Advice from a For-Real Gangster: Steven Fischler

Steven Fischler is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, Emmy Awards, the John Grierson Award for Social Documentaries and a Museum of Modern Art career retrospective for Pacific Street Films, an organization he and Joel Sucher founded in 1971. They have produced and directed documentary films for commercial and public television, including portraits of Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone and Jessica Lange, and independent documentaries, such as “From Swastika To Jim Crow.” Fischler directed “Beyond Wiseguys: Italian Americans & The Movies,” produced “Dressing America: Tales From The Garment Center,” and wrote and directed “Five-Finger Discount: A Crooked Family History.”

What do you wish someone had told you about getting older that you are learning now?

As a young person, I believe that I, like many people, really didn’t understand what getting older entailed. I certainly didn’t understand the physical and emotional challenges. But on the other hand, I didn’t realize that for many of us, our abilities and potential may be sharper than they were years earlier. We have years of experience, and hence the ability to tell – pardon my French – shit from Shinola. I’ve been a documentary filmmaker for 50 years, and I believe my skills have sharpened; I can, for example, do a better interview now than I did 40 years ago.

And finally, regarding advice, here are some words of wisdom that I received from a for-real gangster in the music business: “You don’t ask, you don’t get.”

What wisdom would you share with a younger person about aging and what it means?

Stay informed and keep reading. Essential advice. I’ve learned so much more in the past few years because I have not lost my curiosity. Getting older also gives one the value of perspective. An important skill, particularly in a rapidly changing world.

Respect older people and try to learn about their lives and the history they have lived, not just learned about. In my work, I feel privileged to have known people who were active participants in major historical events. There’s so much to learn.

What does the next chapter of your life look like?

 Well, I’m still involved in my career, but age can often create challenges. These can be physical, but they can also involve dealing with younger people who don’t respect the experience older people have. They often require a proverbial kick in the pants. Do it.

And I plan to stay politically involved, as I have since I was a teenager. And stay open-minded. As Emma Goldman once said, “What I believe is a process rather than a finality. Finalities are for gods and governments, not for the human intellect.”

As to the last chapter and what it looks like? Well, I’m not ready to close that chapter yet, so check back with me in a few years.