They Do Not Think About What They Are Doing - The Character of Elderly Men 4

These elderly individuals live their entire lives distant from the morality of the religion; they hide behind their perception as old, trying to find some excuse to act thoughtlessly — another bad habit in the society of ignorance. They believe they can excuse their moral deficiency by their age. Whatever the case may be, the society of ignorance accepts these deficiencies as typical of some old people. They will try to pass over an elderly person’s eccentricities by saying, “Excuse him, he’s old; he doesn’t know what he is saying.” However, that elderly person is completely aware of what he has done, and has probably done it deliberately. When their personal interest is at stake, they understand all too well what is owed to them; they know when they are not getting their due, or when a mistake has been made not in their favor. In any case, much of their tactlessness is often deliberate.

They know very well when to use talk insinuatingly, and whom to say it to. They use these tactics at almost every chance they get. They know how to have a normal, straight-forward conversation, but rarely do so.

If they are asked for the reason for their sickness when they fall ill, they say things like “because I have not eaten meat for a long time,” “the room I slept in was cold” or “I get very tired,” thus hinting that someone else is to be blamed for being neglectful.

At times, they will pursue minor forms of revenge. For example, when guests come to visit, they will bring up a subject that will embarrass the other members of the house, will speak the most inappropriate things for all to hear, although they know that it will hurt the people around. Then, they will hide behind their age, pretending they did not know they had said anything unkind, and pass over the matter with an apology. But, they knew exactly what they were doing. They know that the best way for them to take revenge on someone who is angry with them is to humiliate that person with their lack of tact.