Feelin’ the Bern

Lately I’ve been feeling the Bern. And not in good way.

No, I don’t mean I have anything against presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. In fact, I am a fervent supporter. I mean I have everything against the off-hand (and insistent) ageism that has accompanied his wildly successful bid for the Democratic nomination. (And yes, I am aware that he lost big yesterday. But consider how far he’s gotten. Consider that no one, absolutely no one, thought his campaign would go anywhere.)

Perhaps it is the bluster, incivility, rudeness (not to mention sexism, racism) of Donald Trump that has dropped the bar so low that it’s now okay to make off-hand jokes about the size of Bernie Sander’s prostate. Because, haha, older men often have enlarged prostates. Which, I guess must have something to do with their ability to govern. Or hear the guy – a consistently thoughtful, energized and compassionate activist – referred to as a “grumpy old man.” His wife, to reassure everyone, has to tell the HuffPost that for Bernie, 75 is the new 55.

Because, as we all know: Old is bad. Old is sickly, grumpy, curmudgeonly. Old is stodgy. Old people, while occasionally “adorable” and frequently useful as babysitters, are generally in the way. They muck up the works.

And then there’s Bernie. Who has the energy and intensity most people never have, regardless of age. Who has the fortitude and persistence, the stamina, endurance and resilience – mentally, psychologically, physically — to mount a blow-the-pollsters-out of the water national campaign, to traipse back and forth across the country for months on end, to deliver hundreds of impassioned speeches, to capture the attention and engage the energy of younger voters…and the pundits feel called upon (allowed to) make comments about the size of his prostate.

And it’s not just the media taking these potshots, it’s ALL of us . All of us harbor negative stereotypes about older people – who, by the way, will comprise 29 percent of the U.S. population by 2017. And so if Mr. Trump makes it okay to view all who practice the Muslim religion terrorists, and all who hail from Mexico as undesirable, why shouldn’t it be open season on older people.

“Many Americans start developing stereotypes about older people during childhood, reinforce them through adulthood, and enter old age with attitudes toward their own age group as unfavorable as younger person’s attitudes.” This from a 58-page booklet published by the International Longevity Institute.

And consider this: If we’re not finding ways to dis Bernie for living on the earth as long as he has, we’re dealing with (which is to say, NOT dealing with) our embedded ageism by viewing him as an exception. His wife is reduced to making the case that for Bernie “75 is the new 55.” Because…perish the thought that a 75 year old might be actively, passionately, meaningfully engaged with the world.