keannu
VIP Member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2010
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Korean
- Home Country
- South Korea
- Current Location
- South Korea
When I first read this, I had a feeling that it means "They waste youth on their children(babies) = People are too much dedicated to their children", which is quite ridiculous.
Why isn't it "Youth is wasted by the young = Young people waste youth" and does "on" make some difference?
gu63)An aunt of mine has often said, "Youth is wasted on the young." This statement has stirred my curiosity for years. People usually smile when she says it, and I have always smiled, too. But I think I'm just now beginning to understand the meaning of the saying. I believe it is similar to a statement Thornton Wilder made in his play Our Town. Toward the end of the play Emily, one of the main characters, says, "I didn't realize that so much was going on and we never noticed!. ..Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it- every, every minute? Older people, looking back, can value youth, its real meaning and importance. But young people, while they are in the middle of youth, never fully realize what they have.
Why isn't it "Youth is wasted by the young = Young people waste youth" and does "on" make some difference?
gu63)An aunt of mine has often said, "Youth is wasted on the young." This statement has stirred my curiosity for years. People usually smile when she says it, and I have always smiled, too. But I think I'm just now beginning to understand the meaning of the saying. I believe it is similar to a statement Thornton Wilder made in his play Our Town. Toward the end of the play Emily, one of the main characters, says, "I didn't realize that so much was going on and we never noticed!. ..Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it- every, every minute? Older people, looking back, can value youth, its real meaning and importance. But young people, while they are in the middle of youth, never fully realize what they have.
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