- Credits:
- Photo, Shutterstock. Helen's Place LLC remembers Charlie Chaplin standing up to Nazis in WWII.
Helen’s Place LLC Update: February 27, 2024
We can survive the 2024 election season with humor and resolve – determined that the more people lie, the truer we become.
Do you remember Ben Franklin’s observation, “Half a truth is often a great lie?”
Well, this is the first time in history that the American voter must wade through so much fabricated BS to figure out what’s true, partially true, or a complete lie, in order to choose between the lesser of two, three, four etc. evils.
Take for example news and opinion surrounding Biden’s and Trump’s age:
The February 5, 2024 report by Special Counsel Robert Hur about Biden’s retention of classified documents, concluded that Biden was not guilty of willful retention, because he was “a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory,” and therefore, wouldn’t be convicted by a jury.
This report set off a media frenzy about how old is too old to be president. On February 18, 2024, Experts on aging answered this question on the “CBS Sunday Morning” program, stating that forgetting or using wrong words isn’t necessarily an old age problem to worry about.
But this type of reporting is where some of the younger generation start to lose it, and express how deeply offended they feel about having to make a choice for president between two 80 year old’s; “Shouldn’t it be obvious they’re too old?”
Presidential candidate, Nikki Haley made this a key talking point in her campaign speeches.
As it turns out, in addition to other prejudices, ageism in America is rampant and affects people’s ability to tell the truth and discern fact from fiction about older people.
This prejudice is so entrenched in the American psyche that most people wouldn’t realize that they have it or admit to it.
We might say that it’s too bad that older people aren’t revered like they are in some other countries, but Americans have always preferred youth and beauty. This is why some younger voters embraced Nikki Haley. In fact, Haley goes down in history as the first candidate to hang around after losing primaries, to see if the frontrunner died or went to jail before an election.
But, like it or not, as Jon Stewart of The Daily Show said on February 12, 2024, “look at me; look what time has wrought…” Yes, we’re all going to get old – so not only will we have to decide who to vote for in the 2024 election, but how to conduct ourselves going forward. Will we emulate a wise old sage, or be angry, vindictive and mean? How will we shape the world?
The future is up to us, and requires vigilance “forever” to make the world work, Jon pointed out.
Bothsidism – Is it Really Wrong?
But Jon Stewart’s monologue about age on The Daily Show, set off a viewer backlash too, because some viewers weren’t in the mood for a humorous “bothsidism” take on aging.
Critics objected that comparing Joe Biden’s old age to Trump’s was wrong, because Biden’s old, dignified and wise character vs. Trump’s old, insane and vindictive one, weren’t equivalent.
Secondly, they objected because – although the media industry loves bothsidism as though it’s describing a horse race or a sports contest with who’s up, and who’s down, humor around Trump and Biden’s age just wasn’t appropriate.
It appears that the more serious the stakes, the more difficult it becomes to lighten up, and some people aren’t in the mood to joke around when things get tough.
But this is what comics do – they satirize all of it – the political horse races, the infighting, the gaffs – all of it. Therefore, it could be an intense few months leading up to election day in November 2024, and “gaff” updates on a daily basis are likely.
It would help if lies were funny and not potentially deadly.
Unfortunately, the comics are often the only ones good at finding the absurdity in the lies and gaffs people make, bringing humor to what otherwise would be dark or sad subjects when we’d otherwise be crying – and/or yelling. (Let’s never forget how Charlie Chaplin stood up to the Nazis in WWII).
But after you get past the lies and gaff issues – exactly how should older candidates fairly present themselves?
Here’s where truth and honesty come in:
It would be a fool’s errand to only just present Biden as a “single-minded, strong, and energetic” candidate, as John Favreau suggested in an “X” post on February 18, 2024.
Instead of trying to prove that Joe Biden is always youthful and vigorous, a practical political strategist, Chai Komanduri, gave strong opinions on MSNBC that it was time President Biden went on the offensive about his age, going on every talk show and declaring things like – I’m old, I make gaffs, I misspeak, but I still know what I’m doing, etc.
For a long time, old people have needed to come out of the closet and stop pretending they’re not old. The joy of old age is being oneself, and old folks have earned it.
Thinking outside the box; during the Obama administration, comics did send-ups of a calm Obama with an anger translator over his shoulder yelling what he really thought.
In this vane, in the Biden administration, an “Uncle Joe” translator, over Biden’s shoulder could correct his gaffs shouting out for example, “It’s Egypt Mr. President!” “What’s that you say kids? Ok, right, ‘Egypt’ is the correct country,” he could reply.
Another idea would be instead of putting Biden at a White House podium with insulting questions from the press being lobbed against him, he could sit calmly in the middle of a conference table to answer questions surrounded by experts; like the way sports press conferences are conducted.
The point being – that there might be more age appropriate ways for the president to present himself.
Will America Survive the 2024 Election Cycle?
It depends on in what form. Yes, with our current democracy if people start telling the truth and facing reality. Otherwise, as an autocracy of some unknown weird version, based on the imagined creation of who’s in power.
The true heroes walking among us, are the ones who are fighting to move our country forward to live another day beyond the Trump era.
They could be known influencers on TikTok, or famous politicians; or they could be behind the scenes, living in obscurity, and quietly doing things to support democracy.
For some people who appreciate a time when journalistic standards existed, and deciphering fact from fiction was important, the current era of thinking whatever one believes is true seems sacrilegious and un-American.
To them, the beloved myth of George Washington admitting to chopping down a cherry tree because he couldn’t tell a lie, is alive and well.
There are those among us with moral standard to always tell the truth, who will double-down to stand up and fight for truth, even if it cost them their lives.
What you can do to stay sane
You can learn a lot from comics and political activists and the way they point out lies and hypocrisy in humorous ways. This is their way of standing up and fighting for freedom of speech, and democracy. They teach us to remember that humor gives people strength, and standing up to bullies takes away their their power.
Alexei Navalny in Russia knew this, and was filmed right before he was killed by Putin. He defied the opposition by laughing and joking with his jailers. He, by example, reminded people how to use humor to:
- Speak directly to bullies –
Like when Nikki Haley stood up to candidate Ramaswamy in a presidential debate and challenged him saying, “the more you speak the dummer I feel,” with a wicked smile.
- Think clearly about your choices –
like whether it’s better to be old and wise vs. old and insane, or in a rocking chair vs. a padded, prison cell.
- Read satire to stay balanced –
Examples are a famous publication, “The Onion,” which still exists to read online;
- Join a protest –
like with satirical organization, “Birds Aren’t Real,” where protesters show up at absurd truth denier gatherings with signs “birds aren’t real.” You could hold up a paddle or sign with “Birds aren’t real” on one side, and whatever you want on the other. Here’s a few suggestions to go with birds aren’t real:
I’m not old!
Lies are stupid!
I’m not thin!
- Resolve to point out the bull**** –
whenever you hear it in the most appropriate ways possible for you – like “Come on now – you seriously believe that?” or “Have you ever considered getting a second opinion from public television or radio instead of Fox news?”
- Walk the talk –
to remain open minded to new ideas so you don’t become stuck in your own bubble. Test yourself to see if you can maintain your cool while listening to opposing ideas.
Related audio/video recording(s):
Jon Stewart rocks topic of old age on Comedy Central:
You Tube, Comedy Central, Feb 12, 2024 “Jon Stewart Tackles The Biden-Trump Rematch That Nobody Wants | The Daily Show”
Other related article you may be interested in:
Women getting involved in a protest for the first time against a newspaper in Britain showing topless women:
Guardian, Jo Cheetham, February 14, 2024, “A moment that changed me…”
Defying Putin with humor:
Guardian, Anna Nemtsova, February 17, 2024, “Alexei Navalny’s Last Laugh.”
Lest we ever forget this important American cultural myth:
The Upstate American, Rex Smith, May 13, 2023, “The Better Lesson of George Washington’s Cherry Tree.”
Article about a stupid political topic that died on the vine:
Helen’s Place LLC, February 28, 2023,“In the Age of Name Calling, What Does Woke Mean Anyway?”
Helen’s Place LLC is an information and educational materials company celebrating English Language Arts, Cognitive Science and the love of birds.
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