November 21, 2009



Advertisement



Collage: Simone Tieber

The Seven Faces of Eldercool




1. The Pro

  • Examples: Donald Rumsfeld, Clint Eastwood, Chuck Yeager
  • Characteristics: Unflappability, sharp clothing, conservatism.
  • Also known as: Boss.

2. The Bad Boy

  • Examples: Hunter S. Thompson, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson
  • Characteristics: Lack of respect for authority, history of run-ins with the law, health problems.
  • Also known as: The Outlaw.

3. The Misanthrope

  • Examples: George Carlin, Kurt Vonnegut
  • Characteristics: Gruffness, righteous indignation, unpredictability.
  • Also known as: Cranky Old Goat.

4. The Joker

  • Examples: William Shatner, Leslie Nielsen, "Grandpa" Al Lewis
  • Characteristics: Wackiness, shamelessness.
  • Also known as: Quite a Character.

5. The Guru

  • Examples: The Dalai Lama, Pope John Paul II, Walter Cronkite
  • Characteristics: Incorruptibility, reassuring manner, facility with aphorisms.
  • Also known as: Obi-Wan.

6. The Icon

  • Examples: Miles Davis, William S. Burroughs, John Lee Hooker
  • Characteristics: Timeless cult appeal, may already be technically dead.
  • Also known as: The Ghost Of…

7. The Silver Fox

  • Examples: Sean Connery, Paul Newman
  • Characteristics: Good bone structure, preternatural energy, sass.
  • Also known as: The Ageless Wonder.