Quote · Added 15 February 2026
Filed underdenunciation·hygiene·generational
There's something darkly funny about this observation because it's so honest about a habit we all recognize but rarely admit. Complaining about "kids these days" feels productive in the moment—it gives us something to rally against, a way to feel like we still understand the world by pointing out how it's gone wrong. But Smith is suggesting something more interesting: it's not really about the young at all. It's about us needing to feel alive.
That phrase "hygiene of older people" is the real sting. We treat criticism like medicine, necessary for staying mentally and physically sharp. There's probably something to this. When we have strong opinions and voice them, our nervous systems do activate. We feel engaged, awake, relevant. The complaint becomes a kind of vitality ritual—proof that we still matter, still see, still judge. It's how we pump blood into aging joints.
The trick is recognizing this in yourself. The next time you find yourself in a passionate rant about generational differences or how people aren't like they used to be, ask if you're actually trying to change anything or just trying to feel something. Sometimes the answer is just that you needed the circulation.
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