The subjective experience of being ignored, devalued and disadvantaged
as served as a trigger for many individuals who possess ‘minority group’ status
seek collectively to obtain due hearing in the political process. This has not happened to any
substantial degree with older people.
Despite the growing political power of the grey vote, there is little
evidence that politics directed at specific circumstances of older people are
higher up the agenda now than they were 50 years ago.
Embracing age as a politicized identity, and we can argue
will remain, to transgressive a step for even the most radical groupings. For now, at least, resisting age rather
than ageism greases more palms, oils more deals, and turns more dollars. Perhaps, resistance can only be
expressed by inertia—not bothering to participate as an age-graded consumer.
Aging, not old age has been the focus of the book. If old age an essentialist status,
structured and determined by physical decline and social marginalization, aging
can be seen as a process of negotiation between that and the statuses of
adulthood. Negotiating on how to
remain an adult, how to develop as an adult and how to avoid the loss of adult
statuses is a task confronting more and more people as they enter post-working
life.
(This book is
full of great information and those of you who are or will be determined to
resist ageism should read more)
[1] Material for this post was found in Cultures
of Aging. Created by Christopher Gilleard & Paul Higgs. ISBN 0-582-35641-5
in the year 2000
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