Self Imposed Ageism

Attempts To Look Younger: A Type 0f Self-imposed Ageism[i]

         I’ll be 73 in October of this year. As I age I can’t help but notice that my body does not have the same strength and “beauty” as in my teens, twenties, thirties and forties. As they say “time marches on.” 

         Now as I look at the back of my hands while typing this blog entry, I see that there are quite a few wrinkle patterns on each hand.  Also, I’m bald and have small amounts of light white hair. When I look in the mirror I see an older person with bags under his eyes and a growing white beard, which I really like. (Somebody told me I look like Santa Claus.)  It is also fun to make a humorous statement the ends “…not by the hairs of my chinny-chin-chin.”  

         I do not believe that posting the following material is a sign of moral superiority. I can say to myself; “What would I do if I met a magician who with a snap of his/her finger could allow me have the same health and strength I had when I was younger. Forget about the wrinkles and bags under my eyes.   If I could just get my body up and running with the health I had when I played football as a university student, I don’t doubt that I would like that no matter how I look.  Below this is material provided by Erdman Palmore that explores the nature of self-imposed ageism.

“She got her good looks from her father—he’s a plastic surgeon—Groucho Marx”

         “Attempts to look younger appear to be an obsession among many older people. Billions of dollars are spent on “anti-aging” skin creams and Botox and face-lifts and hair dyes and wigs to try to look younger. These obsessions are clear signs that these people are morbidly afraid of old age and it’s tell-tale stigma, because they think old age is a dreadful thing whose appearance must be denied at all costs.”

         “There is nothing wrong with exercise, good diets, and proper medications to maintain health. But attempts to deny aging by changing one’s natural appearance is a symptom of ageism.”

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[i]  This book cited on earlier posts “…can help you grow bolder as you grow older. The preface lists 45 advantages of aging to help you look forward to growing older. The 101 answers are introduced with humorous quotations and answer the most frequent questions about aging.  OLDER CAN BE BOLDER ISBN 9781466249271 by Erdman Palmore