I believe that the community is about to begin Celebrating Seniors Week. As a 64 year old I must admit to some strong ambivalence to such a celebration. Just why do we celebrate seniors?
No one really celebrates other age groups. There is no Celebrating Adolescents Week or Celebrating Middle Age Week. I’m not sure that living longer rather than shorter is cause for anything other than an individual celebration. Even then you might only be celebrating your genetics or your blind luck.
People often will say: “He’s in pretty good shape for a 70 year old.” Or “She looks pretty good for an 80 year old.” It might be better to leave out the age qualifier. It’s demeaning. Think instead of age, race or gender and you’ll get the picture.
This celebrating old people probably started with The Greatest Generation. Those people survived the Great Depression and fought WWII. They probably deserved a celebration, but the current group of seniors doesn’t. We’re known for our mantra: “sex, drugs and rock and roll.” Our numbers and persistence in living so long is bankrupting the country and ruining it for our children. Many of the leaders of our fractured political parties are seniors. I’ll celebrate their departure from the political scene.
Getting old is not cause for celebration. Think erosion. No one celebrates erosion.
