Rethink the Problem

No, James Clear*, aging is not a “slow death of becoming overly protective, scared, and worried about losing what you have,” no matter how normal it seems for people to write and share stereotyped metaphors like that.

And youth is not "found in the energy of going for it, taking the risk, and trusting that you'll figure it out along the way,” no matter how common it is to use those tropes, too.

Aging, quite literally, is living. And youth is simply the early stage of that immutable, natural process. No amount of energy, risk or trust will change that—which is fine. Because aging is not the problem.

Stigmatizing the fact that humans age is the problem.

Conflating age with negativity and decline is the problem.

Recognizing that it’s harmful to publish damaging labels about personal characteristics like gender and sexuality and ethnicity and race—but not stopping to consider age—is the problem.

And telling the hundreds of thousands of hiring managers who get your emails that “aging” is shorthand for “not what you want” is the problem.

Mr. Clear, I hope you’ll rethink your words and consider a retraction.

Because ignoring the problem is definitely a problem.

*In response to James Clear’s “3-2-1 Thursday” email on March 13, 2025

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