It wasn’t an analogy from which to reason to a conclusion, it was simple examples of “age discrimination” that everybody does, and that are natural. There are a great many more.
And it’s not just the young against the old, it goes the other way, in spades, all the way to 50+ housing. There is also a boatload of official social policy that favors the old, which is de facto discrimination against the young, but which has nevertheless been ruled legal, and this far, accepted socially.
A “campus gym” is a special-purpose vehicle, and should be respected as such. Before you go off, I have already acknowledged that there are many different “college gyms”. Colleges serve 2 superficial functions: education and research. Many are not research institutions. Teaching institutions have as their primary object the training and education of the young. Yes there are staff, but they are there in support of the primary mission, not to become the mission. The U is not properly a make-work project, although that is what they are becoming.
Research institutions are a bit different, there are many functioning adults on campus, and two parallel universes of education and research. I have been involved in both. My opinion of such places would depend on the particular situation.
Varsity facilities are a good idea. Why? Because of focus, and vibe. Athletes suffer from exposure to fitness and health types, to the point that the health types will complain about the athletes being too loud, too aggressive, too dominant, making an uncomfortable and unwelcoming environment for the less-able or differently-minded. Hardly the environment for excellence.
Same goes for age. Adults focused hard on working out, maybe. Old fukks with their nuts hanging out shuffling around, and mostly socializing or leaching good vibe off the kids, screw them. They don’t even need a gym for anything other than a sense of habit or routine. They bring the kids down—and the kids are the basic purpose.
Is a mix of people “better” for student development? IDK. What I do believe is that the kids should be left alone in certain situations, and where they are letting their testosterone rage is one of those situations. In Canada there are campus bars, do seniors hang out there as well as the campus gym now?
Where I am the campus 50m pool is used by adults in a club, but they have to get in at 5 or 5:30, and be out by I think 7 before the kids show up. Reasonable compromise.
Like I said if you are still going hard, maybe. But not generally, IMO.
Having said that, I am off to check out the U track and see if I can get on this afternoon ?