Dying is a matter of slapstick and pratfalls. The ageing process is not gradual or gentle. It rushes up, pushes you over and runs off laughing. No one should grow old who isn't ready to appear ridiculous.
John MortimerRead
Writing about the indignities of old age: the daunting stairway to the restaurant restroom, the benefits of a wheelchair in airports and its disadvantages at cocktail parties, giving the user what he described as a child's-eye view of the party and a crotch-level view of the guests. Dying is a matter of slapstick and pratfalls. The aging process is not gradual or gentle. It rushes up, pushes you over and runs off laughing. No one should grow old who isn't ready to appear ridiculous.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote humorously reflects on the challenges and absurdities of aging.
John Mortimer's quote provides a comedic yet profound commentary on the inevitable trials that accompany old age. It describes the physical indignities and unpredictable moments that come with aging, illustrating that rather than being a dignified process, we often face it with a sense of absurdity and humor. Mortimer encourages a light-hearted perspective towards aging, suggesting that embracing the ridiculousness of life can make the journey more bearable.
Themes
AgingHumorAbsurdityIndignitiesLife
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote as an icebreaker at a birthday party celebrating elderly individuals.
More from John Mortimer
All quotes →The aging process is not gradual or gentle. It rushes up, pushes you over, and runs off laughing. No one should grow old who isn't ready to appear ridiculous.
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I'd been told of all the things you're meant to feel when your father dies. Sudden freedom, growing up, the end of dependence, the step into the sunlight when no one is taller than you and you're in no one's shadow. I know what I felt. Lonely.
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There are lots of similarities between being a writer and a lawyer: to tell a story to a jury, hold their attention, make them laugh, make them like you. But what makes being a barrister less satisfying than being a writer is, finally, that it's about what someone else wants you to say.
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I refuse to spend my life worrying about what I eat. There is no pleasure worth foregoing just for an extra three years in the geriatric ward.
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