you are not your age
I didn't ask to be born later. Just because I happen to be younger doesn't mean that I'm less qualified, less intelligent, less anything. It just means one thing: I was born later than you. Sure I may not have seen as much of life as many middle-aged/elderly people, but that doesn't mean that I don't know what I'm talking about. Yes I admit there are teenagers that have absolutely no clue nor logic when they speak but that goes the same for adults. There are adults out there that have absolutely no common sense when it comes to certain topics and no knowledge on some areas of life. And that just depends on the person. There are some things that tend to come with age, yes, but because I am younger does not mean that I should automatically concede during an argument. That is one of the most illogical things I have heard.
Being younger should not automatically put me at a disadvantage. If we are debating or arguing about something, we should be doing so person to person. Don't treat me like a kid and dismiss what I'm saying because I'm only 17. There are some things that I as a 17 year old probably went through that you didn't and vice versa. So as two people from different walks of life, I expect us to have a mature and calm conversation/discussion.
And just because you are older does not mean that I will instantly respect you. I respect people when I meet them based on almost everything but the number of years they've lived on this earth. Being older does not give you instantaneous respect. Just like everyone else under 30, you have to earn it. I understand, you want to be respected because you've lived on this earth for a long time. But I honestly don't see a point in congratulating you and giving you that kind of respect even if you never deserved it simply because of your age. I will one day reach that age too: it doesn't call for special treatment. I will respect you for other reasons, just as I respect my fellow youth and young adults. I will respect you as a person.
(This isn't to say that I don't respect older people, but that I respect them for reasons other than only their age)
I respect and argue and interact with people as people. I will never belittle someone because they are a certain age and I will not put someone on a pedestal because they are a certain age either. There are some amazing youth out there and there are some highly immature adults out there. It all comes down to what kind of person you are in the end.