The Age Illusion: Recent Episodes
Vincent Brocki & Jean-Marc Baier
Candid commentary on age for everyone who has one. Co-hosts Vin Brocki and Jean-Marc Baier examine myths, hopes, fears, beliefs, prejudices and creative aspirations that take shape in the post-Covid world around us. No topic is off limits. We offer frank talk about getting older with focus on the choices we make and the chances we take all along the way.
Politics for Rock Copeland is a calling that brings focus to community involvement. In this episode of ”The Age Illusion” we look at the circumstances that created his run for Erie (PA) County Council in District Three, as well as the problems and personalities facing voters in this November’s general election.
As the Democratic candidate for Millcreek Township supervisor (Erie County, PA) in the November 2023 election, Sam Comfort is a Millennial who wants a leadership position in local government. In this episode of “The Age Illusion” we look at his background, as well as his take on some of the important issues facing Millcreek residents in the years ahead.
Family, art and politics are the essential elements that organize meaning on a daily basis for Linda Trohoske. In this episode of “The Age Illusion” we examine her life as a single parent, and how she became involved in local politics at a grassroots level.
A bit of a twist for this episode of “The Age Illusion” as co-hosts Vincent Brocki and Jean-Marc Baier take turns interviewing each other. The show offers some biographical information about their pasts, as well as pointed commentary on issues taking place in the world today.
Pad thai and pizza on the menu, chef and restaurateur Mike Augustine loves family, food and music. This episode of “The Age Illusion” looks at his way of cooking up good food with a margin for success, as well as his appreciation of The Grateful Dead, Cal Tjader, and vinyl recordings.
Documentary filmmaker Tom Weber understands the power of both music and movies to inform, entertain and enlighten audiences. In this episode of “The Age Illusion” he looks back at his early days as a newspaper reporter on the city beat, and how his creative desires morphed into a number of different paths along life’s way.
The space in which arts and education enhance both creativity and diversity is where Marquis Wallace invests his time and talents. This episode of “The Age Illusion” looks at his unique approach to storytelling and artistic expression, and how his work confronts some of the stereotypes we bring to the disabled community, newcomers, and the realities of race relations in the places we call home.
Music, storytelling and folklore are some of the important ingredients that Kelly Armor brings to her interaction with others. In this episode of “The Age Illusion” she discusses her life as a professional musician, as well as time spent living in Africa, and how her passions morphed into a commitment to help educate and serve immigrant, refugee and low-income communities in the place she calls home.
From paleontology to oil painting, Bob Martin has embraced an active lifestyle throughout his years. In this edition of “The Age Illusion,” we look at his roles as a research scientist and educator, as well as the problems and passions that inform his life in the Third Age.
From stage actor in the nation’s capital to caregiver of an elderly parent, Richard Bertone has stories to tell. In this episode of “The Age Illusion” we begin the second season with a conversation about the realities of life in pursuit of professional acting, and how this passion morphed into other directions and responsibilities as we age.
Looking back isn’t nearly as much fun as looking ahead. Episode twenty-six of “The Age Illusion” brings the year to a close with a heartfelt thanks to our listeners, along with our ideas for changes to the format in the weeks ahead. “Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.”
From buckets of KFC on Christmas Eve in Japan, to a “pooping log” in Catalonia Spain, this episode of “The Age Illusion” looks at some of the weird, wacky and wonderful ways people celebrate the holidays. It also shows the dark side (literally) of seasonal affective disorders and the “winter blues.”
For most of us, life includes compromise and negotiation. This episode of “The Age Illusion” looks at the spirit of reciprocity as the most important social norm in the human condition, and the realization that “tit for tat” is actually a powerful influence on human behavior as we navigate our interactions with others.
Part two of our ongoing list of issues that defy rational explanation. From people who use social media to announce tragic details in their lives, to why men wear neckties, this episode looks at both silly and serious topics that impact folks in the Third or Fourth Age.
Admiration and envy are two sides of the same emotional coin. This episode of “The Age Illusion” looks at the praise we bring to the skills and talents of others, as well as the pain that is sometimes engendered by another’s good fortune — when we think they possess what we ought to possess.
With advancing age comes sorrow and regret as family members and friends pass away. This episode of “The Age Illusion” looks at the differences between sympathy and empathy, and the reasons there is no such thing as “constructive criticism” when attending to the grief in another.
Bad pick-up lines, and bad places to use them for seniors looking to score a date. This episode offers some sage advice about online activity, and the need to meet in the flesh. Remember, “death is easy, comedy is hard.”
We love our pets, but pet ownership comes with a price. The power of this relationship for seniors is balanced with the responsibilities and dangers contained within this commitment. This episode looks at what we love about our pets, with an understanding of what can go wrong when we lose control.
People are living longer, and women live longer than men. This episode of “The Age Illusion” looks at the changes in our society as a transfer of wealth takes place from males to females in Baby Boomer dynamics, while younger is still seen as more desirable in the media mix. Just sayin.’
Some emotions have more than one purpose in the human condition, and guilt serves to help regulate our behavior from within in ways beneficial to society. This episode looks at topics from “guilty pleasures,” to survivor guilt and emotional blackmail. There’s also a discussion of Freud’s take on the whole guilty matter.
Grief is a natural part of our existence. To hold someone or something of value is to feel the void when it is no longer there. This episode of “The Age Illusion” looks at the different strategies people use to confront this powerful emotion in the human psyche.
Ageism discriminates against both young and old, but most heavily on people as they age. This episode looks at issues such as demeaning stereotypes in the media, and patronizing language in nursing homes. Words have consequences.
Fear can help keep you alive, but it can also kill you literally and figuratively. This episode examines the psychology of fear and how it changes the older we get. It also discusses the nature of phobias - irrational and excessive fears that can disrupt our daily life.
Some things are difficult to explain and justify in the year 2022. Anti-science is one example of belief that can harm us. From the importance of the gun lobby to the treatment of women as inferior to men, this podcast looks at issues that defy rational thinking.
Although older adults in the U.S. are less likely to experience violent victimization than the population at large, the fear of being a victim is widespread. This episode examines the mismatch between these two realities, and offers an in-depth look at fraud that targets the elderly in this digital world.
It’s funny how little we actually know about humor. Laughter is genetically programmed into our psyche, but how or why something is funny remains a complex question without easy answers. This episode examines the positive effects of laughter, and how it is shaped by the aging process.
Resentment, as a form of anger, is part of the human condition. It also comes with a price to physical and mental health. This episode examines the slow burn of resentment, and ways you can lessen the harmful effects of anger.
TV is our constant companion, but the relationship comes with a price. Although options for quality programming increase in the digital stream, the dangers of a sedentary life with the televisual at its core are significant for both young and old. TV becomes the background noise of our existence.
Some older folks feel invisible to the outside world. This episode looks at the critical role self-esteem plays in self-worth, and other issues such as youth, beauty and plastic (cosmetic) surgery. Don’t believe everything you think.
Computers and digital tech have transformed communication, work flow and creative possibilities for us all. Older adults can become content creators, not just content consumers, using smartphones and the like. This episode talks about the ups and downs of the digital revolution in the Third and Fourth Ages.
Older generations do not like new music, and it has been like this for many generations. This episode examines some of the theories about this experience, and the powerful role active music making can play in the aging process.
Single-person households are on the rise around the globe, and in the U.S. seniors are spending more time alone during waking hours regardless of their living arrangement. This episode looks at the reasons for this, and examines both “loneliness” and “solitude” as different outcomes for our time spent alone.
Looking to the past can be a source of comfort, but it can also be “unreal” in ways that are harmful. This episode examines nostalgia for the good ol’ days, along with post traumatic stress disorder in older adults - when the past had something very bad happen. Comments welcome at theageillusion@gmail.com
People are generally more philanthropic the older they get. Charitable giving peaks at ages 61 to 75, when over 75 percent of households donate to non-profits. This episode looks at the causes we support, and the fears we confront, as we age.
Health, not age, modifies sexual activity. More than half of seniors between the ages of 64 and 75 report having regular sex with a partner. That being said, there are some problems that confront older folks who are sexually active, and issues to consider about this aspect of our humanity.
Covid-19 is a serious illness. Unintended consequences from this viral pandemic, however, include some positive aspects of our efforts to confront this challenge. This episode takes a look at some of these unintended consequences for the better.