THE VENUE: By the River
The forecast for Sunday is hot and sunny, so we plan to meet outdoors by the river. But things can change so please look out for updates before you leave home. There is no attendee limit.
Etiquette
Our discussions are friendly and open. We are a discussion group, not a for-and-against debating society. But it helps if we try to stay on topic. And we should not talk over others, interrupt them, or try to dominate the conversation.
There is often a waiting list for places, so please cancel your attendance as soon as possible if you subsequently find you can't come.
WhatsApp groups
We have two WhatsApp groups. One is to notify events, including extra events such as meeting for a meal or a drink during the week which we don't normally put on the Meetup site. The other is for open discussion of whatever topics occur to people. If you would like to join either or both groups, please send a note of the phone number you would like to use to Richard Baron on: website.audible238@passmail.net. (This is an alias that can be discarded if it attracts spam, hence the odd words.)
THE TOPIC: Is ageism unethical?
Thank you to Richard for suggesting this week's topic and for writing this introduction.
Ageism can take various forms.
Employment
Some jobs might be denied to people thought too young. Others might be denied to people thought too old.
Sometimes one can think of reasons to exclude the young. Maybe the job needs well-developed good sense. So it might be right to say the US President must be at least 35. But on the other hand William Pitt the Younger became Prime Minister of Great Britain at the age of 24 (in 1783), and kept his administration in office for 17 years.
Sometimes one can think of reasons to exclude the old. Airline pilots need acute senses and quick reactions. Surgeons need steady hands.
But sometimes the cut-off seems arbitrary. Judges must now retire at 75, even if they are still perfectly good at their jobs.
And sometimes the motive for a cut-off is unrelated to the talents of the individual, but reflects a desire to make senior positions available to the next generation. (There has been a big fuss about this in universities, with some professors wanting to go on and on.)
Which of these cut-offs, for the young or the old, are fair to individuals? And which are justified by benefits to society?
Private clubs
In Britain you can run a club with different subscription charges for different ages, or (for things like sports) different competitions for different age bands. But age discrimination beyond that may be unlawful.
Is that right? Should we say that if people want to associate with other people of the same age, they should be allowed to set up a formal organisation to do so? Or should they be limited to doing so informally, by choosing their friends carefully.
Is age different from other characteristics?
Much discrimination law covers characteristics that only some people have, such as being female or being a member of an ethnic minority. But anyone who lives long enough will experience all ages. Should we say "Don't complain that you are excluded from this job or association on the basis that you are too young or too old, because you will have or have already had your opportunity"?
