The Old Guard: Confronting America's Gerontocratic Crisis

Summary

This article uses the Greek myth of Eos and Tithonus as a framing device to explore America's gerontocratic crisis — the concentration of political power and influence in the hands of an aging elite. It examines how the U.S. political system, corporate leadership, and cultural institutions are dominated by an increasingly elderly cohort, and the societal consequences of this age imbalance. The piece draws parallels between the myth's cautionary tale about eternal life without eternal youth and America's reluctance to cede power to younger generations.