Strolling just beyond the northern border of Wallingford this weekend, I came across a man attempting to cross a frozen 25
0 foot span between two of the docks at the Green Lake Aqua Theater. He got about 30 feet out when his friend on the shore yelled, “What are you doing? Come back!” The man thought better of his traverse and returned to solid ground, though he defiantly declared, “I would have made it!”
As he walked past me I noticed he was well into his 50s, proving that the old adage “With age comes wisdom” is not necessarily universal.
Famous last words. “I would have made it! If that truck had not come along.” “I would have made it! Except that dog was way faster than I thought!” “I would have made it! But who knew those buildings were so far apart!”
What makes you think his actions had anything to do with his age? You’re showing your ageist bias.
He supposedly disproved an adage that predicts it would something to do with his age. The adage may be reprehensible – perhaps we should be ashamed to suggest that wisdom comes with age, implying that young people aren’t the ultimate example of wisdom and making them unwelcome and oppressed by our meanness. But it’s an old idea and we can’t really blame it on DOUG, and conversely we can thank him for illustrating its unreliability.
Bad day, Berta?
Oh for heaven’s sake. Car insurance companies charge more for drivers under 25. It’s not ageist, sexist or anything. Older folk just usually have more sense and aren’t so reckless. That’s all that was said.
my point was it that this man’s recklessness could have been due to any number of reasons — he was high or drunk, mentally unstable, had bad eye sight, etc . etc. To pick out age alone was to reveal an ageist biast which is endemic in our culture, just as youth is lionized by our consumer culture.
I was pointing out his age as a reason he wouldn’t be reckless.
LOLZ
And I always thought the famous last words were: “Honey, watch this!”
And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for you meddling kids!
Ruh-roh!
Hold my beer and watch this!