Ageism: Religion or Way of Life?
I. INTRODUCTION An ancient global tradition focusing on discriminatory practices based on a person’s chronological age, Ageism is one of the world’s largest belief systems, growing at an increasing rate. It is unknown as to the total global population of Ageists; however, it is believed to be the largest and fastest growing demographic of the American people.
Ageism encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices largely based on the fear of something which cannot be escaped – namely aging, which ultimately leads to death – and propels believers to devote their entire lives to trying to escape this reality. Ageists, (aka “Youth Oriented, Youth Obsessed” or YO-YOs as they are commonly called) tend to be extremely devout, discriminating not only against “old folks” in society, but in real tangible terms, against their future selves. YO-YOs, often shortened to simply “Yo” when addressing each other, make no bones about their discriminatory practices and feel it imperative to indoctrinate their children from birth so they can enjoy the privileges of this youth-oriented culture in all its glory before “aging-out, Yo.”
II. HISTORY Historically speaking, negative attitudes toward age and aging informed tribal customs that men and women who no longer could contribute to communal survival in Neolithic cultures should be cast aside, often left to die. As life expectancy increased, divisions within Ageism began to emerge, and the once unifying standard, “Get on with it and die already,” created deep schisms, and the desire for sects began to develop. Although dormant through much of the Industrial Revolution, early twentieth century Jazz Age-ism burgeoned and continued its coming-of-age upward trajectory of growth through 1960s. Once tuned to the spin-perfect platform of already deeply embedded prejudices employed by Fifth Avenue marketeers in service to America’s foremost religion, Consumerism, Ageism continued to gain momentum. Speculation may be premature, but many experts agree, if this explosion continues to gain headway, it may turn out to be the “best it’s ever had” since the second sect-ual revolution in 1969.
The marriage with consumerism has been profitable. The oft quoted vow, “Once you hit thirty, its all downhill from there,” became the benchmark for many an ad campaign within the billion-dollar “anti-aging” skin care industry. And with that, an undercurrent of accepted contempt for the aging process crept steadily back into our collective unconscious; its undertow catching millions unaware with its socially acceptable death grip around any creepy, crepey throat it encounters.
Ageism, an example of a universally accepted belief system, is found in places as far-flung and with differing cultures as Japan and east Africa, as well as being systemically embedded in Western culture. Unflattering imagery, like that in Keats’ poem, “Ode to a Nightingale,” and those in Disney’s animated visions of a wicked stepmother in Cinderella, the witch in Snow White, and Cruella De Vil in 101 Dalmatians, permeates many of our most significant modern narratives. Not surprisingly, post–World War II researchers sampled respondents’ attitudes about old people, and reported stereotypically negative responses to age and aging. In another more recent, but well documented case, Kim Kardashian’s half-sister, Kylie Jenner, reports that she is scared to turn nineteen and wants to stay eighteen forever.
III. CORE BELIEFS – The Four Exalted Enigmas
Ageists strive for a deep insight into the true nature of old people, often leading them to wonder why “olders” don’t just give up die. Drawing on other religions’ tenants, such as reincarnation and rebirth, an Ageist may project this belief onto the aging with a well-meaning, “Get on with it already.” Although not formally taught, culling is an extremist form of this belief system. If considered a productive member of society, for example, by either being fodder for laughter as the butt of old-people jokes, or equally, old people’s butt jokes, or by holding onto secret family recipes as a survival strategy, the practice of weeding out those not deemed as necessary has usually, for the most part, not in every circumstance mind you, been overturned.
Ageism encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices largely based on the fear of something which cannot be escaped – namely aging, which ultimately leads to death – and propels believers to devote their entire lives to trying to escape this reality. Ageists, (aka “Youth Oriented, Youth Obsessed” or YO-YOs as they are commonly called) tend to be extremely devout, discriminating not only against “old folks” in society, but in real tangible terms, against their future selves. YO-YOs, often shortened to simply “Yo” when addressing each other, make no bones about their discriminatory practices and feel it imperative to indoctrinate their children from birth so they can enjoy the privileges of this youth-oriented culture in all its glory before “aging-out, Yo.”
II. HISTORY Historically speaking, negative attitudes toward age and aging informed tribal customs that men and women who no longer could contribute to communal survival in Neolithic cultures should be cast aside, often left to die. As life expectancy increased, divisions within Ageism began to emerge, and the once unifying standard, “Get on with it and die already,” created deep schisms, and the desire for sects began to develop. Although dormant through much of the Industrial Revolution, early twentieth century Jazz Age-ism burgeoned and continued its coming-of-age upward trajectory of growth through 1960s. Once tuned to the spin-perfect platform of already deeply embedded prejudices employed by Fifth Avenue marketeers in service to America’s foremost religion, Consumerism, Ageism continued to gain momentum. Speculation may be premature, but many experts agree, if this explosion continues to gain headway, it may turn out to be the “best it’s ever had” since the second sect-ual revolution in 1969.
The marriage with consumerism has been profitable. The oft quoted vow, “Once you hit thirty, its all downhill from there,” became the benchmark for many an ad campaign within the billion-dollar “anti-aging” skin care industry. And with that, an undercurrent of accepted contempt for the aging process crept steadily back into our collective unconscious; its undertow catching millions unaware with its socially acceptable death grip around any creepy, crepey throat it encounters.
Ageism, an example of a universally accepted belief system, is found in places as far-flung and with differing cultures as Japan and east Africa, as well as being systemically embedded in Western culture. Unflattering imagery, like that in Keats’ poem, “Ode to a Nightingale,” and those in Disney’s animated visions of a wicked stepmother in Cinderella, the witch in Snow White, and Cruella De Vil in 101 Dalmatians, permeates many of our most significant modern narratives. Not surprisingly, post–World War II researchers sampled respondents’ attitudes about old people, and reported stereotypically negative responses to age and aging. In another more recent, but well documented case, Kim Kardashian’s half-sister, Kylie Jenner, reports that she is scared to turn nineteen and wants to stay eighteen forever.
III. CORE BELIEFS – The Four Exalted Enigmas
- Do not suffer the old, or anything that reminds you of death. Kick it to the curb, the sooner the better.
- Suffering stems from a desire to be young; therefore, be young longer.
- Keep generations separated (i.e. cruises, old folk’s homes. Let old people think it’s their idea to separate themselves into Leisure Communities.)
- The Way is the Two-pronged Path, or the “Fork U” approach.
- Avoid contact with anything old and icky while you are under the age of 40.
- Develop a slow and systematic amnesia about all this when you hit 40.
Ageists strive for a deep insight into the true nature of old people, often leading them to wonder why “olders” don’t just give up die. Drawing on other religions’ tenants, such as reincarnation and rebirth, an Ageist may project this belief onto the aging with a well-meaning, “Get on with it already.” Although not formally taught, culling is an extremist form of this belief system. If considered a productive member of society, for example, by either being fodder for laughter as the butt of old-people jokes, or equally, old people’s butt jokes, or by holding onto secret family recipes as a survival strategy, the practice of weeding out those not deemed as necessary has usually, for the most part, not in every circumstance mind you, been overturned.
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IV. SECTS
Senacists - The philosopher Seneca (4 BC−AD 65) is the namesake and originator of the sect’s battle cry, “Senectus morbidus est” (“Old age is a disease”) and revered as a thought leader in Ageism. With this phrase (and a nasty fall down some stairs), he entered into the halls of immortality, limping, I should imagine. By associating late life with disease and death, savvy politicians through the ages have justified the futility of granting the aged access to care. Devoted practitioners of this economic view of Ageism, Senacists read aloud from their sacred texts while viewing the modern film adaptations Logan’s Run and Soylent Green on the Vernal Equinox each year. Young Stars – They show their devotion through devaluing the presence of anyone over thirty by simply ignoring their existence. Making headlines in 1969, Baby Boomers (BBs) were the first Young-stars (ironic derivative of an elder admonition, “youngster”) to distrust and disavow those over thirty as unaware squares. Today, BBs make up the largest demographic of afore-feared, untrusted squares. Peakers – These practitioners strive for a continual flow of “peak” experiences. Believing life ends at 25, they take extreme risks, and live life on the edge. Gold Metal Skateboarder, Alex Sorgente, and ESPY Award winning Snowboarder, Chloe Kim, live life on the edge, totally. V. THE PRACTICE (copied from their own site, The Ageist)
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If you simply cannot avoid contact… |
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Note to publisher:
Insert funny cartoon about ageism here. (Unless you’re over forty, then ask a younger coworker to do it for you. They’ll understand. And don’t worry – nobody’s judging you. It’s so not worth adding more gray hairs to that adorable head of yours, is it?) |
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May is Older Americans month! – Three ways to sprinkle “adorable” into any conversation.
“Elderlies” – Come on, even the name is cute!
10 ways to make “Oldsters” (over the age of 45) feel comfortable in your presence.
Keeping it Reel, Hollywood – Articles for The Industry.
Interviewing over-35s who think they are qualified for the job? Softening the “no,” thank you.
Interview with a closet YO-YO – “I’ve had dark days…so many ups and downs.”
EPICAC in the Headlines – “Young-star icon, Justin Bieber, lobbies FDA to add the words ‘anti-aging’ to rat poison.”
Baby Boomers flip the Ageist coin as the first generation to mock, and be mocked by, 30-year-olds.
Societal norms help Ageist philosophers put Descartes before the horse: “I am young; therefore, I matter.”
COMMUNITY FORUM
When Olders fight back, what they are saying:
Disclaimers – Truth in advertising
“Ageism can be seen as a systematic stereotyping of and discrimination against people because they are old, just as racism and sexism accomplish this with skin color and gender . . . I see ageism manifested in a wide range of phenomena, on both individual and institutional levels—stereotypes and myths, outright disdain and dislike, simple subtle avoidance of contact, and discriminatory practices in housing, employment, and services of all kinds (Butler, 1989; Butler, 2005). https://www.asaging.org/blog/history-ageism-1969
“People talk about aging gracefully, which is what they want to do of course. So, naturally, they don’t want to look at people who may be palsied, can’t eat well . . . who may sit on the curb and clutter up the neighborhood with canes,” Butler told Bernstein. “Until our society builds [a] more balanced perspective about age groups, this lends to embittered withdrawal by old people” (Bernstein, 1969). https://www.asaging.org/blog/history-ageism-1969
The Baby Boom Generation has seen both sides of ageism. In their youth, they mocked people older than age 30. Now, they face job discrimination and competition from younger generations. And, they are taunted for their obesity and improvidence. Their very numbers fan worries that they might bankrupt Social Security and Medicare.
Conjoining age with Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders, or recognizing the risk of HIV infections after age 60 arouses fears of loss of control and independence in late life and despair over prospects for a meaningful existence. Rates of dementia, sexually transmitted diseases, and drug use and abuse underscore the need to invest more in mental health and to provide greater access to older Americans to public health education and interventions.
https://www.asaging.org/blog/history-ageism-1969
When Olders fight back, what they are saying:
- “Like the death of a thousand cuts, microaggressions negatively affect self-esteem. They are derogatory and therefore degrading. They are speed bumps on our self-worth highway. I think it’s time we use a self-esteem roller to flatten out the opposition. “
- “Call me adorable one more time...”
- “I was having sex in the back of cars before your mother was born! How do you think she was conceived?!”
- “Ageism is hardly benign. These stereotypes can have direct impact on older people’s health and function…hey, I resemble that remark!”
- “You know what gets my panties in a knot? Advertising and commercials that suggest that older people are out of touch. From birthday cards to political ads to anti-aging products, it’s somehow become permissible to explicitly state our dislike of getting older even though we are ALL going to do it!”
- “I’m an older, returning student, and attend a high-ranking university with academic rigor maintaining Magna Cum Laude status. When people find this out, they become intensely curious. This has given me the opportunity to try out the following five responses to the age-old question which invariably come up. ‘How old are you?’ Feel free to try them on yourself. You may find one that fits. Think of it like support hose for your ego.
- #5 Answer – Eh?
- #4 Answer – Old enough to know you don’t ask that question.
- #3 Answer – I’m not getting older, I’m getting bolder.
- #2 Answer – All I know is it beats the alternative.
- And my number one answer when someone asks my age…
- #1 Answer – My age is none of my business.”
- “By the way, older people do too know how to use technology. This is clearly demonstrated by research. If only I knew how to use The Google to find out if ‘people over 50 know how to use technology,’ I’d wave that in your Insta-Face!”
- “If someone says something ‘goes without saying,’ then why don’t they?”
- “Like sensing radioactive material, we need to develop an internal Geiger counter to shift society’s attitudinal needle toward healthy views on age and aging, and away from this self-destructive path. And I’m going to come back here and write about that just as soon as I get back from my Botox treatment. Then you’ll see how mad I am! Except you won’t, because my face won’t move. Oy. If it’s not one thing, it’s another.”
Disclaimers – Truth in advertising
“Ageism can be seen as a systematic stereotyping of and discrimination against people because they are old, just as racism and sexism accomplish this with skin color and gender . . . I see ageism manifested in a wide range of phenomena, on both individual and institutional levels—stereotypes and myths, outright disdain and dislike, simple subtle avoidance of contact, and discriminatory practices in housing, employment, and services of all kinds (Butler, 1989; Butler, 2005). https://www.asaging.org/blog/history-ageism-1969
“People talk about aging gracefully, which is what they want to do of course. So, naturally, they don’t want to look at people who may be palsied, can’t eat well . . . who may sit on the curb and clutter up the neighborhood with canes,” Butler told Bernstein. “Until our society builds [a] more balanced perspective about age groups, this lends to embittered withdrawal by old people” (Bernstein, 1969). https://www.asaging.org/blog/history-ageism-1969
The Baby Boom Generation has seen both sides of ageism. In their youth, they mocked people older than age 30. Now, they face job discrimination and competition from younger generations. And, they are taunted for their obesity and improvidence. Their very numbers fan worries that they might bankrupt Social Security and Medicare.
Conjoining age with Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders, or recognizing the risk of HIV infections after age 60 arouses fears of loss of control and independence in late life and despair over prospects for a meaningful existence. Rates of dementia, sexually transmitted diseases, and drug use and abuse underscore the need to invest more in mental health and to provide greater access to older Americans to public health education and interventions.
https://www.asaging.org/blog/history-ageism-1969
CD Saftler Bio
IN: @colleensaftler
Ms. Saftler devotes herself to self-improvement and empowerment in both career and personal life. Her studies (formal and self-directed) in personal and spiritual development, quantum physics and the intuitive arts support her latest endeavor as a Creative Integrationist working within the Entertainment Industry to bring more authenticity, creativity, productivity and happiness to any project, endeavor or relationship for its ultimate success. www.takewingtarot.com
With an eclectic array of world travel, business and life experience in her hip pocket, Ms. Saftler returned to her native southern California and USC’s School of Dramatic and Cinematic Arts programs, graduating in May 2020 with honors. Writer, actor, director, intuitive life coach, global spa specialist, empowerment expert, comic-in-her-own-mind, creator and consumer of deliciousness, Lover of Life.
IN: @colleensaftler
Ms. Saftler devotes herself to self-improvement and empowerment in both career and personal life. Her studies (formal and self-directed) in personal and spiritual development, quantum physics and the intuitive arts support her latest endeavor as a Creative Integrationist working within the Entertainment Industry to bring more authenticity, creativity, productivity and happiness to any project, endeavor or relationship for its ultimate success. www.takewingtarot.com
With an eclectic array of world travel, business and life experience in her hip pocket, Ms. Saftler returned to her native southern California and USC’s School of Dramatic and Cinematic Arts programs, graduating in May 2020 with honors. Writer, actor, director, intuitive life coach, global spa specialist, empowerment expert, comic-in-her-own-mind, creator and consumer of deliciousness, Lover of Life.
