--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Old, in America, is not a good thing to be." description: "\"Old, in America, is not a good thing to be.\" — Katha Pollitt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/katha-pollitt-16599_america_old-in-america-is-not-a-good-thing-to-be_2302249.png" --- # Old, in America, is not a good thing to be. ![“Old, in America, is not a good thing to be.” quote by Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/katha-pollitt-16599_america_old-in-america-is-not-a-good-thing-to-be_2302249.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/katha-pollitt-16599_america_old-in-america-is-not-a-good-thing-to-be_2302249.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/katha-pollitt-16599_america_old-in-america-is-not-a-good-thing-to-be_2302249.png) > “Old, in America, is not a good thing to be.” [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the negative perception of aging in U.S. culture, suggesting it devalues older adults. **In simple terms:** Aging is seen as undesirable in America. Key Takeaway Challenge ageist attitudes. Themes ageism culture elderhood Mood reflective critical Type social commentary observational When to use this quote - workplace hiring - healthcare policy - family caregiving - media portrayal Key Concepts sociology media representation Questions to Reflect On - How does society benefit from older adults? - What policies could reduce age discrimination? A Different Perspective Older adults contribute valuable experience and wisdom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) ## Related quotes > [Russia a very powerful nuclear country and so is America. If we have a good relationship with Russia, believe me, that's a good thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/russia-a-very-powerful-nuclear-country-and-so-is-america-if-we-have-a/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The fortunes of the entire world may well ride on the ability of young Americans to face the responsibilities of an old America gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/the-fortunes-of-the-entire-world-may-well-ride-on-the-ability-of/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [When people say this isn't the America they grew up in, they're right. Nobody gets to grow old in the America they grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/when-people-say-this-isn-t-the-america-they-grew-up-in-they-re-right/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [Getting old in America ... best to do it somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-hollander/getting-old-in-america-best-to-do-it-somewhere-else/) [Nicole Hollander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-hollander/) > [Nobody gets to grow old in the America they grew up in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/nobody-gets-to-grow-old-in-the-america-they-grew-up-in/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [I mean, the Constitution of this country was written 200 years ago. The house I was living in in Madrid is 350 years old!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-banderas/i-mean-the-constitution-of-this-country-was-written-200-years-ago-the/) [Antonio Banderas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-banderas/) > [You don't have to be old in America to say of a world you lived in: 'that world is gone.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-noonan/you-don-t-have-to-be-old-in-america-to-say-of-a-world-you-lived-in/) [Peggy Noonan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-noonan/) > [I wanted to serve. It was Desert Storm. I thought, 'I was a rich kid, and America's been good to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/i-wanted-to-serve-it-was-desert-storm-i-thought-i-was-a-rich-kid-and/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [America breeds ambition and while that can be a good thing, sometimes it's not. Ambition also breeds competition and that can be a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaka-khan/america-breeds-ambition-and-while-that-can-be-a-good-thing-sometimes/) [Chaka Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaka-khan/) > [America must be burned! America is no good at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/america-must-be-burned-america-is-no-good-at-all/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [“I remain basically a socialist. It is more relevant today because capitalism has reached its apex. It will begin to slide down or will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-taruc/i-remain-basically-a-socialist-it-is-more-relevant-today-because/) [Luis Taruc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-taruc/) > [In speech after speech on his health care plan, the President has tried to convince us that what he is proposing will be good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-brown/in-speech-after-speech-on-his-health-care-plan-the-president-has/) [Scott Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-brown/) > [America's been very, very good to me. I've been very lucky and worked a lot there, and appreciate and love the work that I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/america-s-been-very-very-good-to-me-i-ve-been-very-lucky-and-worked-a/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [America is good enough for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sergeant-wise/america-is-good-enough-for-us/) [John Sergeant Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sergeant-wise/) > [We live in America, one of the good things what we have with all the people is we have dialogue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-wiseau/we-live-in-america-one-of-the-good-things-what-we-have-with-all-the/) [Tommy Wiseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-wiseau/) ## More by Katha Pollitt > [“I should say that it was only for me that Marxism seemed over. Surely, I would tell G. at least once a week, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/i-should-say-that-it-was-only-for-me-that-marxism-seemed-over-surely/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [One of the very important ideas of feminism for me has always been women helping and supporting each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/one-of-the-very-important-ideas-of-feminism-for-me-has-always-been/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [funny how ready people are to believe that counseling, which even when voluntary takes years to modify garden-variety neuroses, can work wonders in months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/funny-how-ready-people-are-to-believe-that-counseling-which-even-when/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [Misogyny runs deeper than religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/misogyny-runs-deeper-than-religion/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [Why must the woman apologize for not having a baby just because she happened to get pregnant? It's as if we think motherhood is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/why-must-the-woman-apologize-for-not-having-a-baby-just-because-she/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [“Maybe I’m not cut out for monogamy,” G. had said to me early on. “Maybe I should just live in a room by myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/maybe-i-m-not-cut-out-for-monogamy-g-had-said-to-me-early-on-maybe-i/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [For many people, feminism is one of those words of which, as St. Augustine said about time, they know the meaning as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/for-many-people-feminism-is-one-of-those-words-of-which-as-st/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [When it comes to ideas - and religions are, among other things, ideas - there is no right not to be offended. ... In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/when-it-comes-to-ideas-and-religions-are-among-other-things-ideas/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [In a better world, science teachers would teach creationism along with evolution as an exercise in critical thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/in-a-better-world-science-teachers-would-teach-creationism-along-with/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [We need to say that women have sex, have abortions, are at peace with the decision and move on with their lives. We need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/we-need-to-say-that-women-have-sex-have-abortions-are-at-peace-with/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [“I’m a writer; I can float for hours on a word like “amethyst” or “broom” or the way so many words sound like what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/i-m-a-writer-i-can-float-for-hours-on-a-word-like-amethyst-or-broom/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [A feminist is a person who answers 'yes' to the question 'Are women human?' Feminism is not about whether women are better than, worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/a-feminist-is-a-person-who-answers-yes-to-the-question-are-women/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [If you run into trouble doing what's expected, people sympathize with you, while if you try something else and flop everyone says, You see?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/if-you-run-into-trouble-doing-what-s-expected-people-sympathize-with/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [ When you consider that God could have commanded anything he wanted--anything!--the Ten \[Commandments\] have got to rank as one of the great missed moral… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/when-you-consider-that-god-could-have-commanded-anything-he-wanted/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [While woman sheds the Blood of Life each moon at menstruation, man can only shed the blood of death through warfare and killing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/while-woman-sheds-the-blood-of-life-each-moon-at-menstruation-man-can/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) [Explore all 39 Katha Pollitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Old, in America, is not a good thing to be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Katha Pollitt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/old-in-america-is-not-a-good-thing-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/old-in-america-is-not-a-good-thing-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/katha-pollitt-16599_america_old-in-america-is-not-a-good-thing-to-be_2302249.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/katha-pollitt-16599_america_old-in-america-is-not-a-good-thing-to-be_2302249.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/014/katha-pollitt-16599_america_old-in-america-is-not-a-good-thing-to-be_2302249.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Old, in America, is not a good thing to be.” — Katha Pollitt", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Katha Pollitt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Old, in America, is not a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/old-in-america-is-not-a-good-thing-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/old-in-america-is-not-a-good-thing-to-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```