back
and I'd be surprised if any of them still stand by their original thesis.

Except for Master Mumhaabu, who is of course omniscient...

cnocbui

Deleted User wrote: »

meh, i'm 21 and think I know more about how the world works than my mother or father..

When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant
I could hardly stand to have the old man around.
But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how
much the old man had learned in seven years.

- Mark Twain

Adjust the ages for the fact that people probably mature later these days...

cnocbui

mumhaabu wrote: »

At the age of 19 I abandoned all liberal and social beliefs and quickly understood how the world works. Within 500 days I had more money earned than I was set to make in a decade.

You are not trying son, I was able to retire for life with houses on three continents and with a private jet to get to them with, in just two years.

Send me €80 and I will let you in on my secrets.

andrew

So you know as much now as you will in 50 years time? You've nothing more to gain? You've experienced, well, everything? Doubtful.

ejmaztec

Everybody thinks that they know everything at 21, but then the real world comes along and proves that anything that you know is 99% irrelevant.

Dave!

I've (thus far) lived through a global recession.

I know things.

ejmaztec

Dave! wrote: »

I've (thus far) lived through a global recession.

I know things.

Soon you may leave this place grasshopper.

allabouteve

chrissb7 wrote: »

people in there mid thirties and fourties claim to know how the world works and they've seen it all and yet they complain about the world and the state its in.As a youth i want to pose the question knowing the world at 21? well considering we grew in to this day and age we are far more prepared for the world than most being young means flexible i believe to approach these 2 things you would hav to have a certain level of maturity to adept change and succeed in the world so yes maybe we do have all the answers and we do know how to face lifes challanges better than people twice the age.

Its arrogant to assume perfect knowlege at any age, but I think the greater life experince of older people gives them an enhanced perspective.

Daemonica

I really don't think that you know everything when you are 21. I think you have a fairly relevant idea as to what is going on in society. But they have no perspective on it at all.

For instance, I am 22. My dad is miles smarter than me. Sure, I know that the country is going belly up economically, but he has seen it all before and the advise he dispense is invaluable to me.

He is a lot more experienced and a "Man of the World" as it were. He's been to countries I can only dream of going to at the minute, so even by that, I can only learn from him.

An Fear Aniar

In time you'll learn to stop worrying about knowing the "secret to life" and you'll just get on with the business of living.

Two good quotes from Marcus Aurelius, a man of the world if there ever was one:

“Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.”

“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”



.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

mumhaabu wrote: »

At the age of 19 I abandoned all liberal and social beliefs and quickly understood how the world works. Within 500 days I had more money earned than I was set to make in a decade. I certainly believe I know alot, I cannot say I know it all but I have a far greater understanding of the globe than others.

I hold my core beliefs of liberty and personal freedom coupled to the underlying work ethic that money is the bottom line always. I beleive each human being was put on this earth by god and from the moment go some are destined to be successful and more will be idiots.

Considering most people take until their forties to abandon their entrenched liberal mindset, I would say that the majority of people have no clue at 21 but I had!

You think God puts us on the planet to make money...?

You also have to learn that liberalism is as valued a trend as conservatism. I'm guessing it'll take a few years. Some of us give a **** about other people - sometimes even people who have nothing to give in return.

Big Wave

chrissb7 wrote: »

people in there mid thirties and fourties claim to know how the world works and they've seen it all and yet they complain about the world and the state its in.As a youth i want to pose the question knowing the world at 21? well considering we grew in to this day and age we are far more prepared for the world than most being young means flexible i believe to approach these 2 things you would hav to have a certain level of maturity to adept change and succeed in the world so yes maybe we do have all the answers and we do know how to face lifes challanges better than people twice the age.

Do you own a house?
Have you gotten married and/or had a long-term relationship?
Have you run your own business?
Have you been through immense hardships - mental and/or physical?
Have you raised children of your own?
Have you lost any immediate loved ones?
Have you travelled and experienced the world & different cultures?
Have you worked & paid your own bills & survived on your own for an extended period of time (and sharing a gaff while in college doesn't count)?

Stop being so stupid. You know NOTHING. I repeat - NOTHING. Despite what you THINK you know, your physical age dictates you can't know anything yet. Knowledge comes with experience - even the fact you think you know anything at 21 is complete proof how naive you are - you pwned yourself, mate!
I'm just gone 30 - I know 10 times as much now as I did when I was 21, because I experienced most of the above in the interim...and I still have lots to learn & experience. I thought I knew a lot when I was 21 - but looking back, all I knew how to do was scam the dole a bit, skip college, travel to the US for the summer, score some drugs, live in a gaff with some mates & split the rent/bills, and avoid queues for taxis on Saturday nights...but I was never actually dumb enough to think I knew it all, like you do now. And the list is also endless...my examples were just off the top of my head.

artnotort

im 19 and i just about know my name

Tom65

I'm 21 and do actually know everything. I can see how you guys might think I'm just being cocky, but luckily I know everything, which is how I know I know everything. See?

Latchy

Ahhhh ... Heres a song for all you 21 year olds.

Your always 21

livvy

I though i knew pretty much all i needed to know at 21.

11 years on and I've experience really good highs, like getting married & having a family, and some serious lows like having a seriously ill family member.

Now at 32 I think i think i pretty much know all i need to know -

What's the bet at 42 i'll be back saying I knew Jack Sh1te at 32.

You live, You learn.

Latchy

21 is really just a beginning . You have to expierence and go through all kinds of shyte to be able to say I am a much better and wiser person for that .You wont imo , reach that peak of wisdom till about late 40 s .

00112984

Every generation thinks they know more about the world than any other the former generations.

Quite frankly, we, as a generation, know sweet feck all.

Take away our internet, TV, iPods, downloads etc. and we have pretty much nothing. If something happened tomorrow that everything to do with the internet was destroyed (and all jobs gone), how many people would know how to get up off their arses and grow their own food?

Acacia

No, of course not. Well, I probably know what songs are in the charts right now, more so than my dad would but that's about it. Meh. How boring would the next twenty years be if I knew everything already?

MadgeBadge

Arrogance of youth? More like the arrogance of humanity. It doesn't matter what age we are, we always things we know better than those younger or older.

At the ripe old age of 24 I just about have everything sussed.

ejmaztec

MadgeBadge wrote: »

Arrogance of youth? More like the arrogance of humanity. It doesn't matter what age we are, we always things we know better than those younger or older.

At the ripe old age of 24 I just about have everything sussed.

How do you know?

MadgeBadge

ejmaztec wrote: »

How do you know?

I'm young and human, that makes me twice as arrogant. That's how :rolleyes:

Calibos

To not be a liberal at 20 is to have no heart.
To not be a conservative at 40 is to have no brain.

wyk

At 21, assuming you have been on your own and are not under the roof of your parents, you have at best 3-5 years of providing for yourself, paying your own taxes, found and kept your own employment(and learned what it actually takes to improve your position and how to handle politics in work), traveled and interacted with others outside of your village, interacted with a few strangers, maybe interacted with the government regarding taxes or some such, might have a car, might have an animal. Maybe you have some college.

When you are 41, you have:

Graduated college nearly 2 decades years back.

Provided for yourself nearly as long as that 21 year old has been alive.

Have worked for many employers and have mastered the art of office politics.

Have loved and lost many friends, partners, and family.

You have met thousands and thousands of strangers and now can judge their character and intentions and incentives fairly accurately within only minutes of having met them and conversed with them.

You have been not only outside of your village, but to 29 US states, and half of the European States, Belize, Bermuda, Australia, Canada, Mexico, and the Bahamas. You may have also lived in several places, states or countries.

You have owned, fixed, broken, and bought half a dozen cars or more. You may have bought your loved one or child a car. When there is something wrong with it, you have a good chance of knowing what it is(both the car AND the child).

You know your daughter is doing pot in her room when you are away for the weekends on travel, but you don't mind it so long as it doesn't get out of hand and her grades are good.

You have had 8 dogs and 3 cats in your life. You now effortlessly know how to train them, and you still cry when one dies.

You know how to handle disputes with your neighbors, the local authorities, and your family.

You know when to gamble, and you know when to take a sure thing, and have the wisdom to differentiate between the two.

You know what laws can be broken, and which ones can be bent without inviting undo duress upon yourself. You know which ones to follow, and which ones apply to yourself, your property, your car, your dog, your children, your investments, your family, etc.

You know how to cook and prepare 3 dozen different types of meals, but you can afford to, and do, eat out much of the time.

You can order food, a hotel room, a car, and find directions in 4 languages.

You know exactly what tools you will need to repair whatever breaks in your house, and can even do most of the plumbing. You know exactly which ones your neighbors have borrowed, and whom hasn't yet returned them.

When your car gets a flat tyre, you casually pull over to the side of the road, well away from traffic, and you change it yourself. You then replace the spare at your earliest convenience because the last time you didn't, you had another flat.

You know when and how the price of rice in Russia is going to affect you, as well as with the price of oil, drop in demand for copper and steel, and how this years weather patterns are going to make avacados and asparagus harder to find at good prices. You also know that using ethanol fuel is a mistake because it's tiny benefits to pollution control are hardly worth the fact that now your most precious resources(food) are being divided between feeding people and livestock and fueling transportation.

You are not only wiser in the head, but wiser in the heart.

You come to realise that youth is, in fact, utterly wasted on the young.

And you have the wisdom to realise that just because there is a huge digital network of media and information out there to prepare the young for life, it doesn't mean that only youthful people use it. Afterall, it wasn't the youth that developed it and implemented it. It was the well educated and the adults - much of whom were middle-aged.

This 40 year old has been using the internet since he was in college back in 1988...perhaps before that 21year old might have even been born.
I was using Mosaic and making web pages for our internal college computer Sun Microsystems laboratories back in 1993.

If you knew all the answers, you wouldn't have needed ask or seek approval and support... Of course, had you been older and wiser, you would have known that.

So, most importantly, once you have experienced 3 or 4 decades of living on your own, you realize just how much you do not know.

Wes Keller
B.S. Industrial Engineering, minor in German
SJSU, class of '94
Cal Poly S.L.O. class of '92
Oncology Associates Consultant 1998-2009
San Antonio, TX

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. - Socrates

chrissb7 wrote: »

people in there mid thirties and fourties claim to know how the world works and they've seen it all and yet they complain about the world and the state its in.As a youth i want to pose the question knowing the world at 21? well considering we grew in to this day and age we are far more prepared for the world than most being young means flexible i believe to approach these 2 things you would hav to have a certain level of maturity to adept change and succeed in the world so yes maybe we do have all the answers and we do know how to face lifes challanges better than people twice the age.

ChRoMe

there is nothing more sad than a young pessimist or an old optimist

Big Wave

Calibos wrote: »

To not be a liberal at 20 is to have no heart.
To not be a conservative at 40 is to have no brain.

ChRoMe wrote: »

there is nothing more sad than a young pessimist or an old optimist

Fishing for "Thanks" by churning out faux words of wisdom - you fail.

livvy

Some 45 year olds are intelligent, articulate, knowledgeable and wise. Some are complete wasters.

Age doesn't bring knowledge - experience does. Some 25 year olds have gone through major events. IMO 100% of 45 year olds have gone major life events.

So in a long winded way my answer to : can you be 21 and know it all ?
Answer: Possibly - depending on what your life has thrown at you - (but nobody really knows it all !!)