Decrepitude
By Charles E. Kraus
I’ve been conducting age related research about how decrepitude might be affecting our democracy. This is a hands-on investigation. I’m 75, younger than Joe, much younger than Nancy, Mitch and Justice Breyer. Amazingly, The Donald and I hit New York a month apart in 1946. None of us should be allowed to climb a stepladder to change a light bulb.
Before renewing your driver's license, issuing authorities in Maine, New Hampshire, Illinois, Utah, Oregon, and North Carolina require you to get retested. Those states represent north, south, east and west. Not as spry as you used to be when attempting to pull into that tight parking space? The Department of Motor Vehicles wants to know. Of course, as far as the Department of Politics is concerned, your only required twisting skills involve an ability to manipulate the truth.
The energy and stamina of numerous older politicians is inspiring. Many project vitality and cognitive dexterity uncommon for their advanced years. This mirrors the vibrant mindset I too can employ -- sparingly. When company arrives and excitement and ego produce surges of adrenaline, causing my inner resources to perform at absolute peak. The burdens of discomfort, of reduced functionality, those “senior moments,” sore joints, worn out limbs —are relegated to the back burner. I am in the moment. Ageless. Completely alive! This raging overdrive can be sustained for up to forty-five minutes, after which, I’m depleted for the rest of the week. I imagine that if I were zooming with the Russian President, excitement would keep me on my toes (while I sat in a comfortable chair) and see me through. But later, my feet would ache, and my mind would feel abused. Personally, I don't know how these weathered captains of government keep going.
In 2016, Trump accused Hillary of taking naps. Whoever gets to run against the ex-president in 2024 might gain an edge by accusing him of insomnia. Sleep deprivation may not be a crime, but it is no way to run a brain. I consider myself in excellent condition — considering. And part of my health conscious regime involves not being awake too long on any given day.
The residue of human mileage is experience. Seniors have perspective going back over decades. They can call on personal history and acquired knowhow to counter any physical, age related deficits. And, of course, our elected officials can deploy support personnel to fill in all the gaps brain fog places in the middle of sentences.
My support team, mostly doctors, seems to be staffed by kids in their thirties. Their life “experience” consists of the courses they’ve taken and the books they’ve read. The lumps and bumps of life are on their still-yet-to-do lists. But, I suppose young people are useful. Trump, it is said, listens to his children, especially to Ivanka. Clinton has Chelsea. See what that's brought them.
In many ways, elders have adjusted to the onslaught of the decades with unique accommodations. But in at least one way, all have taken a similar approach. Check out the face lifts, hair transplants and hair dyes. I am sure you will agree, none of them wants to look in the mirror and say, this is me, ladies and gentleman, the unvarnished, unadulterated, organic me.
