The term “senile” is employed in literature both in a literal and metaphorical sense. Writers use it to depict the physical and mental deterioration associated with old age—whether by describing a character’s faint, confused grin or chuckle that hints at fading alertness ([1], [2], [3]) or by using it in clinical discussions of brain atrophy and dementia ([4], [5], [6]). At the same time, the word frequently carries a more figurative weight, applied to institutions, ideas, or cultural practices that seem outdated or in terminal decline, as seen when senility is invoked to critique government or intellectual rigor ([7], [8], [9]). In this way, “senile” becomes a versatile descriptor, capturing both the tangible aspects of aging and the metaphorical decay of systems and thought.