
The Insults of Age - diodorus
https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2015/may/1430402400/helen-garner/insults-age
======
doki_pen
It's interesting that I've had the complete opposite experience as a white
man. The older I get the more respect I get in public, for no apparent reason.
The painting example was so apt. No one would dare step between me and a
painting. It's a very odd thing, as I don't feel like I deserve any more
respect than I did 20 years ago.

~~~
onesixtythree
Age is a weird prejudice because it depends so much on environment. In most
companies, you're viewed negatively before age 30: you're expected to work the
worst hours because the assumption is that you have nothing "better" to do and
would just be out drinking. In Silicon Valley, you're viewed negatively
_after_ 30\. Some doors close and others open.

I do find, strangely, that I'm _way_ more attractive to women now that I'm
older, even though my looks have (objectively) declined. Adolescent men are
unwanted, invisible, and generally disliked by society unless they're in the
top 5% for social skills; things get better at 25 and a lot better after 30...
although I'm still glad that I married young because I'd imagine that the
dating pool shrinks considerably.

~~~
beachstartup
_> although I'm still glad that I married young because I'd imagine that the
dating pool shrinks considerably._

it actually doesn't, in fact it grows continuously, but you'll just be shamed
by older women and married men for dating younger women.

~~~
Lawtonfogle
Shame on them for being so concerned about with what consenting adults do.

Select every argument about why it is none of their business to outlaw/shame
homosexuality, Ctrl-C, Ctrl-P.

~~~
beachstartup
as soon as you start talking about what people are actually attracted to (not
what they _say_ they are), the shit starts to fly. my comment has swung
up/down in votes throughout the day.

------
bootload
_" In two strides I was behind the schoolgirl. I reached up, seized her
ponytail at the roots and gave it a sharp downward yank. Her head snapped
back. In a voice I didn’t recognise I snarled, “Give it a rest, darling.” She
twisted to look behind her. Her eyes were bulging, her mouth agape. I let go
and she bolted away to her friends. The three of them set off at a run. Their
white ribbons went bobbing through the crowd all the way along the City Square
and up the steps of the Melbourne Town Hall, where a famous private school was
holding its speech night. The whole thing happened so fast that when I fell
into step beside my friend she hadn’t even noticed I was gone."_

The city is Melbourne, the author Helen Garner [0] and the casual racism is
pretty accurate. Yet the response should not be condoned. If you switch a 70
year old woman, to a 70 year old man, the man would be detailed and assault
charges laid.

As ugly as the racism is, using this kind of force shows a level of
entitlement you often see with people who have had authority. [1]

[0]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Garner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Garner)

[1] Garner was a High School teacher till '72.

~~~
chetanahuja
_" If you switch a 70 year old woman, to a 70 year old man"_

Or pretty much anybody other than an elderly white woman (in a "western"
country). Anyway, I don't think the physical violence was necessary but I do
admire her intervention on behalf of a stranger against an obnoxious (probably
racist) act.

~~~
bootload
_" I do admire her intervention on behalf of a stranger against an obnoxious
(probably racist) act."_

Over-reaction. The lesson shown here to kids and those watching, if you feel
others are being threatened, physically strike back. There is no _immediate
threat_ , words would have done the job.

------
manmal
Interesting story! To me it seems Ms Garner is ok with growing old and more
fragile, but does not accept being viewed as inferior or respect-unworthy.
Good for her! I wish more elderly people would decouple their loss of youth
from their self regard.

~~~
RyanMcGreal
> I wish more elderly people would decouple their loss of youth from their
> self regard.

I think Garner's point is that we live in a society in which _other people 's
regard_ for your worth is a function of your age.

~~~
epimetheus
And yet, hypocritically, she negatively judges the youth as such.

~~~
WalterSear
Furthermore, she considers a innocent question from a child as a insult to her
age and gender.

~~~
rustynails77
That's not the half of it. This author deserves no respect based on that
article.

She is typical of "me me me" and the continual flow of sexism we see from
Australian journalists. The last few decades in Australian media have been a
dark spot. This author is sexist, arrogant and takes pride in yanking a
strange girl's hair (which is tantamount to assault).

"In two strides I was behind the schoolgirl. I reached up, seized her ponytail
at the roots and gave it a sharp downward yank."

"My only regret is that I couldn’t see the Asian woman’s face at the moment
the schoolgirl’s head jerked back and her insolent grin turned into a rictus."

~~~
WalterSear
Yes, however I originally felt uncomfortable commenting much further here, at
the risk of being accused of sexism.

------
eloisant
Older people used to be considered wiser and respected. The baby-boomer
generation basically invented ageism when they were young in the 70's, it's
ironic to see it bite them back now.

~~~
jpmattia
_The baby-boomer generation basically invented ageism when they were young in
the 70 's_

Earlier than that. The original "Never trust anyone over 30" was already a
saying by the mid-sixties as a consequence of FSM:
[https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Free_Speech_Movement](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Free_Speech_Movement)

The movement itself was just another step in the protests of the civil
liberties movement, and to some degree HUAC. I'm sure we could go back
farther, but that's just off the top of my head.

Essentially, every new generation denigrates the older generation, and each
older generation thinks the newer generation is going to hell-in-a-handbasket.

There is nothing new under the sun.

~~~
Namrog84
Thanks for the wikipedia link. At first glance I was like what does the Flying
Spaghetti Monster have to do with this.

~~~
zentiggr
omg, nose coffee... Thanks!

------
dasil003
When you are this talented at communication in general it must be triply
annoying to be condescended to.

------
Aaronik
Yes! The internet needs more old people posting to it! No society is complete
without people of all ages - people of all wisdoms you might say - sharing
their knowledge and opinions. Our blogs are noticeably lacking the voice of
the elderly, undoubtedly b/c the elderly use the tech less for sure, but it's
unfortunate for us. Maybe in 50 years the internet will be a much more
temperate place ;)

------
cafard
Hmm.

It's easier on men, I guess. It does wound my vanity a bit when young women on
the bus offer me a seat. But otherwise, being on the large size and generally
glum looking, I don't get people baby-talking me or condescending much.

~~~
larrymcp
It was funny when the chick at Starbucks called me "sir". Heh.. "sir"... that
didn't happen when I was in my early 20's...

~~~
zo1
Really? I've been referred to as "sir" by sales individuals for quite a while,
even in my early-twenties. I guess it's a culture thing.

