The world is gradually becoming virtually smaller this is because of the rapid globalization being experienced everywhere. As we experience rapid globalization so is our level of knowledge meaning we can perform so many activities with ease and far much better than we used to before. We have less mortality rate as people are living longer than before. An improved health care service has also promoted people living longer than before. Canada has seen a decrease in fertility rate especially in the twentieth century and when we combine this with a low mortality rate; it means that Canadian population will have more senior citizens than the other segments. This paper is going to briefly describe ageist, attitudes and stereotypes of ageist, ageist mechanism that reminds women that they are old in the society and how to get rid of ageism.
According to Minichiello (253) in his book “Perceptions and consequences of ageism: “ageism is a set of social relations that discriminate against older people and set them apart as being different by defining and understanding them in an oversimplified, generalized way” Ageism is discriminating and stereotyping against a group of people based on the age. In our case, against the seniors. Ageism attitudes are mostly negative towards the seniors. Growing old is usually equated with being disabled, diseases, being miserable, sick, alone, passive, unpleasant and incompetent. Thus being old is viewed as being incompetent, lethargy, and unattractiveness. An example of the above is when one passive that you can no longer enjoy the things you used to love because you are lonely and you have a mental slow down.
The society has adapted some mechanisms that remind women that they are old. One of these mechanisms is through the mass media or the social media where all the content or the products given are for the younger generation forgetting or completely ignoring the older women and somehow portray them in stereotypical ways. Most advertisement on these Medias is of products or services for the younger generation (Markson, Elizabet, and Taylor, 138). Top cover magazines usually have a young lady posing as models, and TV sitcoms rarely have old women. This affects the women mentally affecting how they perceive themselves. TV which plays a major role in our lives now is one of the media where old women are reminded of their old age. This is clearly shown by the demographic where most programming on the TVs is put out there for the people who are in the range eighteen to forty-nine years. We also see big companies paying to advertise on programs which are aimed at the younger generation.
Although it is also a means of communication or passing information magazines are seen not have the same direct impact on the television. Magazines affect on personal social motivators that are both directly and indirectly. Women are showered with ads and images of beautiful young women with tight perfect body sizes every day on these magazines. Most of these magazines are usually promoting health and body fit products. It is a huge industry such that marketers have predicted that anti-aging products industry will gross big in the coming years (Slevec, Marika, & Tiggemann, 66). This shows a lot of women are insecure and they have gone right ahead and tried to restore their youthful days.
Accommodating Ageism
According to Minichiello (272) in his book “Perceptions and consequences of ageism,” we can get rid of ageism through negotiating new images of aging. Some researchers have concluded that by living in a way that one can minimize the impact of ageism on their lives; this can get rid of ageism. This can be achieved by developing strategies that will make people not to see them as old and therefore people will not be tempted to treat them as seniors. By creating /negotiating a new image for them of aging. In this mechanism, one has to challenge the unpopular assumptions about aging and how older people are treated; this is through education where people are thought about positive aging and believing that that senior can collectively work together to change at policy level. This in this mechanism the informants state that they have the ability to choose, to a certain level what they want and what happens to them as they become of age. Through some tactics, they can ensure that they are going into old age in a positive manner. Although they do not accept that the physical changes are inevitable in later life they are optimistic of their mechanism (Minichiello, Victor, and Kendig, 274). This mechanism includes activities such as; regular cerebral challenge, simulation having a healthy diet, engaging themselves physically, having a sense of belonging, doing or undertaking those activities that make them happy and finally attending regular health clinic screening. All this is to make an effort so as other people will not see them as old or they will forget they are old and treat them as normal people.
Works Cited
Markson, Elizabeth W., and Carol A. Taylor. "The mirror has two faces." Ageing and Society 20.02 (2000): 137-160.
Minichiello, Victor, Jan Browne, and Hal Kendig. "Perceptions and consequences of ageism: views of older people." Ageing and Society 20.03 (2000): 253-278.
Slevec, Julie, and Marika Tiggemann. "Attitudes toward cosmetic surgery in middle‐aged women: body image, aging anxiety, and the media." Psychology of women quarterly 34.1 (2010): 65-74.
