You're never too old to take a stand

Take Brexit as an example. The propensity to vote "Leave" increased with age, with those over 45 mostly voting for Britain to pack its bags and those under 45 predominantly in the "Remain" camp.

So when the results were revealed and a country stunned, the young brigade cried foul and blamed the older people, who, they lamented, wouldn't have to live with the consequences of bailing on the European Union for as long.

Young people invoke a similar argument when it comes to issues like climate change, arguing that the damage done over time is destined to have a greater impact on them than on the people responsible.

They believe they have to fight for their future because they've already been let down by the older generations who have allowed the situation to reach this stage.

After all, teenage activist Greta Thunberg's journey to worldwide fame began with her spending school days outside the Swedish parliament calling for action on climate change.

While young people are at the forefront of most forms of activism, you're never too old to believe in something. It does, however, take a special sort of courage to fight for it when you know any real change that results from your actions is unlikely to be made during your lifetime.

We've seen that in Canberra recently, with older members of the climate activist group Extinction Rebellion heading onto Northbourne Avenue in peak-hour traffic and imploring passing motorists to honk their horns for the climate.

Whether you agree with their message or their methods, you've got to give people like 78-year-old Margaret Clough credit for standing up to be counted.

She freely admits she'll be "well gone before the worst hits", but to her this isn't a reason to hide away and do nothing.

In fact, it's the opposite, She feels it's her duty to take a leading role so that younger people with a career ahead of them don't have to risk facing arrest or the other repercussions that sometimes follow protests.

"I think it's up to people like me to pull our weight and say, well, I don't have to go overseas again. It doesn't matter if I lose my passport. It's not going to be too terrible for me in the future," Mrs Clough told the Sunday Canberra Times.

This is a refreshing attitude in a world where self-interest is the primary motivator for many.

Whether it's protesting, stepping in to help someone in trouble or just doing an unsolicited good deed, living a good life has to be about more than just feathering your own nest.