--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is because the young cannot recognize…" description: "\"“It is because the young cannot recognize the youth of the aged, and the old will not acknowledge the experience of the young, that they repel each oth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/george-macdonald-295_aged_it-is-because-the-young-cannot-recognize_371046.png" --- # It is because the young cannot recognize the youth of the… ![“It is because the young cannot recognize the youth of the aged, and the old will not acknowledge the experience of the young, that they repel each other.” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/george-macdonald-295_aged_it-is-because-the-young-cannot-recognize_371046.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/george-macdonald-295_aged_it-is-because-the-young-cannot-recognize_371046.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/george-macdonald-295_aged_it-is-because-the-young-cannot-recognize_371046.png) > ““It is because the young cannot recognize the youth of the aged, and the old will not acknowledge the experience of the young, that they repel each other.”” [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Generational gaps cause mutual misunderstanding when youth and age fail to value each other’s perspectives. **In simple terms:** Age groups often misunderstand each other. Key Takeaway Seek empathy across ages. Themes communication generational conflict empathy Mood thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - workplace mentorship - family gatherings - community projects Key Concepts social psychology intergenerational learning bias Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster mutual respect between age groups? - What benefits arise from sharing experiences? A Different Perspective Older or younger sides may resist change despite dialogue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aged/) [Aged Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aged-old-352926/) [Recognize Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognize-youth-3385236/) [Young Recognize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-recognize-823422/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) [Youth Aged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth-aged-3385235/) ## Related quotes > [“Maintaining my youth has aged me greatly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-w-wilkin/maintaining-my-youth-has-aged-me-greatly/) [D W Wilkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-w-wilkin/) > [“The music from my youth has aged poorly and is now like a joke out of context. You had to be there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/the-music-from-my-youth-has-aged-poorly-and-is-now-like-a-joke-out-of/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [People used to always talk down to me, like, "Oh, you're so young," but now I recognize that my age is an advantage; there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-blanchard/people-used-to-always-talk-down-to-me-like-oh-you-re-so-young-but-now/) [Rowan Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-blanchard/) > [I like old people when they have aged well. And old houses with an accumulation of sweet honest living in them are good. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-k-fisher/i-like-old-people-when-they-have-aged-well-and-old-houses-with-an/) [M. F. K. Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-k-fisher/) > [“First you are young, then you are middle aged; then you are old; then you are wonderful." Lady Diana Cooper”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-tucker/first-you-are-young-then-you-are-middle-aged-then-you-are-old-then/) [Marcia Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-tucker/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I'm partial to a nice Parmesan that has aged well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-part/i-m-partial-to-a-nice-parmesan-that-has-aged-well/) [John Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-part/) > [I first picked up a violin aged five - I just assumed everyone played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-rieu/i-first-picked-up-a-violin-aged-five-i-just-assumed-everyone-played/) [Andre Rieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-rieu/) > [I'm not someone who had to worry about aging on camera. I was already aged when I got there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/i-m-not-someone-who-had-to-worry-about-aging-on-camera-i-was-already/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [“I am a very old man. How old I do not know. It is possible I am a hundred, maybe more. I cannot tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/i-am-a-very-old-man-how-old-i-do-not-know-it-is-possible-i-am-a/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [I said 'No, I've aged, but grown up? No'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lloyd/i-said-no-i-ve-aged-but-grown-up-no/) [Jake Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lloyd/) > [If we didn't live venturously, plucking the wild goat by the beard, and trembling over precipices, we should never be depressed, I've no doubt;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/if-we-didn-t-live-venturously-plucking-the-wild-goat-by-the-beard-and/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“She would not say of anyone in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-would-not-say-of-anyone-in-the-world-now-that-they-were-this-or/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I’m 59 and people call me middle aged. How many 118 year old men do you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-cryer/i-m-59-and-people-call-me-middle-aged-how-many-118-year-old-men-do/) [Barry Cryer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-cryer/) > [Relish love in your old age! Aged love is like aged wine; it becomes more satisfying, more refreshing, more valuable, more appreciated and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/relish-love-in-your-old-age-aged-love-is-like-aged-wine-it-becomes/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) ## More by George MacDonald > [“No revelation can be other than partial. If for true revelation a man must be told all the truth, then farewell to revelation; yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-revelation-can-be-other-than-partial-if-for-true-revelation-a-man/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Life and religion are one, or neither is any thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/life-and-religion-are-one-or-neither-is-any-thing/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Ah, what is it we send up thither, where our thoughts are either a dissonance or a sweetness and a grace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/ah-what-is-it-we-send-up-thither-where-our-thoughts-are-either-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-must-learn-to-be-strong-in-the-dark-as-well-as-in-the-day-else/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [ “I wish I had \[made that song\]. No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Explore all 720 George MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More Aged quotes > [Relish love in your old age! Aged love is like aged wine; it becomes more satisfying, more refreshing, more valuable, more appreciated and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/relish-love-in-your-old-age-aged-love-is-like-aged-wine-it-becomes/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [I’m 59 and people call me middle aged. How many 118 year old men do you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-cryer/i-m-59-and-people-call-me-middle-aged-how-many-118-year-old-men-do/) [Barry Cryer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-cryer/) > [“She would not say of anyone in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-would-not-say-of-anyone-in-the-world-now-that-they-were-this-or/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [If we didn't live venturously, plucking the wild goat by the beard, and trembling over precipices, we should never be depressed, I've no doubt;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/if-we-didn-t-live-venturously-plucking-the-wild-goat-by-the-beard-and/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I said 'No, I've aged, but grown up? No'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lloyd/i-said-no-i-ve-aged-but-grown-up-no/) [Jake Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lloyd/) > [“I am a very old man. How old I do not know. It is possible I am a hundred, maybe more. I cannot tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/i-am-a-very-old-man-how-old-i-do-not-know-it-is-possible-i-am-a/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [I'm not someone who had to worry about aging on camera. I was already aged when I got there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/i-m-not-someone-who-had-to-worry-about-aging-on-camera-i-was-already/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [I first picked up a violin aged five - I just assumed everyone played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-rieu/i-first-picked-up-a-violin-aged-five-i-just-assumed-everyone-played/) [Andre Rieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-rieu/) > [I'm partial to a nice Parmesan that has aged well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-part/i-m-partial-to-a-nice-parmesan-that-has-aged-well/) [John Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-part/) > [I've been cycling ever since I was a kid. I remember taking my cycling proficiency test aged seven - I got to school at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-connor/i-ve-been-cycling-ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-remember-taking-my-cycling/) [Erin O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-connor/) > [I do feel like I've gotten younger as I've aged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/i-do-feel-like-i-ve-gotten-younger-as-i-ve-aged/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [When we're young, everyone over the age of thirty looks middle-aged, everyone over fifty antique. And time, as it goes by, confirms that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/when-we-re-young-everyone-over-the-age-of-thirty-looks-middle-aged/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [I've aged. 'Patagonia' has robbed me of a decade of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-rhys/i-ve-aged-patagonia-has-robbed-me-of-a-decade-of-my-life/) [Matthew Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-rhys/) > [I like my dry-aged steaks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malik-jackson/i-like-my-dry-aged-steaks/) [Malik Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malik-jackson/) > [“She felt very young, at the same time unspeakably aged. She sliced like a knife through everything, at the same time was outside, looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-felt-very-young-at-the-same-time-unspeakably-aged-she-sliced-like/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) [Browse all 137 Aged quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aged/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is because the young cannot recognize the youth of the aged, and the old will not acknowledge the experience of the young, that they repel each other.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/it-is-because-the-young-cannot-recognize-the-youth-of-the-aged-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aged" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/it-is-because-the-young-cannot-recognize-the-youth-of-the-aged-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/george-macdonald-295_aged_it-is-because-the-young-cannot-recognize_371046.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/george-macdonald-295_aged_it-is-because-the-young-cannot-recognize_371046.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/225/george-macdonald-295_aged_it-is-because-the-young-cannot-recognize_371046.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is because the young cannot recognize the youth of the aged, and the old will not acknowledge the…” — George MacDonald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "George MacDonald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is because the young cannot...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/it-is-because-the-young-cannot-recognize-the-youth-of-the-aged-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/it-is-because-the-young-cannot-recognize-the-youth-of-the-aged-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```