The Biden vs Trump Debate Shows the Dilemma of Utilizing Old Workers in an Aging, Depopulating Society

People get old. Old people's mental processing power and ability to react quickly to new information are weaker than those of younger people. These are plain biological facts that govern the human body. Absent radical scientific breakthroughs that allow people to retain their brainpower and youth through chemical and biological enhancements, these facts will befall everyone, including the most powerful and important individuals in the world. A more efficient world requires that some older people retire from their positions and let more mentally qualified youths take over.

But often the most powerful old men have, well, every power, to dictate whether they want to step aside or not. And that stubbornness of old men was clearly on display at the recent debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, the two presumptive presidential candidates of the US presidential elections to be held later this year. For over an hour and a half, watchers from around the US and the world were treated to, for the lack of better words, a rather juvenile argument between two 80+-year-olds, who, in between incoherent explanations of their policies, busied themselves with calling each other names.

It is a sad sight, partly because of expectations the American (and global) general public have about what an American presidential candidate looks like. Whether looking at the recent past or further back in the nation's history, many successful American presidents have been known for their oratory skills. While their speeches may have been written by staffers, many commanded persuasive voices to deliver those speeches in ways that have been studied even decades after the delivery. The very way of speaking in public, such as the humorous gravitas of Barack Obama, can influence speechmakers everywhere.

In other words, whatever their faults and policy shortcomings, many American presidents have been able to boost their public support through public appearances. Their popularity can very much come from their ability to craft words in ways that make the average Joes and Janes understand the nuances of economics, finance, and diplomacy that they have never come across in their schooling and private lives. It is as if the presidents are the primary spokesmen for their administrations, selling the ideas that their advisors and bureaucrats put into enforceable legal documents as ultimately good for everyone.

Judging from the debate performance, neither Biden nor Trump fits the mold. Not being able to explain the nuances of a stance in the ever-changing world of domestic and global politics is one thing, but not being able to display the more fundamental ability to articulate personal thoughts and opinions on the simplest matters without stuttering or irrelevant digressions is completely another matter. In a media-filled world where the president is expected to play the spokesman-in-chief, the inability to be verbally coherent is fatal for a politician.

The sorrow of having to witness two senile men battle for a position that neither seems to be mentally prepared for is a reminder, once again, that age does matter in employment. With many major economies suffering from aging populations, declining birthrates, and increasingly restrictive immigration regimes, how to best use the old talent that they still have becomes a more urgent matter. While blatant discrimination against older job seekers in the form of ageism is not to be had, legitimate questions have to be asked of whether more years of experience can offset eroded mental processing power.

For many, myself included, the question quickly gets personal. Those who are in high positions are in denial that they are too old for the job, taking the corporate titles they have had for years, if not decades, as a given. They expect to keep what they earned, with the sometimes unsubstantiated belief that under their leadership, the best is yet to come. They blatantly ignore subtle signs that their younger colleagues are trying to nudge them out while they can still gracefully bow out. Instead, many are forced to "retire" after committing serious errors in their old age.

Perhaps it is these successful corporate warriors in their old age who see both Biden and Trump as fellow kindred fighting the doubts of the untrustworthy youths. They perhaps even admire Biden for dismissing calls to step aside, projecting his determination to themselves as they attempt to stay put in the managerial and leadership positions they have been occupying for a long time. Sadly, human civilization has not yet discovered the anti-aging panacea. Until then, old people, and those heading that way, should seriously consider when they should call it quits.