#?*! Motor Trend's Stereotyping of Older People (AKA "Your Grandfathers Car"!)

I used to read/scan Car and Driver and enjoy it. The writing was good and entertaining and they didn’t take themselves too seriously. For whatever reason (probably the blizzard of renewals you get to the point that I just give up to wait for the final offer, or maybe a lack of time), I quit receiving it.

So, in a weak moment, I accepted a offer from Motor Trend that was extremely low cost. From the first issue, I was disappointed in Motor Trend, the writing was poor, the magazine was disorganized.

I realized I had “gotten what I paid for”, which wasn’t much except another magazine to give to the Library after it sat round unread for a month.

A reference to “your Grandfathers car” and “This car is for people who are too old to enjoy a good car” (or something to that nature-I tossed the magazine in the trash in disgust) infuriated me.

I have never liked the term “your Grandfathers/Grandmothers (fill in the blank)” at any age, even when I was a teenager, much less now that I am a Grandfather. (I also hate the term “Dude” for other reasons.)

I am surprised in this day that such a stereotypical term is used to denigrate older people as uncreative, liking plain items, and, by extension, being dull and boring.

Probably I am all the more edgy about this when, within the last two weeks I encountered two people who are probably in their 50’s and early 60’s who were “downsized” and now can’t even get an interview, much less a job. They both are about to lose their house.

THEN, i see a reference stereotyping a car as a “your Grandfathers car” to boring, unimaginative and “good enough” for older people who of course, according to the writer, aren’t interested in any innovative cars. Of course, I know “Grandfathers and Grandmothers” who drive Corvettes, experimental cars, innovative cars as well as the “reasonable” cars!

Of course, I canceled my subscription to Motor Trend, but, more important, I do not intend to let the stereotyping of older people as uninteresting, unimaginative, uncreative etc. who only deserve or want the most boring of anything. I will protest any use of that term I see it.

I think such stereotyped images of older people is one reason I see so many older people out of jobs, desperate for work and, in many cases about ready to lose their houses and become homeless.

Now how I will respond to “Dude” is another posting. (Another term I truly hate is “pimping a (whatever)”, but that is also for the future!