ABSTRACT
In a static or slow-changing culture we might expect the old to be respected more steadily than in a quickly moving one. Having lived longest, the old can act as the most assured carriers of techniques and beliefs that need to be passed on virtually unchanged from generation to generation. Reverence for the old occurs in many societies, especially if they have tight family organizations that need an old person’s knowledge of traditions, and their authority, and with food supplies enough to cater for those who are too old to be producers themselves. Where food is scarce and living conditions hard, as, for instance, with the Eskimo in times past, the old become a burden and are often expected to discard themselves.
