The forgetfulness of old age. Or on the loss of a common good

Abstract

Old age reveals the contradictions of a society that, if on the one hand invokes the defense of the “common good” and the protection of rights for all, on the other hand, ends up amplifying forms of exclusion, marginality, selfishness towards the age closest to the end of life. What should be highlighted is instead the intrinsic value (cultural, social, political, collective, and community) of old age to be discovered and to be unearthed “common good”. Thus seizing the pedagogical essence (formative and transformative) of a precious heritage of humanity, experience and memory that can be inherited from being handed down for all generation. The article reflects on the links of meaning that memory interweaves between present-past-future (and therefore on the plot of beliefs, values, norms, symbols that old age interacts with the other ages of life), reasoning on the pedagogical commitment as a possibility to activate and relaunch a virtuous transactivity between old age-memory-good-common.