I had to sit next to a table of old guys this morning when I had my breakfast at a local diner. It was impossible not to overhear their conversation as most of them looked to be on the north side of sixty and have the idea everyone is deaf.
I was going to suggest to the diner's owner, who I know, that she name the table that the old fellows were sitting at The Table of Irrational Fears.
As the Who sang, "Hope I die before I get old".
Topics of conversation were as follows:
People who drive too fast and any bad accidents they have seen lately and how all of these accidents were the result of driving too fast. Also, did you see that police chase on TV?
Motorcycles and how they're murdercycles. One guy lamented that he knew a friend of a friend of his neighbor who was killed on a motorcycle even though he had purchased "the most expensive helmet made". Much lamenting and commiserating by the graybeards followed this most intensely stupid statement. When they see someone riding a motorcycle they just cringe. "They should be outlawed".
Crime: It's bad out there. Lock your doors. Do not go out at night. TV news is filled with reports of people just being shot for no reason.
One of my favorite books, Diary of the Century, is a wonderful look at one man's life. A reporter and author, Ed Ellis documented his life in artful prose. Re-reading it the other day I was shocked by how much of Ellis' world views, late in his life, according to his book, were formed by what he saw on television. In the end he really thought the world was going mad--and he lived through the depression and three wars.
TV is a medium that most of the time, especially in terms of the news, focuses tightly on drama and bad news. Somehow, when you get old, some seem to lose the ability to see that and adjust their thinking.
Turn off the TV. Or, do what I did: I sat at my booth with my fingers in my ears so I could no longer hear the old men commiserate.
I was going to suggest to the diner's owner, who I know, that she name the table that the old fellows were sitting at The Table of Irrational Fears.
As the Who sang, "Hope I die before I get old".
Topics of conversation were as follows:
People who drive too fast and any bad accidents they have seen lately and how all of these accidents were the result of driving too fast. Also, did you see that police chase on TV?
Motorcycles and how they're murdercycles. One guy lamented that he knew a friend of a friend of his neighbor who was killed on a motorcycle even though he had purchased "the most expensive helmet made". Much lamenting and commiserating by the graybeards followed this most intensely stupid statement. When they see someone riding a motorcycle they just cringe. "They should be outlawed".
Crime: It's bad out there. Lock your doors. Do not go out at night. TV news is filled with reports of people just being shot for no reason.
One of my favorite books, Diary of the Century, is a wonderful look at one man's life. A reporter and author, Ed Ellis documented his life in artful prose. Re-reading it the other day I was shocked by how much of Ellis' world views, late in his life, according to his book, were formed by what he saw on television. In the end he really thought the world was going mad--and he lived through the depression and three wars.
TV is a medium that most of the time, especially in terms of the news, focuses tightly on drama and bad news. Somehow, when you get old, some seem to lose the ability to see that and adjust their thinking.
Turn off the TV. Or, do what I did: I sat at my booth with my fingers in my ears so I could no longer hear the old men commiserate.