The 'years young' phrase

[Kimstu]

@LSLGuy

Of course part of the “years young” idiom is the connotation that this person is of (comparatively) youthful attitude and condition despite their years. Not surrendering gracefully; no not them.

We all know a 50yo fogey; there’s a couple on here. We also know, or know of, 80-somethings who’re kickin’ ass on life all day every day. These latters are the ones who deserve the “years young” appellation. Or maybe a different idiom, but they are a rare and special breed and deserve some term of their own.

Personally, I think all such idioms tap-dancing around the perfectly reasonable use of the word “old” are somewhat annoyingly precious and intrusive/self-congratulatory, though I wouldn’t be annoyed enough by them to start a Pitting.

Yes, those of us in our 60s or 70s or 80s or higher can reasonably be described as “old”. It’s just an approximate chronological category, like “young adult” or “middle-aged”; it’s not a value judgement about somebody’s physical health or zest for life or other personality traits.

I get that the stigmatization of the word “old” is not the fault of us geezers, but I think those of us who object to being called “old” are exacerbating the problem. Prejudice, and using factual descriptors as terms of disparagement, are never successfully addressed by a subset of the disparaged group scrambling to protest that the word shouldn’t be applied to them because they’re “one of the good ones”.

There are old people in all possible degrees of physical fitness, energy level, adventurousness, and so on. Let’s stop trying to discourage the valid use of the term “old” for, say, 80-somethings whose attitude we happen to admire. There’s nothing shameful or derogatory about an 80-something being old.

[EddyTeddyFreddy]

@Kimstu

Let’s stop trying to discourage the valid use of the term “old” for, say, 80-somethings whose attitude we happen to admire. There’s nothing shameful or derogatory about an 80-something being old.

Agreed. I also tend to find grating the circumlocutions around “dead/died” – passed (not passed away, just passed) for example. I’m old, some day I, like everyone else, will die, and prettying up those facts does not warm whatever shriveled cockles remain in my heart.