What is “old?”

I recently saw a bumper sticker stating, "I may be old, but I got to see all the cool bands," and then I thought, "What bands? because without that information, there is no reference for what is "old." Duke Ellington, The Beatles, Grateful Dead, Nirvana? A reference can help us better understand what is being communicated and prevent us from relying on our perspective. In other words, I had yet to learn where this driver was (chronologically) in their lifespan.

Emphasizing "old" doesn't convey positive emotions or thoughts, particularly since "old" describes something expired, a part of the past, or no longer in an ideal condition. We often generalize whether this is new or old, with nothing in between. I suggest offering more information and putting yourself in the receiver's shoes to understand what they will perceive as "old, older, new, newer, etc. If I were to rewrite the bumper sticker, it would say, "I am GenX, I got to see some pretty cool bands." Now I have narrowed it down to 1965 – 1980; again, "old" is subjective.

Hint: The meaning of one's communication is the response it elicits. Here is the perfect opportunity to edit what we say or how we describe others.