The Young and The Stupid

Our incredibly moronic societal rules dictate that we not mock anyone for their obvious, or not so obvious, failings or deficiencies. Thus you cannot call a big fat pig "a big fat pig," or even "big," or "fat," or "a pig." You can't call someone confined to a wheelchair and unable to feed or clothe himself "handicapped," even though handicapped means "having a condition that markedly restricts one's ability to function physically, mentally or socially." 

You can't say a person is dumb or stupid or retarded even if and when they are. But what you can say is that anyone over the age of about 60 is a withered, feeble, senile, wrinkly coffin-dodger, geezer, prune, coot and old bag who has lost their marbles and is ready for the glue factory. 

Aging, defined as "the process of becoming older," is a condition of all humans that starts on Day One. Anyone who does not earlier overdose on drugs, abuse alcohol, engage in criminal activity, contract a terminal disease or choose to end it all before they get the chance will become old. It is, in a way, a condition to which we all aspire. Yet old age is constantly mocked without censure, not only by comedians trying to earn a living but by everyday people with a mean streak. 

Cher -- that beautiful, insanely talented singer and actress who has been performing to adoring audiences since 1965 and amassing a fortune estimated to be $360 million -- is now 76 years old. She is still beautiful, thanks to tons of plastic surgery, with a unique voice that is instantly recognizable. Recently she started dating a man 40 years her junior and has just announced their engagement. The comments online in response to this news are mostly insults concerning her age and how her betrothed must be after her money because who the heck would want to be with such an old crone. One commenter wrote, "She is smart -- she needs someone to change her Depends."

None of these comments are considered out of line by the powers that be and thus are allowed to stand. Yet when I wrote that one commenter was "stupid" for saying something stupid, it was rejected for "going against our community standards."

I am the same age as Cher. I can't sing and I don't wear Depends. I am, however, extremely sick and tired, mostly of my fellow Americans.