Public Speaking Scares People More Than Death

I taught public speaking at three universities. At nine years old, I gave my first speech to an auditorium audience. It is an established fact that standing in front of a crowd and talking terrifies people. Joe Biden is a seasoned speaker. Yet I can only imagine the pressure he has been under with everyone expecting him not to do anything that seems "old" - as if that is a very terrible thing to be. I'm sure his debate performance would have been far better if he hadn't been repeatedly cautioned about the weight that rests on him. Many cultures have revered the wisdom of the elderly. Clearly this isn't one of them.