age discrimination

[MgicTwnger]

Looks like he caught a couple of bass while out trolling. :hai:

Guess I'll never learn......

 

[Robert Phillips]

Or you should consider "English as a second language" along with the trolling!

 

[rcrs007]

Maybe there is lots of discrimination in the civilian dive worls, but I've never really noticed it that much. As the youngest QL2 ("Adv Inspection Diver") in the Canadian Navy I get so much of the standard old vs young attitude that I'm pretty much immune to it by now.

However, as a person who's experienced it, and overcome it as much as possible my suggestion is to understand that it natural for them to have the "young people are ingorant" attitude. Odd's are you'll have the same attitude when your old. So DON'T expect them to change. Change yourself (adapt to the situation) by: listening, offering opinions while being humble about it, understanding that it's you that has to earn their respect first.

It may be a challenge for the truly rude and ignorant, but for the average level headed person it's just a small adaptation in order to achieve a large gain.

Ryan

*By gaining their respect by a means acceptable to them closes the young vs old gap piece-by-piece.

 

[d33ps1x]

Just visit Cozumel and you will see them in swarms.

The "I've been diving for 30 years sonnyboy" type with the big red drunk noses that drag they're bicycle kicking, hand sculling bulk through the coral like whisky powered bulldozers.

Truly an awe inspiring sight.

 

[DORSETBOY]

havent seen any correlation myself between how good or crap divers are and their age.

 

[sbloomer]

I'm 21 and I get it also. I think some of it has to do with older divers not wanting to look bad with their juniors. Also after dive chat probably has a bit to do with it. I don't want to finish a dive and talk HMO's, IRA, 401K, and how the SS check didn't come in this weeks mail so I can't afford fills.

I'm not sure that "dive chat" is really relevant, or am I mistaken. I have dived with all sorts of ages from 15 to 50, some were good buddies, some bad. It doesn't mean they have to be your friends (but yes it often helps). I have some buddies I wouldn't be seen dead with socially, but they are guys and gals who I have dived with regularly, and are available for a quick night dive or whatever. Conversely I have diving friends whom I wouldn't dive with.

I enjoy diving with "youngsters" (I'm 32) as long as they're competent - same applies to "oldsters" Arrogance and brashness knows no age limits so you're likely to come across clowns no matter how old they are - as long as all the clowns stick together as far away from me as possible.

 

[Genesis]

I don't care about age in my diving buddies.

I have "regulars" from teens to a couple of older guys, and interests from watching pretty fish to spearing them. None of it bothers me; let's get wet.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Never noticed a correlation either. My youngest dive buddy is 14 ... my oldest dive buddy is 74. They're both a lot of fun to dive with.

I tend to avoid divers with attitudes, regardless of their age ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[PolsVoice]

in my experience I've gotten the typical "young people are ignorant" type of treatment. but the majority look beyond that.

It seems that some people still have the "youth gone wild" idea, and take that stereotype to infer that younger divers are more dangerous buddies. I've dove with 50+ yr olds who have had their OW and AOW for decades that were far more dangerous than my 16 yr old brother on his first dive after his OW checkout.

But on a whole, I get the sense that the dive community carries higher regard for the skillfull use of commen sense and dive technique over the stereotype of the reckless youth.

but to be fair...

I'm 24, and my pool of diving buddies, though diverse, don't gripe about youth.

- PolsVoice

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I've dove with 50+ yr olds who have had their OW and AOW for decades that were far more dangerous than my 16 yr old brother on his first dive after his OW checkout.

Gee, if the comments of the past 4+ pages in this thread are anything to go by, it would seem that those of us in the over-50 crowd are subjected to more stereotyping than the younger divers ... :kick:

... Bob (Grateful Diver)