Seeing Ageism

Once a person begins to understand the depths to which ageism insidiously infiltrates American society, it is easy to recognize it operating at every level of daily life. The idea that old people are supposed to be frail, incompetent, less than and laughable permeates culture so thoroughly that it takes real attention to catch the small messages as they slip by. A glance at a superannuated driver on the highway can elicit a thought of concern for safety. A forgotten name can easily be written off as “having a senior moment.”  The act of buying a birthday card takes on new dimensions when the humor in the majority of cards for those aged 30+ are seen for what they are – derogatory and prejudiced. Why is it that a card suggesting a forty-year old has a sex life is considered humorous? Why is it appropriate for a well-regarded magazine to refer to older female members of a political gathering as “a blizzard of blue-grey permanent waves” who radiate the “starched, sweet propriety of a Temperance Union meeting” (New Yorker, July 26, 1999, p 30)?

Even a basic interaction with an older adult, wherein the person’s age is revealed, can trigger what seems to be an innocuous response: “Really? You don’t look seventy-eight!” As though first there is a way one must look at seventy-eight and second that it is a compliment not to appear so. What does a seventy-eight year old look like, and is it any better or worse than looking five or thirty-five? These compliments actually communicate affirmation of healthfulness while insinuating derision of age. These little jabs and jokes, birthday cards and constant coded messaging in media say “be young, be vital, be alive… be whatever – just not old!”

The following are examples of ageism drawn from every day life.