How important is seniority in rural areas?

In rural areas, seniority is very important, but not so important.

First of all, talk about the importance of seniority.

People with higher qualifications are usually treated more politely. In cities, people's appellations are usually determined according to their age. There is little difference in age between brothers and sisters, and uncles and aunts are about the same age as their parents. In rural areas, appellation is judged by seniority, regardless of age. For example, this girl is already the aunt of several three-year-old children and several people in their forties and fifties. Without him, she is just a senior. If you are senior, as long as you are not a child of three or four years old, you are embarrassed to joke with you if you are junior. I have seen many young people laugh with people who are much older than themselves but have lower seniority, and the one who is teased will not get angry. Because just like a family, the elders make fun of the children, and the children have no reason to be angry.

Secondly, let's talk about the place where seniority is not important.

Some people think that rural life is beautiful. When they say rural areas, they mean simple village style and mutual assistance among neighbors, but these are sometimes just beautification and imagination. Rural people are human beings, and they have the advantages that most people have. Similarly, they will have shortcomings that most people will have. But everyone is rich and powerful, and so is the countryside. So it doesn't matter for senior year. Not the most senior person, not the oldest person, but the richest and most powerful person. The weakest is also the strongest, with the largest number of male families. No matter how senior you are, no matter how junior the village secretary is, if you go to him to solve the problem of dividing the homestead and farmland, even if he receives you politely, he will not give you any preferential treatment because of your qualifications.

In short, in rural areas, seniority is just a form of address, which should not be interpreted too much and given too many meanings and functions.