Grumpy old man

"Grumpy old man" is an idiomatic phrase that usually refers to an elderly male perceived to be crusty, irascible, or cantankerous. A change in personality may result from so-called male menopause or Irritable Male Syndrome due to hormonal changes later in life.

Identification

Identifying grumpy old men is somewhat difficult, as the signs may differ between person to person and cross-culturally. Typically, the image of a grumpy old man is someone who is 50-years-old and older, with lost muscle tone, gained body weight, and a "hair-trigger" irritability.

This irritability can sometimes manifest into extreme behavioural responses. Either these men become completely and bitterly removed from society and live outside of the rest of the world and its problems. Or, some may become embroiled in things such as neighbourhood disputes over often trivial matters. The major concern is when these disputes reach a peak in which violence or murder may result. The infamous example is the dispute over an issue such as noise, which can escalate due to the persistent complaining and aggressive behaviour of the "Grumpy old man". However, it should be noted (as in most things in life) that this issue is a two-way street; "GOM" (Grumpy Old Man) may be the result of society's neglect or mistreatment with regards to issues that appear to be "trivial" by society's standards.

Treatment

Due to the diverse nature of the behavioural response of the grumpy old man, there is little adequate advice as to how to deal with the person.

Success in dealing with the grumpy old man may lie in understanding why the behaviour is occurring and keep communicating with the person. Pandering to their complaints is not recommended as there may not be a solution satisfactory to all parties that is not detrimental to others. Often there is an increase in the volume of complaints if the grumpy old man gains a perceived advantage. Searching for solutions where both parties achieve their aims is difficult because of the aggressive nature of the condition.

Treating the condition with anti-depressants may not achieve satisfactory outcomes. Testosterone replacement therapy may be a successful solution, but often the grumpy old men do not seek treatment.

Cross-cultural & Societal Views

If you were to study the GOM (Grumpy Old Man) phenomena in an Asian culture, for example, you may see a very different result, as elders are often treated with respect out of a culturally developed sense of honor; thus, it is important not to generalize when it comes to the GOM phenomenon. Yet, there may be common factors that could be found cross-culturally; for one, as new generations move up in the world to take leadership, a loss of power and control may be associated with the actions of GOM, as he is no longer living in the glory days of youth, power, and inclusion in society. Understandably, the actions of GOM are a legitimate reaction to the idea that they are an obsolete model of human being, and are being replaced by a younger generation of stronger, brasher, and more capable men.

Examples in Media

Beyond the 1993 Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau film Grump Old Men, there exists a more accurate depiction of the intentions and motivations of the "grumpy old man" in response to society; this is found in the 1993 Joel Schumacher film Falling Down starring Micheal Douglas and Robert Duvall. In which a day in the life of Douglas' character (an ex-paper pusher) is portrayed as meaningless, degrading, and confrontational (mainly due to the fact that he is "obsolete" or "not economically viable" in society's view). Simultaneously, Duvall's character, as a cop on his last day on the job before retirement, is struggling with similar issues of growing old and being replaced (primarily by an annoying young hotshot). Ultimately, the concept is that these two men worked hard all of there lives doing something important for society, and in the end all they get is replaced and treated ignorantly; enough to make any man a little "grumpy".