Emanuel is a bioethicist and breast oncologist who is for Obamacare and universal health care and against euthanasia for the aged. Nevertheless, he apparently believes that because most people over 75 are no longer as vibrant as most people under 75, and many of them have insurmountable health issues, there should be an arbitrary cut-off date after which any reasonable human being would do humanity a favor and go find themselves a nice iceberg somewhere and float off into the darkness. Singing.
I have admired Zeke Emanuel for–I don’t know–a long time now. I can’t remember. (Don’t kill me!) I always thought that of all the Emanuels, he had his head on straightest. But it could be that on the very day I turned 77 my brain read Emanuel’s piece, took notice that I was exactly two years past the cut-off date, and got confused about what I was supposed to do now. Whatever happened, I don’t get this guy. Not this time.
He said:
By the time I reach 75, I will have lived a complete life. I will have loved and been loved. My children will be grown and in the midst of their own rich lives. I will have seen my grandchildren born and beginning their lives. I will have pursued my life’s projects and made whatever contributions, important or not, I am going to make. And hopefully, I will not have too many mental and physical limitations. Dying at 75 will not be a tragedy. Indeed, I plan to have my memorial service before I die. And I don’t want any crying or wailing, but a warm gathering filled with fun reminiscences, stories of my awkwardness, and celebrations of a good life. After I die, my survivors can have their own memorial service if they want—that is not my business.
Ooooh. . . weeping here. So sweet! (Except for that part about “dying at 75 will not be a tragedy”. Easy for him to say.)
And then he said:
. . .the fact is that by 75, creativity, originality, and productivity are pretty much gone for the vast, vast majority of us. . . This age-creativity relationship is a statistical association, the product of averages; individuals vary from this trajectory. Indeed, everyone in a creative profession thinks they will be, like my collaborator, in the long tail of the curve. There are late bloomers. As my friends who enumerate them do, we hold on to them for hope. It is true, people can continue to be productive past 75—to write and publish, to draw, carve, and sculpt, to compose. But there is no getting around the data. By definition, few of us can be exceptions. Moreover, we need to ask how much of what “Old Thinkers,” as Harvey C. Lehman called them in his 1953 Age and Achievement, produce is novel rather than reiterative and repetitive of previous ideas. The age-creativity curve—especially the decline—endures across cultures and throughout history, suggesting some deep underlying biological determinism probably related to brain plasticity.
. . . .We’ll just move on now.
It’s also true that younger admirers have put themselves in their place and feel better about their own chances of making waves for that long. But too often they stop celebrating the achievements and begin celebrating their longevity. Any mention of them from then on ends up being a eulogy. As if whatever they were is in the distant past and now they just are. This sort of thing doesn’t help. A cut-off date of, say, 75 when even Emanuel, the chooser of the cut-off date, admits that nobody ages in the same way during the same time-frame, is so dumb all I can figure is that he needed an attention-getter to make a few points about how terrible it will be when he’s no longer at the top of his game.
Take it from me, Zeke. You’ll get over it.
Ramona Grigg is a freelance columnist and blogger living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.. She owns the liberal-leaning blog, Ramona's Voices, and is a contributor to Liberaland and on the masthead at Dagblog.
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Abby Normal September 23rd, 2014 at 16:01
A couple of dear family friends are 92 and 93. If it is daytime, don’t bother to call – they won’t be home. They’ll be out driving around, going places, visiting people, doing things. They’re in perfect health and enjoying life. They both carry appointment calendars in their purses to keep track of all the card games, birthday parties, lunch dates, weddings and other events they go routinely go to. I read Dr. Emanuel’s essay and my immediate thought was, “how can a man intelligent enough to get through medical school be so stupid?”
If one is healthy and enjoying life, what difference does age make?
Dwendt44 September 23rd, 2014 at 19:08
Had reason to check with the firm holding my IRA. I asked about mandatory withdrawal as I’m sneaking up on 70. They informed me that, according to the IRS, my life expectancy was 97. WOW, if only. I’ll be lucky to make it to 85, and that’s an optimistic guess. We’ll see.
tiredoftea September 23rd, 2014 at 20:35
May you outlive your money!
Abby Normal September 23rd, 2014 at 16:01
A couple of dear family friends are 92 and 93. If it is daytime, don’t bother to call – they won’t be home. They’ll be out driving around, going places, visiting people, doing things. They’re in perfect health and enjoying life. They both carry appointment calendars in their purses to keep track of all the card games, birthday parties, lunch dates, weddings and other events they routinely go to. I read Dr. Emanuel’s essay and my immediate thought was, “how can a man intelligent enough to get through medical school be so stupid?”
If one is healthy and enjoying life, what difference does age make?
Dwendt44 September 23rd, 2014 at 19:08
Had reason to check with the firm holding my IRA. I asked about mandatory withdrawal as I’m sneaking up on 70. They informed me that, according to the IRS, my life expectancy was 97. WOW, if only. I’ll be lucky to make it to 85, and that’s an optimistic guess. We’ll see.
tiredoftea September 23rd, 2014 at 20:35
May you outlive your money!
uzza September 23rd, 2014 at 16:04
This guy sounds, not really young, but sophomoric, like the hippies who used to say “don’t trust anyone over thirty”. I tried to read his long winded rant about how old people suck, but couldn’t make it through all the unexamined wealth and privilege. It’s what
you get when you stable a jackass in an ivory tower.
uzza September 23rd, 2014 at 16:04
This guy sounds, not really young, but sophomoric, like the hippies who used to say “don’t trust anyone over thirty”. I tried to read his long winded rant about how old people suck, but couldn’t make it through all the unexamined wealth and privilege. It’s what
you get when you stable a jackass in an ivory tower.
Cosmic_Surfer September 23rd, 2014 at 16:53
Someone should have told little Zeke to actually pay attention to studies on aging instead of preening (this from a 60 something whose father at age 85 was still being called by his engineering firm and whose grandfather was baling hay at age 98)…He reminds me of a 10 year old looking at his 30 yr old parents and being dismayed by how “old” they are.
Cosmic_Surfer September 23rd, 2014 at 16:53
Someone should have told little Zeke to actually pay attention to studies on aging instead of preening (this from a 60 something whose father at age 85 was still being called by his engineering firm and whose grandfather was baling hay at age 98)…He reminds me of a 10 year old looking at his 30 yr old parents and being dismayed by how “old” they are.
fancypants September 23rd, 2014 at 16:55
its the old guy who keeps all the sporting goods that land in his yard.
what did it for me is when he tore the inflated beach ball in half with a mean stare ….creepy
fancypants September 23rd, 2014 at 16:55
its the old guy who keeps all the sporting goods that land in his yard.
what did it for me is when he tore the inflated beach ball in half with a mean stare ….creepy
Ramona Grigg September 23rd, 2014 at 16:56
So far I haven’t found one person, young or old, who agrees with Zeke. Maybe I should tell him?
fancypants September 23rd, 2014 at 17:07
give him ” grumpy old men” video then get his opinion ?
tiredoftea September 23rd, 2014 at 20:36
Better yet, Soylent Green!
Ramona Grigg September 23rd, 2014 at 16:56
So far I haven’t found one person, young or old, who agrees with Zeke. Maybe I should tell him?
fancypants September 23rd, 2014 at 17:07
give him ” grumpy old men” video then get his opinion ?
tiredoftea September 23rd, 2014 at 20:36
Better yet, Soylent Green!
uzza September 23rd, 2014 at 17:31
Why are you waiting, Bucko? Some of us get fatal diseases a lot younger than 75.
Ramona Grigg September 23rd, 2014 at 19:11
Well now hold on just a minute there. I’m 77 and my life is nowhere near complete. How do you know you’ll have done all you want to by 75? There is no magic cut-off point for living a rich life. Three quarters of a century sounds like a lot to someone who hasn’t gotten there yet, but I’m on a roll and my age has nothing to do with where I’m going and how I’ll get there. Or when I’ll stop.
tiredoftea September 23rd, 2014 at 20:35
Or, doesn’t have any family or friends.
Anomaly 100 September 23rd, 2014 at 21:12
My aunt lived to 90, my mom was 85 when she died. Both lived incredibly full lives right up until they took their last breaths. Both were remarkable women. I hope I can be even a little bit like them.
I’m 56. Just to show this guy a thing or two, I’m gonna live forever. Take that!
Ramona Grigg September 23rd, 2014 at 21:23
Anomaly, you’ve got it in the bag! Looks like you have a lot to live up to. Go for it!
uzza September 23rd, 2014 at 17:31
Why are you waiting, Bucko? Some of us get fatal diseases a lot younger than 75.
Ramona Grigg September 23rd, 2014 at 19:11
There is no magic cut-off point for living a rich life. Three quarters of a century sounds like a lot to someone who hasn’t gotten there yet, but I’m on a roll and my age has nothing to do with where I’m going and how I’ll get there. Or when I’ll stop.
And Zeke’s a ninny, besides.
tiredoftea September 23rd, 2014 at 20:35
Or, doesn’t have any family or friends.
Anomaly 100 September 23rd, 2014 at 21:12
My aunt lived to 90, my mom was 85 when she died. Both lived incredibly full lives right up until they took their last breaths. Both were remarkable women. I hope I can be even a little bit like them.
I’m 56. Just to show this guy a thing or two, I’m gonna live forever. Take that!
Ramona Grigg September 23rd, 2014 at 21:23
Anomaly, you’ve got it in the bag! Looks like you have a lot to live up to. Go for it!
William September 23rd, 2014 at 17:45
My wife and I discussed this and agree that by 75 (15 years from now), we probably won’t compete anymore.
Ramona Grigg September 23rd, 2014 at 19:12
Compete with what?
William September 23rd, 2014 at 20:45
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151146660983511.445278.684598510&type=1&l=76d39f4997
Ramona Grigg September 23rd, 2014 at 21:25
Lol, William, really??? This should keep you going well into old age. . .whatever or whenever that is. Good for you both!
William September 23rd, 2014 at 17:45
My wife and I discussed this and agree that by 75 (15 years from now), we probably won’t compete anymore.
Ramona Grigg September 23rd, 2014 at 19:12
Compete with what?
William September 23rd, 2014 at 20:45
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151146660983511.445278.684598510&type=1&l=76d39f4997
Ramona Grigg September 23rd, 2014 at 21:25
Lol, William, really??? This should keep you going well into old age. . .whatever or whenever that is. Good for you both!