The old man with the oranges

What is it about young people that annoys some older folk?

A meme doing the rounds purports to be a warning about an old man who is allegedly wandering through a park in Seattle shooting oranges at young people and shouting: “No teens allowed in the park.”

It’s almost certainly fake news — or a clever piece of surrealist Gen Z myth-making — but like all good memes, it hints at something real beneath the absurdity. It raises a curious question: why do some older people seem to get genuinely irritated by teenagers?

The most obvious answer is envy. Youth is a currency that depletes with age, so seeing a group of teens full of potential and energy can spark a twinge of longing in someone who feels as if they are past their prime.

Teenagers can represent a phase of life that’s unburdened by the crushing responsibilities of adulthood — rent, taxes, work deadlines — and that freedom can grate on someone who is stuck in the 9-to-5 grind or has segued into an unremarkable retirement.

But it’s not just about missing youth. There’s also a cultural and behavioural dissonance at play. Teenagers are often loud, unpredictable and deeply immersed in a reality shaped by memes, TikToks and slang that evolves at light speed.

For someone who grew up in a slower, analogue world, all that can feel disorienting or even threatening. It’s not that teens are doing anything wrong; it’s that they’re doing everything differently.

Then there’s the power dynamic. Teenagers test boundaries. It’s their job, developmentally speaking. They challenge authority, question norms and resist the status quo.

To an older person who feels ignored or irrelevant, that can feel like a personal affront. When someone yells “get off my lawn”, they’re not just upset about trespassing, they’re mourning a loss of control and the perception of respect.

Ultimately, annoyance at teenagers can reflect deeper insecurities. It’s easier to blame “kids these days” than to reckon with the speed of cultural change, the march of time and the recognition that one is no longer considered “cool”.

If you feel this way, remember your own teens and the way that some older people treated you — and how you wish that interaction had been different.

Next time you see an apparently idle teenager, instead of picking up an orange, try picking up a conversation. They might just teach you something. Or, at least, explain what “rizz” really means.

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