There is an old saying: "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt."

I found myself recently in a situation when I should have listened to these very wise words.

I was sitting with some teenagers at a family gathering when Avril Lavigne's cover of Knocking on Heaven's Door came on. I overheard one of them say they weren't a big fan, but that this song was one of her best.

When I casually mentioned it was a cover, one of the teenagers disagreed and argued it was an Avril original. He even added “duh” at the end to really hammer his point home.

I was incredulous. Now, I realize that each generation thinks songs are new simply because it's the first time they've heard them. But that's no excuse. Knocking on Heaven's Door is iconic.

“She didn’t write that song," I said. "It's from the '80s. It’s a Guns N’ Roses song.”

(I know. I KNOW. All the classic rock fans can put their hands down. I'm trying to make a point.)

“No, I’m pretty sure Avril Lavigne wrote that song originally,” he replied.

“What?! Are you seriously going to argue? Of course she didn’t. It was Guns N’ Roses."

And then I said the phrase that is both the saviour and the bane of our modern existence.

"I’m going to Google it."

To which he replied with the word that is both a mantra to teenagers and the reason grown-ups have to take blood pressure medication.

“Whatever.”

As I typed, “who wrote knocking on heaven’s door,” into Google, I was like an out-of-control snowball rolling down a hill. I couldn't be stopped.

“And another thing, why do you teenagers think you know everything? That song was from MY generation. MINE. You don’t think I would know? The arrogance of YOUR generation is shocking. The universe is going to slap you down one day, my friend. Slap. You. Down.”

Up came the results.

I stared hard at the answer.

Considering my options, I decided there was no way I was backing down now. I was going all in. Wrong and strong.

“Yep. Here it is." I waved the screen at them far enough away that even their teenage eyes wouldn't be able to read it. "It was definitely Guns N'Roses."

And there you have it.

Sometimes the universe has a way of saying, sweetheart, this is not your time to shine. You don't know what you're talking about, so best to just sit down and keep your opinions to yourself.

SORRY BOB.

~Christine MacLeod