How many times do we hear about the problems with loneliness regarding the older folks, especially the men? How no one pays attention to them? How society shuns them, women don't find them desirable as mates (unless they have wealth), how their kids and grandkids never visit, etc.
Look at the
pop culture in America. Everything is geared toward the younger people. Advertising, movies, tv shows, music, fashion. The only time you see someone over 45 in a commerical, it always ends with "see your doctor".
After having been involved in this game for 30 years in some form or fashion, and have seen the rebirth and vitality of so many older men in the various places I have traveled to, it's a wonder why there are not more older American men picking up stakes and leaving their lives behind, at least for part of the year, and relocating overseas to some of these places and enjoying the potential for unlimited companionship.
Whenever any type of show about retirees taking off for other countries is seen, it only is shown through the context of married couples, never the single older male traveler. I guess the stigma of possibly promoting the "dirty old man" scenario is still taboo for most broadcast media, unless it's about a mail order bride coming to America.
Seeing grown ass men swapping spit on tv is a sign of progress, love and the "new" normal of civil rights.
But seeing an old guy doing the same with a woman young enough to be his daughter, or granddaughter as the case may be.......oh no! How terrible, just look at that dirty old man doing that to that sweet, young girl. How uncouth, how disgusting, he ought to be ashamed of himself, he needs to be arrested and locked up, we can't have this in a civilized society.........and on and on it goes.
You know what? That guy is my hero! Let him live out the sunset years of his life in his own fantasy for as long as he can afford to, financially and health wise.
Too many of us, as it's become painfully aware, already are dealing with enough of the cruel realities of being old.
We don't need society to be shoving it in our faces.
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