Gertrude Stein: We Are Always the Same Age Inside
I had a fairly heated disagreement on a few scientific points with a much younger man the other day that resulted in his later challenging me to search online for what he claimed to be the truth. “UTUBE IT, GRAMPS,” he wrote back angrily.
I swear to God Almighty, I almost fell out of my chair laughing. I don’t know how to begin describing why I found this terse little order so comical, but trust me, it took me a full minute to regain my composure, and for my sides to stop hurting.
It’s true that I’m more than old enough to be a grandfather (though, fortunately, neither my son Jake nor my daughter Valerie have brought me to that point). I guess the humor for me is that I don’t feel like anyone’s “Gramps.”
Gertrude Stein wrote: “We are always the same age inside.” Perhaps we should let that sink in for a moment.
In any case, I intend to keep plugging away in my pursuits until I can do it no longer. For what it’s worth, I want to be doing this to within minutes of my demise. Don’t we all? Do any of us want to see a rocking chair in our future?
As to your question, it seems unlikely for most of us. Like most things, there is probably a tail to the curve.
Since I’m at a university, I have considerable exposure to the 18-20 something generation. The vast majority seem (to me) to be considerably more conscious of the world and its issues than I remember about myself. Then there is that fascinating, post-internet activity called trolling. I still do not pretend to understand the satisfaction it provides, but it takes many forms including the more benign one of – “we’re the digital natives and everyone else is out of touch”. Sure.