[Ads-l] Adage Origin: Growing old isn't so bad when you consider the alternative

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Thanks, GAT. Based on your excellent memory, I added a citation with
"How does it feel". The update should be visible within 24 to 48
hours.

Date: February 3, 1955
Newspaper:  Baptist & Reflector
Newspaper Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Article: Laughs From Here and There
Quote Page 7, Column 3,
Database: Newspapers.com

https://www.newspapers.com/article/baptist-and-reflector-oldgent/175575964/

[Begin excerpt]
Old Gent: "I'm going to be seventy-four on my next birthday." Young
friend: "How does it feel to be getting way up there?" Old Gent: "Not
bad, really -- when you consider the alternative."
[End excerpt]

[Begin acknowledgement excerpt]
Also, thanks to George Thompson who mentioned the version of the joke
using the phrase “How does it feel”.
[Begin acknowledgement excerpt]

With appreciation
Garson

On Sun, Jun 29, 2025 at 7:36 PM George Thompson <george.thompson at nyu.edu> wrote:
>
> There is also another way to express this idea:  How does it feel to be
> [your present age]?  Not so bad, when you consider the alternative.
> I recall this attributed to Ed Wynn, I think in the early 1950s.  But since
> he died in 1966 at age 80, the age must have been 65 or 70, or my notion of
> when he said it is pretty far off.
>
> GAT,
>
>
> On Sun, Jun 29, 2025 at 5:24 PM ADSGarson O'Toole <
> 00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> > Way back in 2014, I posted about the saying in the subject line which
> > is listed in the Dictionary of Modern Proverbs as: "Old age is better
> > than the alternative". Recently, researcher Garry Apgar sent me a
> > valuable 1951 citation. This inspired additional research.
> >
> > I have updated the Quote Investigator article and changes should
> > become visible within 24 hours.
> >
> > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__quoteinvestigator.com_2014_07_10_old-2Dage_&d=DwIFaQ&c=slrrB7dE8n7gBJbeO0g-IQ&r=v2Wtu7DQZxSBMSJv-oEMNg&m=96UqGTn_w-3wSfUWDZ8ueiMPf6QLvvPC9xd_3R6wgOcDnt-eBYsTrXD7_JmEIOoi&s=Ec1I-mW2AMVjCkeC2AyEkKNDPh-7I_NsWeyennvW-ts&e=
> >
> > Here is a current overview:
> >
> > 1949 Feb 23: Growing old is to some degree preferable to the only
> > alternative (Olin Miller)
> >
> > 1951 Aug 28: Growing old isn't so bad - when one considers the only
> > alternative (Anonymous)
> >
> > 1951 Sep 05: Growing old isn't so bad - when one considers the only
> > alternative (Olin Miller)
> >
> > 1952 Aug 02: Growing old isn't so bad when you consider the
> > alternative (Anonymous)
> >
> > 1953 Mar 20: Growing old doesn’t seem quite so bad when you stop to
> > consider the alternative (Anonymous)
> >
> > 1953 Dec 16: Growing old isn't so bad - what if you hadn't?
> >
> > Feedback welcome,
> > Garson
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society -
> > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.americandialect.org&d=DwIFaQ&c=slrrB7dE8n7gBJbeO0g-IQ&r=v2Wtu7DQZxSBMSJv-oEMNg&m=96UqGTn_w-3wSfUWDZ8ueiMPf6QLvvPC9xd_3R6wgOcDnt-eBYsTrXD7_JmEIOoi&s=EtL8-0buonkidjdhUY6optWFHGrdahU7L4_0u12LTnI&e=
> >
>
>
> --
> George A. Thompson
> Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern
> Univ. Pr., 1998.
>
> But when aroused at the Trump of Doom / Ye shall start, bold kings, from
> your lowly tomb. . .
> L. H. Sigourney, "Burial of Mazeen", Poems.  Boston, 1827, p. 112
>
> The Trump of Doom -- also known as The Dunghill Toadstool.  (Here's a
> picture of his great-grandfather.)
>
> https://heritagecollections.parliament.uk/collections/getrecord/HOP_WOA_3851
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org