Thursday, 12 November 2009

Ageism


New research suggests that people who are ageist are generally those who are irrationally preoccupied with the fear of contracting a disease and it probably has an evolutionary cause. The suggestion that there is an evolutionary root to the prejudice is not an excuse to condone it however, or that the evolutionary pressure is still extant. I prefer to think these people are congenitally stupid.

Hay reckons that in my case the fear of catching something from my laundry is not irrational.

5 comments:

The Irascible Fairy said...

I think - as usual - Hay is absolutely correct - whereas my Mother used to boil-wash whites/sheets/towels/handkerchiefs/underwear we now have products that wash at 30°C and less; it might look clean but it ain't hygienic! And it's why there is an increasing plague of bedbugs in central London hotels.

Richard x x x

By the way - only members of the clergy can catch social - er - problems from toilet seats!

Chairman Bill said...

Richard: You make a valid point that Hayley has made many times about these low-temp detergents.

Jennysmith said...

I don't mind ageism at all. anything that prevents me getting a job is fine by me!!!

Alan Burnett said...

Personally I think they should shoot everyone on the day after their 60th birthday. (Of course legislation cannot be retrospective and therefore it can only apply to those who become 60 after the law is promulgated.

Steve Borthwick said...

The evolutionary origin of this instinct would make sense; lucky we evolved big brains so that we can quite happily ignore our evolutionary instincts then...