The picture of ‘over 50s’ used by this scheme for ‘older writers’ went viral for reasons that will become obvious
You don’t have to be over 50 to … well, actually, scrap that, it probably would help if you were over 50 (or approaching it) to appreciate the kerfuffle caused by this illustration to publicise a grant scheme for ‘older writers’.
Specifically, writers over 50.
Because, look.
This grant is for writers over 50. Look at the image. pic.twitter.com/773ku9W3Pr
— David M Barnett (@davidmbarnett) April 27, 2024
So it turns out there’s over 50 and there’s ‘over 50’. And it prompted no end of comments as you might imagine.
We’ve read them all – well, we did before we had to go for a lie down – and these people said it best.
1.
On behalf of all of us scribblers over 50…
What the actual fuck??? https://t.co/V6E41lED2M
— Tom Jamieson (@jamiesont) April 28, 2024
2.
I’m 58, and live in fear that if I end up in a nursing home, the music will be Vera Lynn instead of Shriekback, Massive Attack, Funkstar Deluxe, Earth Wind & Fire, China Crisis, Durutti Column, Groove Armada, and Bauhaus. https://t.co/mza8U0cTe1
— Dr Rachel Morris (@FiveByFiveTimes) April 28, 2024
3.
Portrayals like the flyer in the quoted post can go to hell. This is what 4 x 50-somethings looks like, capable of walking 100km of the South Downs in 21 hours! https://t.co/0UlJSOJNgv pic.twitter.com/5cTKfFff1W
— Guy Walters (@guywalters) April 29, 2024
4.
It’s giving this https://t.co/DKoBUmPCfX pic.twitter.com/yh22jVND7D
— Amber Sparks (@ambernoelle) April 28, 2024
5.
Really?!? I’m not a writer but a proofreader. Over 50 – actually over 60 – over 65 in fact. Don’t categorise us!!!!!! https://t.co/Vss1jUWAnm pic.twitter.com/KxQPNDqh38
— Julia Proofreader (@ProofreadJulia) April 28, 2024
6.
“Why back in my day $1000 bought you two tickets to The Prodigy, a pair of white Levi’s 501s, a kilo of weed and you still had change for a Minidisc player…” https://t.co/w8CxDmXbIV
— Pulp Librarian (@PulpLibrarian) April 28, 2024
7.
This is what a group of over 50s looked like last night.
We clearly didn’t get the memo about how we’re meant to present https://t.co/ddZHgaZdqv pic.twitter.com/s9exnalriZ— Lisa Timoney/Kate Storey (@LTimoneyWrites) April 28, 2024
