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Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Sex and ageism

"Degeneration of humanity is inevitable in the near future."
That was written in a hieroglyphic 5000 years ago.
We have been degenerating ever since.
Human progress may be just the story of our degeneration.
Of all the isms bedevilling our era- racism, antisemitism, sexism, feminism, etc- ageing, the mutual hatred of the young and the old, is the most ludicrous.
Ageism is more stupid than other isms because a black man never becomes white, a man never (or hardly ever) becomes a woman, but a young man always becomes old, except when he does not.
Indeed this is the first truth to be remembered: every old man has been young; but not every young man will grow old...
There is no great virtue in having been born in a particular year.
To rever old men, as many societies do, for their age alone, is just as silly as the modern habit of revering the young.
Many people try to stop the march of time.
It is not easy.
Foolish octogenarians believe that lovely young girls fall in love with them because they are so lovable, so irresistable and in any case "age does not matter".
The girls do marry them; not because they are loving wives, but because they are aspiring widows.
When a young man wishes to make love, he is a virile fellow; when an old man does the same, he is a dirty old man.
Is there a secret of eternal youth?
In an old men's home, among the aged and decrepit, there is one little old man who seems to have more energy and vivacity than the rest.
He moves a little faster, he has a better appetite and even jumps up to open the door for others.
"What is your secret?"
"What sort od life did you lead? Did you stick to a strict diet?
He laughs.
"I always ate like a horse. Three big meals a day, fat, cholesterol, sugar, the lot."
"And what about drinking?"
"I drank a bottle of brandy every day. And wine with my meals. And a few drinks in between."
"And what about women?"
"At least one woman a day. Often two.Sometimes three."
"Good God. That's really amazing. And how old are you?"
"Twenty seven"
No, we have not found the secret of eternal youth. But the secret of eternal old age has been solved.

1 comment:

marc aurel said...

Very apt and quite interesting

 
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