The âFear and Loathingâ series from Hunter S. Thompson and the movie based on his Gonzo journalism reveal how tough a project aging with grace can prove.Thompson, whose journalistic chores for the counter-culture publication Rolling Stone were slashing and subjective, took his own life in 2005 at age 67.This column isnât about suicide; itâs about aging with grace. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and the road to my point goes straight through hell.If youâre going through hell, Winston Churchill said, keep going. Good advice. So here goes. Many young journalists back in the day yearned to practice the new journalism or gonzo journalism. Throwing off the fetters of strict objectivity, playing fast and loose, became fashionable briefly. Writers like Thompson, Tom Wolfe (âThe Electric Kool-Aid Acid Testâ and âThe Right Stuffâ), Truman Capote (âIn Cold Bloodâ) or Joan Didion (âSlouching Towards Bethlehemâ and âThe White Albumâ) were models for many.Your columnist caught the bug, but as a wire service reporter got over it quickly. The temptation made siren sounds, then faded for the most part.Related temptations, however, proved tougher. Remember that film about Thompson mentioned above? Called âWhere the Buffalo Roam,â it starred Bill Murray as the Gonzo journalist acting crazy and covering politics. âFear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail â72â was the model.An excerpt of dialogue:College student: âI was just wondering if you could tell me, um, if you thought drugs and alcohol would make me a better writer?âGonzo guy: âThatâs a good question. Let me see...â (Lights a joint; audience cheers, throws joints onstage). âI hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, insanity to anyone, but theyâve always worked for me.âNow that weâre through hell, Sir Winston, confession time requires a 70-year-old newsman to cop to three of Gonzo guyâs intemperate quartet â but only back in the day, of course.Abhorring violence, suicide never appealed. But in youth, what came out of the mouth or went in the mouth werenât always the wisest of choices.Aging with grace, then, requires a shift from too much food and too many mind-altering substances to good mind- and body-altering habits. Best for us older folks are eating well; exercise; reading; chasing culture instead of thrills, and keeping active rather than hiding in the inner space of outer tokes, toots or tipples that make reality unreal.Good intentions and bad habits may lead to hell, but certainly promote demise. ⢠John Barrette covers the arts, senior issues and health care. If you have a story or upcoming event that you want the public to know about, email him at jbarrette@nevadaappeal.com or call 775-881-1213.