In the editorial page of the Sunday Times yesterday (Final Word – Over the Capital Hill), some somewhat curious comments were made about growing old “with dignity”.
These comments were led by the fact the writer feels it inappropriate that President Obama should play basket ball and wear a baseball cap. This is seen as trying to be “hip”. It seems the 12 stitches he received were a “wake up call….for anyone nudging 50”.
Apparently, according to the writer, “A man must know when it is no longer appropriate to wear denim. A woman should accept that short skirts have a short shelf life. At some point the comb-over must go……at some significantly earlier point, it is no longer acceptable to enter strictly”. (Does anyone know what a comb-over is?).
Look around. Many older men look great in jeans (and many younger men awful). Remember Robert Redford in The Horse Whisperer. Well into his sixties at the time, he was hardly the “butt” of any jokes about being too old to do denim. Clint Eastwood looks pretty good too, but most people would comment on his acting and directing talent. The wearing of shorter skirts depends more on your legs than your age. And continuing to exercise is one of the most important things you can do for well being all through your life, no matter how old you are. As for Strictly, two of the best dancers have been Pamela Stephenson (60) and Felicity Kendall (64). And who holds the entire live TV show together, that youngster Bruce Forsythe.
Frankly, I’m surprised to see such ageism in the Sunday Times, especially when you consider that its proprietor, Rupert Murdoch, is no spring chicken himself yet still the active head of a vast, international media empire. I just hope for this journalist’s sake Rupert was too busy over the weekend to read this nonsense. Age comes to all of us, and we should all continue to enjoy life to the full.