Why living longer is getting better, not worse

Dr Michael Mosley, a columnist with London’s Daily Mail made a rare comment last Saturday.

Dr Mosley: “And there are plenty of older people out there showing what is still possible. From the Rolling Stones, who next week begin another worldwide tour to Anneka Rice, 63, who is about to reprise her action role in a new version of Challenge Anneka.”

And went on to list many scientific reasons for celebrating getting older.

Some of you reading this have probably heard of the saga of the Rolling Stones, considered the most active rock band. They have been performing for at least 60 years. Of course, there are many elderly musicians in the business.

Twenty-six years ago, the American guitarist Ry Cooder went to Cuba and kind of “discovered” aged musicians (mostly in their 70s and 80s)...the fascination ended up with German film producer Wim Wenders. Some of you might have stumbled upon Buena Vista Social Club. The name wasn’t glamorous. Buena Vista Social Club existed over 80 years ago.

The 1996 film documentary has become a classic. One of its protagonists, Ibrahim Ferrer, is on the cover of the album and film. He is walking down the street in Havana with a white cap, white shoes, white shirt, black trousers and a cigarette. He died aged 78 in 2005. His rich melodic voice is without any doubt the hallmark of this masterpiece. Please go find and listen to them if you never did.

Wikipedia acknowledges that Buena Vista Social Club “revitalised” the Cuban son music sound and introduced Cuban music to a new generation of listeners.

Why am I bringing this up?

I am ….mmmh...because these musicians were old and outdated, but classy.

Yes, there are many wazee musicians out there still playing. A few years before passing away, BB King, the blues singer and guitarist, was always seated on a chair on stage. B B King died aged 89 in 2015. He used to say he played music almost every single day throughout the year and subsequently worked to the very end.

The Rolling Stones have an average age of around 75. Mick Jagger, the front man of the band, is 78. Sir Mick still runs and dances on stage like a youngster. His current girlfriend, Melanie Hamrick, a ballet dancer, is 35 and the mother of his youngest child, Devraux, 5.

For years the British press ridiculed Jagger and the Rolling Stones so much it used to exasperate. For example they would call them “rolling bones” to belittle the fact that they are “too old” to be performing or having girlfriends.

Lately, however, things have changed.

The Western world is highlighting healthy lifestyles. Videos and images of wazee exercising and working out are becoming more and more common. The fact that Rolling Stones have not stopped doing concerts since 1962 is inspiring and WONDERFUL.

I personally used to wonder why these communities and the media talk crap about wazee. And I concluded that there is a general disrespect for the elderly. There is also an obsession with youth and being young. This column has always maintained how the word shikamoo does not exist in Anglo-American greetings. Young people say “hello” and “hi” to older people, which is where the problem is. The habit is not just a reflection of a culture that does not look at age etiquette but embarrassment. By calling an historical band that has been working hard since 1962 “Rolling Bones” we see a people afraid to acknowledge, social wisdom and experience.

This is where Africans are far, far ahead.

In 2004 I was at a London Tanzanian- UK business meeting where the former Labour Cabinet member, Ms Claire Short, addressed us. One of the things she noted about being in Africa was how the younger respected the elderly and how that is lacking in her own culture.

Yes, of course we are not looking at the negative side of an older person bullying and even abusing a junior human being. There are negatives, yes, but the positive means communities learn to safeguard and keep national knowledge.

One of the secrets of the Rolling Stones’ success is the discipline of working hard – discipline and consistence. It is like how we keep listening to speeches of departed Pan-Africanist leaders – Mwalimu Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah, Marcus Garvey and so on. These icons went through hardships and overcome them. WE can learn a lot from THAT.

When Mwalimu Nyerere was warning that any political leader ready to buy votes to the State House should be feared like leprosy it leaves us in stitches. WE chuckle and laugh and reminisce but also are reminded of wisdom and dignity.

That is why keeping tradition and past experience is the cornerstone of human progress.