Actively improve physical fitness and public transportation literacy to become a more respectable elder

The famous writer Li Ang had a bad attitude when asking someone to give up his seat on the MRT, and even issued a public trial, which caused controversy. This incident actually reflects the two directions of changes in social structure.

Old people must age better

Society is aging, and the elderly are getting older. However, the extension of life span is mainly due to the improvement of living environment and quality of health care. The elderly themselves are not more active in promoting health. Those mild “health regimens” are just excuses to avoid training.

Someone joked that even if an exclusive carriage was given to senior citizens, the 90-year-old would still ask the 70-year-old to give up his seat and then start a fight. The elderly population will continue to grow. Today’s seventy-year-olds need to be physically and mentally stronger than the fifty-year-olds of the previous generation in order for society to maintain functioning.

No matter how old you are, as long as you are generally healthy and active, you should do at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise at least twice a week. Moderate to high-intensity training of major muscle groups, plus three functional exercises focusing on balance and strength. This can improve physical fitness and promote health.

It’s not that you need to train until you can run a marathon. But at least everyone should practice until they are physically able to take the MRT from Tamsui Station to Taipei 101. Even if I am really exhausted, I can still hold on to the train. If a bunch of people get off the CNR, there will be a seat.

Aging is of course inevitable. However, the vast majority of elderly people are “so” weak because they have not actively improved their physical fitness. In this era, it will be increasingly difficult for the elderly to gain respect if they do not actively train physically and assume a “victim/vulnerable” attitude in society.

Don’t say you’re too old to train. Disabled people should try their best to regain their ability to take care of themselves through training. If you are not disabled yet, shouldn’t you be actively training to be more independent, walk farther, and stand longer and more steadily?

Mainstreaming public transport

In the past, the government did not actively develop public transportation, and in the end only disadvantaged groups had to use it. Business operators only rely on the government to subsidize their businesses, and do not care about making progress if they eat from the same big pot. The quality of public transportation is so bad that disadvantaged groups are resigned to it, and the government even boasts that it is taking care of the disadvantaged.

Nowadays, under the trend of sustainable transportation, public transportation is becoming increasingly perfect, gradually becoming mainstream, and truly being used by the public. The elders who have always been committed to public transportation have indeed been wronged before, but now they must learn to become the public and empower themselves to adapt to the environment, instead of thinking that they should receive more care because of their age.

Since everyone pays to get on the bus (seniors also enjoy discounts on fares), and the MRT and bus seats are not assigned the same number, limited resources are of course first come, first served. That’s just the way the system works.

This is an environment that everyone has to adapt to. Everyone on the carrier is equal. No one should automatically receive respect and courtesy because of their status or age. Barring major injuries or obstacles, everyone needs to train themselves well. Train to the point where you can stand for long periods of time and maintain balance when standing on rocky equipment.

Of course, everyone will encounter situations where they cannot stand for a long time due to their physical condition. These conditions may not be visible to outsiders. It doesn’t matter what age you are at this time, what is needed is problem-solving and social skills.

You need to do enough homework before going on the road. If you know how to take the bus and where to transfer (such as the terminal station), it will be easier to get a seat. Just like when you take the elevator in a department store to go upstairs, sometimes you take the stairs down first (the elevator is empty) and then go up. If you feel unwell until you get on the bus, get off at the next stop to rest or ask for assistance. You do not have to stay on the bus.

If you want to stay in the car and need to sit down, politely explain the reason and ask for your seat, and everyone will give up. If you are not allowed, you need to review your social skills, not the seating rules.

Further reading