It matters that the leader of the Free World has the faculties and mental acuity to perform the functions of such a demanding job. While it’s important never to rush to any conclusions based on one flubbed televised performance, it is healthy for us to have a discerning moment after President Biden’s recent debate stumbles raised questions about his fitness for office. But what feels most lost to me in this national dialogue is an opportunity for us to elevate a conversation about how our culture routinely dismisses the wisdom of our elders and pushes them to society’s margins once certain signs of aging appear.
We all know that the moment we are born, we begin our journey towards death. The life we build between these two events shapes just a brief snapshot in time. But fear of aging, becoming irrelevant, missing our chance to make a difference in the world, experiencing body limitations, navigating discomfort, or facing the ultimate unknown of what it means to no longer live this life is often met with desperate attempts to avoid acceptance of this certainty.
The desperation is subtle, perhaps even subconscious. But it is a dominant force in our culture. And as a result, we are often missing out on the incredible fullness of life we could experience by inviting our seniors to be in the center of our civic life, sharing their wisdom and teachings, and helping to guide our own journeys to becoming an elder. Is it any wonder that we fear aging when the cultural response is to assume we are no longer capable of expressing our fullness of being when our bodies grow older? What if the opposite is true, and we are missing the benefit from years of experience and insights when someone enters their golden season?
We have an opportunity in this moment – regardless of political ideology – to hit the pause button and take a closer look at how we instinctively respond to signs of aging around us and spend some time uncovering whether we jump to conclusions about what that means.
Is losing a train of thought, stuttering words, having a forgetful moment, or needing help securely walking down a set of stairs a sign of anything other than an invitation for patience? How would our world feel differently if we embraced rather than rejected that?
There was other behavior we saw on display at that debate that should raise additional important questions. How much value as a society do we place on honesty, kindness, and being a good human? Why is there not a collective outrage about rampant lying, criminal behavior, and outright plans to overthrow democracy and replace it with a dictatorship? These should not be partisan issues.
This election is really a referendum on us, the people. For two hundred and forty-eight years now, we have been living in a delicious experiment of self-governance where the government’s powers are derived from the consent of the governed. Democracy requires our active engagement and participation to work.
So it’s good to ask questions. I’m just a fan of asking ones that go deeper than the surface. It’s hard to take a good look at ourselves. However, in doing so, the true freedom we seek is there. We are not going to find our way out of this mess without a willingness to stretch our understanding of self and others.
I stand ready to offer my own wisdom – which grows each year as I age into this beautifully flawed body – about how we can reject the division and come together again as neighbors dedicated to finding common ground, solving big problems, and sharing big dreams again. We cannot have freedom, equality, and justice without infusing our humanity into the cause.
Heather R. Mizeur is the founder of a non-profit organization, the #WeAreOne Alliance, dedicated to disrupting the division and finding connections to foster honorable civic engagement. She was the Democratic Nominee for Maryland’s First Congressional District in 2022 and she owns and operates Apotheosis Farm in Kent County with her spouse, Deborah. She can be reached at [email protected]
Francine DeSanctis says
My hat’s off to you Heather for putting into words what many of us believe. We do not understand the aging process, much less appreciate the wisdom found there. Only in the U.S. do we put a greater value on youth than we do on life experience. And why is this discussion taken on a political distortion of facts?
George Nilson says
What a thoughtful piece
I look forward to hearing more from you on the issue in a week
David Reel says
Interesting that the picture used for this commentary was from a 1960 Presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon. At the time both were relatively young (Kennedy was 43 and Nixon was 47) so “old age” was not a factor in the debate. What was a factor was the differences in appearances between the two candidates. Kennedy appeared to be healthy and vibrant. Nixon appeared to be haggard and tired. A majority of those who watched the debate on TV thought Kennedy won. A majority of those who listened to the debate on the thought Nixon won. Powerful evidence that perception is reality on physical appearances mattered more than substance back then. I suggest that is still the case today and will continue to be the case with televised presidential debates.
Liz Freedlander says
I live in a retirement community in Annapolis where the average age is 83. Indeed there are some 90-year olds that are pretty sharp, one or two of whom go regularly to exercise class. However, I can attest that at 80, there begins a “crossing of the bar.” Physical and mental acuity frequently begin a slow (sometimes rapid) decline. You rarely see a soul after 8 PM. I suggest that when evaluating the age of our next president, these realities should be considered and it is not a matter of respect or lack thereof. Heck, at 77, my memory is not what it used to be and that is after 8-hours of sleep.
Darrell parsons says
Thank you Heather. We could use your leadership.
Richard Marks says
Thanks, Heather, for such a thoughtful piece. Many other societies do a better job honoring their elders; we tend to embrace our youth culture for better or worse. That said, age does not necessarily mean wisdom. While I suspect the majority of Americans respect and admire President Biden’s wisdom even at 81 years old, what is in question now and in the years ahead is whether he has the mental faculties needed in such a demanding and critical position. We should be concerned and rightfully question his decision to stay the course. His interview this evening did nothing to allay my concerns and fears. I am appalled by what appears to me to be some contest of male egos between our two candidates. Trump’s behavior is easy to accept since we know he has no scruples and concerns for anyone other than himself, but when I read Biden’s answer to the question of how he would feel if Trump wins I wonder if there is any daylight between them. “How will Biden feel if Trump wins? Biden indicated that “as long as I gave it my all,” he would be OK. “That’s what this is about,” Biden said.”
jan bohn says
I’m 73 and my memory is rubbish. I think it was VERY obvious that President Biden is well past his sell by date. The fact that he will not take any kind of cognitive/neurological testing vouches for that. The ABC interview tonight didn’t do anything to change that opinion. I do not care about his party affiliation. I do care about his mental acuity. I think Donald Trump should also take a battery of mental acuity tests and release the results. We need a President who is mentally astute, agile and completely competent.
Melissa L Barrett says
Heather, I voted for you in 2022, and I really wish you had won. We need level-headed, compassionate thinkers like you in office. I believe Joe Biden is one, too. I actually did not find Biden’s performance in the debate disastrous. Sure, he fumbled a few times, but if I were on stage with Trump, I would have been struck dumb. I would not know how to refute the multitude of lies Trump told. Not only did he lie, but Trump brazenly took credit for everything Biden did. How do you refute a torrent of garbage like that?
Damiene Nelson says
Well said
Elizabeth Manley says
You laugh at him and say what Ronald Regan said to Jimmy Carter at their Presidential Debate; “Here you go again.”
I agree that it must have been difficult to be debating Trump and have him throwing out jabs while you were speaking. They muted the mics but can’t seem to prevent him from speaking up anyway. None of the aspiring Republicans debating Trump in 2015 knew how to handle him either. But still, his belief that he and he alone can beat Trump is troublesome.
Trump got into the Whitehouse in 2016 was because the swing voters were voting against Hillary. The only way Biden will win in 2024 is because enough people know that Trump will attempt to become the dictator he has proclaimed he will become thus trying to destroy Democracy as we know it.
Mary Hunt-Miller says
Heather,
Thank you for this very insightful piece! I have been thinking the same and you said it so well. Your letter just reminds me of what a loss the people of our district had when more of them mechanically checked R for Congress in the 2022 election rather than recognizing the value you would have brought to our country as our representative.