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Fortunately Mr. McCain is still a senator, Phil, so let's hope he works that magic! Personally I continue to resent him for capitulating to Bush on issues that matter. In some cases it seems that age blurs the wisdom rather than articulates it.

I guess that the wisdom and experience of John McCain would have made a big difference to this country. If you add John's courage, integrity and unique ability to compromise to forge meaningful legislation then it's clear we all should have voted for an OLD person instead of Barry and the meaningless illussion of "change." Peace & Love my friends, but Country First!

The fact of us living long lives has also to do with science perhaps more so than "Mother Nature", maybe in the past an air of the miraculous hovered over people who lived past 60 whereas now we take it for granted.
Also our culture is so obsessed with youth,
wrinkles , fat , etc are treated like diseases.

In support of what you've just said about old age in women, I had the distinct privilege of working on a short film with a cast featuring women between the age of 79 and 92. What an amazing learning experience. Their humor and courage and sense of fun was as enlightening as their wisdom. The film is called "Belle".. You can see a clip at www.streetpictures.com
thanks

Here is an idea from old folks who use EBT and WIC cards to survive:

Direct consumer investment via the StimCard -

The Federal Government mails a "gift card" with a balance of perhaps $2,000 to every taxpayer. The card can only be used to buy products and expires in 60 days. Purchases would be made at stores and through the Internet. Only strategically-select product categories would be available for purchase and they would be listed on a website set up to guide consumers. Who would not spend this money?

Note that technology can also enhance our ability to connect with the stories of older people - oral histories (Storycorps is a good popular example) are enabled by recordings, archiving and digital distribution on a large scale.

We should be capturing as much of this experience and wisdom as we can!

Case in point - in prior ages, we would not be able to hear first-person oral narratives of Holocaust survivors, or Studs Terkel's subjects...

Not to knock your guest, but it is my experience that nothing takes "the sting out of death."

When I was a kid during the 60's & 70's, old people either imposed their un-needed wisdom so inappropriately as if they are scold themselves thru me or re-lived it with bitterness.

Nowadays, no one wants to share wisdom unless there is a benefit or payment for them. Or just give plain old bad advice.

My cousins and I have different life experiences, but we approach life in the same manner. We are able to get to the answers in a more flexible and prepared manner.

Google can supply information, not wisdom. You need a certain minimum amount of wisdom even to know to look for it. You need more wisdom to know how to turn information into other wisdom.

Wisdom is as wisdom does. Not every old person is wise -- experienced maybe but that also depends. In the past, only a few people lived to old age -- they were often considered sages. But since they were so few, they might have knowledge not possesed by the society as whole, so they were valuable. Who is valuable today?

You're interviewing the wrong person for this topic. This is the definitive book that came out last year and, guess what, it's called "Wisdom". It's also gorgeously photographed.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wisdom-DVD-Andrew-Zuckerman/dp/0810983591

Please also look at Andrew Zuckerman's latest book "Wisdom"--a series of portraits and interviews, including a film, produced in collaboration with Desmond Tutu. It includes Nelson Mandela, Willie Nelson, Judi Dench, Vaclav Havel, and many other wonderful people over 65.

I worked in an economic "think tank" deep w/in the office of the CEO of a major financial svs co. There were a few "grey beards" who had the jobs of basically going to lunch w younger execs and huddling over their phones. I got so much deep insight from them. One day there was a budget scare -- and an industry change -- and I was sure that this was the moment they would shine. But instead they were all let go, presumably to save the money. What a waste -- and a telling moment for me.

Great idea. But I hope he includes pictures of old people because pretty soon we'll forget what they look like. Between hair dye, botox, plastic surgery, it's getting harder to spot an older person these days. We don't age anymore, we're just frozen in time. When the House Speaker and Vice President look younger than they did 20 years ago, something's wrong.