It is often assumed by everyone that people who are older, above the age of 60 or so, possess more wisdom than younger people. I'd like to suggest that in some cases, perhaps in a substantial number, the wisdom of older people is exaggerated.

It's true, of course, that older people are more likely than younger people to be wise. But this does not mean that all or even that most older people are wise about all aspects of life. Nevertheless, it is often assumed that they are. Even an unwise old person who hasn't thought much about his or her life will likely claim to be wise, and be treated as wise.

I suspect the reason for the exaggeration is that older people have lost a lot. They're physically and mentally declining due to their old age, and they and those around them find this fact devastating. So they want to believe that they are still useful in some way to society, or even superior, and claimed wisdom is the solution.