What’s Up with the Chortle?

People chortle when they say Well I’m a lot older than you.

Every. Time.

You’ll pretty much hear nervous titters whenever adults hint at their age. And everyone joins in. It’s part of the social script. 

Even at conferences where the topic is ageism itself. Age remark; chuckle; cooperative audience laughter.

But what does that laughter mean? My age is a joke…? Help me release the tension by laughing along…?

Let’s not buy into that.

When we hear the chortle, we can re-direct the conversation by saying something, gently. Like …

But really, we’re proud of our age.

(It works.)

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels