Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Susie Kaufman's avatar

I read recently (possibly on this Substack??) that we are here for the purpose of being producers of meaning, as opposed to being mere consumers. That really speaks to me and goes along with your assertion that attitudes towards aging are part of a larger throw-away culture.

Expand full comment
Dr. Gordon Thompson's avatar

It’s particularly unnerving when folks do not explain themselves and assume that everyone knows what they are talking about. I’m too old to feel stupid or foolish because I do not understand why Biden’s age—the number—is sufficient to say why he is incapable of being president. How has his age affected his ability to run the national bureaucracy. No one explains this connection except to point to his physical limitations as an indicator of his mental acuity. While it may be reasonable not to elect a man with evident physical disabilities to the office of president, I do not understand why, once he is installed, that every thing he does that people do not like ought to be linked to his age as a causative factor. Even though he has the keys to the nuclear bomb. It does not mean that he can turn them on at will with no one to stop him. Since the founding fathers did not make special rules-except two-for who should be eligible to be president, someone like Trump can become president. Why would liberals and democrats take such a severe position against one of their own? Well, it starts with something like jealousy, I fear. But also weakmindedness: that is, allowing the opposition to fool them into accepting the opposition’s propaganda. But it is also the culture’s overwhelming acceptance of a form of juvenile bigotry. So sad. Kings and non -democratic folks ruled into old age or until they died. Rupert Murdock is happily running his organization at 90 plus. And, on the flip side, the stupidity emerging from our congress emanates from relatively young representatives. Why is it that youth is not ascribed as the reason the relatively youngish leaders of Canada and France are viewed as failures?

Expand full comment
12 more comments...

No posts