Joe Biden: Exit Point

What does it tell us about retirement when the most powerful human being in the world refuses to do so despite his country and the world clearly seeing that it is time for him to call it a day? In that disastrous debate in the run-up to the US Presidential election, Joe Biden, the leader of the free world, was found to be a doddering old man who couldn’t get sentences or ideas in a train. The only one who didn’t see signs of alarming cognitive decline was Biden himself. Yet, two weeks down the line, despite calls to make way for a younger candidate from his own party leaders and supporters, he insists to being fit and there is not much anyone can do about it.

The rules make it clear for most people on when they are no longer welcome in professions. Offices in India and abroad have a limit, usually beginning somewhere at the end of the 50s up to the mid-60s. The company has an exit clause for age. This was set a long time ago when the conception of what being old meant was very different. Today is there anyone who believes a 60-year-old is unable to do his job just because he is a 60-year-old? In fact, he is probably better at it because of experience.

There is however no runway left because younger employees come cheaper and the modern corporation’s fundamental premise of management is optimisation. The irony is that the ones who enforce these rules are exempt from it. Owners and chief executive officers of businesses can go on for as long as they want. The media magnate Rupert Murdoch is 93 and still the chairman emeritus of his group. It was only last year at the age of 92 that he gave up control to his son. Bob Iger came back as CEO of Disney at the age of 72. You will find as many such ex­amples as you seek in India and abroad.

In the world of politics, there is nothing like a retirement age at all— government employees must have, but the people who make the government don’t. Elected leaders assume that since their appointment comes from the people, only they have the right to revoke it. It is true but then that is an argument for why age does not matter in function­ing for others too. Biden is a rare case among politicians where the mental deterioration became so glaring that it couldn’t be ignored but even then, no one is actually asking him to step down from being the President of the US. They only don’t want him to contest again because he will lose. If he had not done the debate, his supporters would still have been perfectly amenable to his continuance. Occasionally, a sacri­fice will be made, as looks increasingly likely with Biden now, that tries to pass off the illusion of an equal world, but ever since humans created society, it has always been about shepherds and sheep, and the two sets of laws they operate under.

About The Author

Madhavankutty Pillai

Madhavankutty Pillai has no specialisations whatsoever. He is among the last of the generalists. And also Open chief of bureau, Mumbai  

•