paddyann i always thought a closed mind and narrowed outlook was a sign of youth. When we are young and our experience is so limited, it is easy to be didactic about problems and see simple solutions to complex problems.
Were you a member of the 60's generation? I was and we thought all world problems could all be solved so simply with love and kindness. How we critical and unforgiving we were of our elders who had passed on to us such a damaged and difficult world and so many problems.
Well, we are the generation now facing very similar criticisms from the young people of this generation whose views are as delightfully idealistic, judgemental and critical as were ours all those years ago.
Age has brought at least some wisdom. The realisation that simple solutions to complex problems are invariably wrong, that you need to listen to both sides, neither of whom will have a monopoly on the truth (whatever that may be).
Yes, some older people are close minded and with a limited outlook, or it may just be that they disagree with our views.
A society is best governed when it represents people of all ages so it is good to see older people taking positions of responsibility after a decade when youth has been in the forefront and all the hands on the levers of power have been in their 30s and 40s.