Published on 01 December 2024
Karachi:
Is age one of the first things we notice about other people? Or is the first thing that arouses our curiosity when we look at a person’s appearance? Of course, we look at how they dress, their eyes, face, height and overall appearance, how they style their hair and their overall body language, if they are confident. and how they carry their personality. Then by default we assume their age – a number in our heads for them. Sometimes we are right, but sometimes we are not, as people look surprisingly younger or older than they are. The point that is not sufficiently driven here is whether age matters. Not really.
The other day I watched Vijay 69, a film about Vijay, a grumpy, foul-mouthed man in search of purpose in life. A loving family man, he has few close friends, although he is quick to pick fights and pick fights. In an attempt to reinvent himself and achieve something in life, forty-nine-year-old Vijay becomes a triathlon enthusiast. The film is entertaining, and deftly tackles issues of ageism, societal expectations, and the quest for validation in one’s later years.
Vijay can be any old man around us. Here, I deliberately avoid using the word “elderly” because it conjures up in my mind, images of frail and frail people who need walking sticks, walkers and wheelchairs. This is why I try to be a strong advocate of physical fitness and exercise after midlife, so that older people only need shoes to walk. But that’s a story for another day.
I can bet on my Adizero Adios Pro 3. [go google running shoes] That most of us have either experienced or been a victim of ageism at least once in our lives is a term coined in 1968 by Robert N. Butler, a gerontologist and pioneer of aging. .
Butler, who wrote a paper titled “Ageism: Another Form of Prejudice,” coined the term after observing community opposition to housing for older adults and noting similarities to racism and sexism. introduced He defined ageism as “systematic stereotyping and discrimination against individuals based on their age”.
Interpersonal ageism is where people interact with each other differently based on their age. Let’s be honest. Have you ever called someone the following senior or been addressed or told as an old fogy, a geezer, a fuddy duddy, an old curmudgeon, “satya gaye hain”? [have become demented]Budha, Bad Mian, Kabar are tight. [legs are hanging in the grave]Uncle, aunt, uncle? Sounds quite mean and quite derogatory.
For women, especially in our culture, it’s even worse. If you’re over 50 and you’re adaptable, don’t bother thinking for yourself anymore. People even your neighbors, children’s in-laws, their neighbors and their dogs will judge whether or not you should dye your hair, wear certain types of clothes and colors or not, wear make-up or not. ! But if you’re non-conformist, you’ll find in a Zumba class for seniors, I’ll be the one with pink highlights to match my Adizero Adios Pro 3 – Pink Sparkle! I wish I could insert a smiling devil or a winking emoji here.
Like racism and sexism, ageism involves holding negative stereotypes about people of different ages, and can affect people of all ages, but it is often used to describe discrimination against the elderly. is used.
Although, ageism is a form of discrimination caused by lack of knowledge, prejudice and stereotypes, it is often not taken seriously. It was and is even considered one of the last socially acceptable prejudices.
Sadly, I have seen elderly family members treated as if they were unintelligent, invisible, or expendable, the target of jokes that implied someone less valuable or Respectable. These cultural attitudes cannot be fully blamed in an environment where older people are unable to get promoted or get jobs because of their age. “Uncle, Abu Allah, God bless! Give someone else a chance! [Spend your time praying now and let someone else get an opportunity]”It is not uncommon to use negative language when talking to or about the elderly and to discourage their activity and action. And they are often scolded for wanting to do more or achieve something. are
More specifically, it is called institutional ageism where individuals are discriminated against based on their age. It is propagated through laws, policies and social norms as companies avoid hiring or promoting employees based on their age, in addition to age-based training opportunities for employees. Restrict access, encourage or force retirement of post-55 employees. Years of age
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 is a landmark law that prohibits employment discrimination against people 40 years of age or older in the United States. Our country has a retirement age of 60 years which has a negative effect on the elderly. One day they are at work, the day ends with a farewell party with happy speeches and awkward handshakes. The next day, you’re at home, wondering which book to read, which friend to call and how to avoid a waiting spouse with a long to-do list.
Before retirement, senior employees are often subjected to discriminatory activities. They are left out of meetings, pushed aside and given less work. I find it quite discriminatory when a job applicant provides their age (eg, date of birth) during a job interview.
I can’t decide which particular one is the worst, but it’s probably the third type called self-directed aging. It is a manifestation of social and institutional ageism, where people develop a self-imposed negative attitude towards the elderly or their own age group. This always leads to unhappiness, which breeds bitterness, and a whole vicious cycle of negative behavior continues. WHO estimates that 6.3 million cases of depression worldwide are attributable to the effects of ageism
Social media has probably played a significant role in promoting ageist attitudes.
A study published in a 2013 issue of The Gerontologist examined how older people were represented in Facebook groups. Apparently there were 84 groups that were on the topic of older adults, but most of those groups were created by people in their 20s. About 75 percent of groups were there to criticize older people, and about 40 percent advocated banning seniors from activities such as driving and shopping.
Young people often assume that older people “have had their turn” and must make way for younger generations. They also feel that spending on the elderly should not be a priority if resources are limited. Another catch is that older people should “act their age” and not try to “steal” younger people’s identities or try to imitate younger people’s behaviors, such as Things like style and clothing style are included.
Their aging process? Isn’t it a modern world view that individuality knows no boundaries? I thought that people of any age had the right to express themselves in an authentic way, whether it was through their clothes, speech or attitudes. Instead of dividing everyone into races, why not celebrate diversity and shared humanity to enable a stronger, more inclusive society?
Speaking of breaking boundaries, countless people around the world have broken age stereotypes, proving that there is no age limit to success and creativity.
Recently, Shahrukh Khan is at the 10th position.Th In the list of 10 most beautiful men in the world according to the scientific research of the famous plastic surgeon Dr. Julian De Silva. The study used Beauty’s Greek Golden Ratio to assess facial symmetry and perfection. This ratio is a formula used in art and design to determine aesthetic perfection.
Hence, the 59-year-old Khan achieved 86.76 percent facial symmetry with many younger stars and models trailing behind. So for those who want older adults to go fishing, here’s a whole list of impressive late bloomers who made things happen for them beyond the age of 50. 50s Tao Porchon-Lynch started teaching yoga at 49, Gladys Burrill ran her first marathon at 86, Ida Keeling ran her first mini-run at 67. Laura Ingalls Wilder began writing more seriously at age 48, Harry Bernstein began work on his first marathon. The book When he was 93 years old, Peter Marc Roget began work on his thesaurus at age 61, and Grandmother Musa began her painting career at age 78.
The first 50 years of one’s life are spent doing things that are more or less predetermined for us by others — birth, education, career, marriage. But after 50, there is that part of life where one should be able to take decisions on their own. Now that responsibilities are fulfilled with most, one can now go for things that we have always wanted to do but never had the time and sometimes too much money. Retirement sometimes brings a lump sum of money that can be used for things you’ve always wanted to do, such as travel, learning something or starting a personal project. After 50 we have immense potential. The sky is still the limit.
Joe Biden also became US President at 78, but imagine him becoming a comedian at 89 or writing his first book at 94. A Daughter’s Choice author Margaret Ford, 94, had no idea she would become Britain’s oldest debut author. Giuseppe Paternò, 97, is Italy’s oldest graduate. At age 93, Patron enrolled in his undergraduate degree in history and philosophy. Three years later, six weeks before his 97th birthday, he graduated at the top of his class and has now signed up for his masters in philosophy. Sister Madonna Bader, a 90-year-old triathlete. Liesel Hayes, 101, is a politician elected to the council in her small German town of Kirchembolanden. Emmanuel Gasa, 76, set out to become an attorney at age 60. In 2015, she graduated with one of her granddaughters. How we view older people needs to change. Solidarity between generations will help reduce or limit society’s ability to benefit only from what the younger and older populations can contribute. For older people, this involvement has implications for health, longevity and well-being. And as 89-year-old Natalie Levant, the comedian who decided to do stand-up comedy at 81, says, if someone asks you to act your age, politely tell them…!