A person is considered objective when he/she is not influenced by personal feelings or opinions when considering facts.
However, true objectivity is almost impossible to achieve. When evaluating facts, we are almost always unconsciously influenced by biases: she is a woman, he is Black, she is Jewish, he is wealthy, he is poor, he is too young, he is too old, he is too rich, he is gay, etc.
Advancing age has nothing to do with it. In the age of broadcasting, it is the appearance that matters most. And this is why some aging performers are rightfully turned down for roles requiring youth and vitality.
Some people look extraordinarily fit at 80, but if you appear old, you are considered old, regardless of your actual age, and therefore unfit for the part.
When I was around 22, I served in the French Army, and one of the men in my unit was nicknamed “Pépère.” In French, old men are often called “pépères,” a term which can be friendly or derogatory depending on the intention. This fellow was about my age, but he was already married, wore a large mustache, smoked a pipe, wore slippers when off-duty, and was forever concocting some brew on a portable stove. He was therefore considered odd, and out of step with the rest of us.
As a leader, you must appear dynamic and speak forcefully when the situation demands it. Unfortunately, this is not the image that candidate Joe Biden projects. He shuffles, stumbles, and speaks with a tenuous, whispering voice. This is not the leader the public wishes to see, especially someone who has to handle bullies of all shapes and colors.
The common man often yearns for a strong leader, a law-and-order man… even someone with glaring flaws. But a leopard cannot change his spots, and when the public plebiscites a “strong man” their honeymoon can be brutally short.
I believe Joe Biden to be a decent, honest man who cares about common folks. But for the good of the nation (and the world), he ought to pass the baton to a younger, more dynamic-looking individual. Too much is at stake in this election, and allowing a known bully to reoccupy the White House would be dicey.
People ought to remember what happened when they allowed vain, old foggies (Hindenburg, Pétain) to continue meddling with the affairs of the state after their prime.
This year, Republicans and Democrats picked unsuitable candidates to lead the country. Both sides are wrong, and if worse comes to worst, I will stick with the candidate who still believes in democracy and doesn’t seek immunity for all his past and forthcoming contentious deeds.
Alain