Just who are these "elders"?

They say that one gets knowledge from one's father. By "knowledge", I think, they meant morals and values of life (My father taught me chemistry which I didn't understand a bit). Accordingly, my father, my senior 'values' advisor,  always told me to "pay respect to elders", "Listen to what elders say" and a lot of other phrases that involve this elusive species called "elders". Elusive because this category could be applied to anyone all the way from my grand father to my elder brother, who is actually a half wit (and I am brilliant :)) - which begs the question - "Just who is this bloody "elder"?  Def1. Most people seem to be equating this philosophical "elder" with the literal meaning of that word - that older people are "elders". But then wouldn't we call them, say, "Olders"? After all it seems ' not dying' for some more years than you is their greatest achievement! /So Rejected/. Def2. Some say that you become an "elder" when you get married. Apparently that is why in western civilizations, a bride is asked, "Do you consent to take this 'man' as your husband" (or something to that effect), because a boy becomes a 'man' when he marries. But in India saints and sadhus are revered as "elders" - and they are all bachelors..(at least used to be). /So Rejected/. Def3. A scientific definition would be to equate people who have attained sexual maturity to elders and those who haven't to "youngers", if I may. But all these qualities - age, marital status, sexual maturity - aren't exactly qualities that makes one "respected", "listened to" etc. After giving it much thought I have a come up with a definition of "Elders"- Def 4. - "Elders" are those who actually take responsibilities, solve younger people's problems, shield them from evil and who work hard to create a better society for the younger generations. Think about it - Elders of a family take care of the kids - from helping them put on their shoes, making their bed, taking them to school to protecting them from harm's way - all because the kids themselves cannot. Thus, in a society, "elders" should be those who take care of people who are not capable of helping themselves. Educated people should educate the illiterate. Wealthy should fend for the poor. And strong people should protect the weak. When an "elder" sees a hapless child not fortunate enough to get an education, that "elder" must put that child in a school. When an "elder" sees someone in dire poverty, that "elder" should feed him, teach him skills, so he or she can get out of poverty. When politicians use the caste card or the religion card to get votes from poor  unsuspecting mass, the "elders" should enlighten the mass and encounter the politicians. Otherwise they cannot be called "elders".

I am becoming 26 this month and given the fact that India's median age is 25 - I belong to the upper half of the age group! But I realize that so far I haven't really taken any responsibility towards my society - towards those younger half of the population. There is so much evil in my society. Am I going to turn a blind eye towards the negative consequences they have on the younger people? Or am I going to start changing my society, my country, so my younger brothers and sisters can have a better India? I should get cracking because I don't think gen Y and gen Z will "pay respect to", "listen to", "get advise from" someone just because that someone is old - Hell, even I don't.