A World Without Ageism | Ashton Applewhite

Over the last few years, this has been of particular interest to me. It isn't altogether self-interest, but also things that people have talked to me about as well as some just remarkable absurdity that I've been dubiously privileged to witness. And, as Mme Applewhite points out, we're all so conditioned to it that I've found myself engaging in some of that mentality as well (now and again).

Anyway, please have a look at this (maybe more than once) and let's talk about some of the things she reveals. Her suggestion is a good one, that instead of trying to point out how we are not "ageist", to try to uncover how we are.


https://www.thersa.org/discover/videos/event-videos/2016/09/ashton-applewhite-on-a-world-without-ageism

Would it be crass to make a joke; only people over the age of [strike]50[/strike] [strike]60[/strike] 70?have a right to comment on this :blink: :ohmy:

Just kidding but I'm nearly there....

My thoughts.. Yoda, you seek Yoda!! Yoda made me think about aging in a different way.. and wanna live 800 years! But did we know Yoda was 800 years old when we first saw him, nope (? I'll have to go watch em to check), his spirit was young and frisky!!! Did we assume Yoda was a male sex? Maybe he is both, or female. We seem to use stereotypes as a crutch to cover for our ignorance of actual information ie pure assumptions, as integral to generating analysis and complex behaviour - but is it the only way, or even a good way!?

I find it interesting how there seems to be a relationships between vulnerability and discrimination. Minorities seem vulnerable, and old people seem vulnerable obviously as many are very much in need of help. So on one hand vulnerability makes people prime targets for discrimination but on the other genuine concern for that vulnerability can be seen experienced as discrimination. I'd rather invite too much compassion or empathy at the cost of being annoying and potentially ageist, then not enough just to avoid ensure its avoided entirely. But actual deliberate discrimination of course has to be avoided entirely... the whole stereotyping and abuse of power. Goes back to my thoughts in the other thread about sensitivity versus fragility in perception of others efforts to relate to difference.

But going back to stereotyping alone as a cognitive function- it could be a natural default model of something unfamiliar, as an entry point to orientate a small set of actual information into a larger functional simulation until such time as more accurate information refines the knowledge set. Heck, don't BE the stereotype, but other people who are lazy or too busy and don't progress beyond that stereotype fuels I think what the presenter is talking about - I just still think we need to watch for intent primarily.

The other way I guess, is to see all people with the blank slates we have of them, and try to avoid stereotypes entirely. I actually feel this is more inline with my Jedi focus, to avoid gender, age, race etc entirely until a person has a chance to express their 'spirit', and relate to the person on the terms they chose to represent rather then make them a comparison to my own stereotypes generated from observing shallow surface attributes for which discrimination seems to focus on. We've no way to know the history of a stranger and so making assertions about them from assumptions seems discriminatory in itself. So I think we should judge people on their behaviour rather then their appearance (age, gender, wealth, race, culture etc).

But I'm really into longevity, so I'm a bit of a hypocrite. I don't view aging as bad as it seems natural - but I also want to minimize, stop or reverse it!!!
:silly:
I use to see wrinkles as slow growing inelastic skin like a snakes shedding its carcass, but now I see them as deliberate folding like in the brain... wisdom made apparent, we just need to understand what the wisdom is referencing :side:
Otherwise yes, I do proportion a measure of physical vulnerability to the elderly, but mostly because I expect it to be accurate and in my experience it is needed. Injuries in the later years of life can have a disproportionate impact on their health compared to younger people. I do not think I do the same with mental vulnerability unless their is actual evidence of it. Interesting topic....

I couldn't watch the video - Can someone let me know are we picking on old people or young people?

I'm mad ageist against young people.

They're all stupid.


:laugh:

Thank you, Adder

I think that many of us are like that : we try to stave it off ... that is just a âgeist as any other reaction to it. Age is unacceptable. Do not grow old ... It is a capital transgression in our society (sic).

And the funny thing about it is, it is just as reflexive as racism : we have attributed more mutilated "meaning" to age than it has. And we are all thoroughly conditioned to it.

Even if we think we aren't ... :dry:

Did anyone listen to this lecture ? :huh: (besides Adder ... cheerz, mate ! )

Can't watch videos (Technologism?)

Got a transcript I can read?

Sorry, James ... I couldn't find a transcript, but I did find an audio file on Soundcloud ..

Will that work ?

https://soundcloud.com/the_rsa/a-world-without-ageism

I watched the video and she raises many important points that are very often overlooked Whilst her focus is on those of advancing years she does a good job of also reminding us that ageism can apply to the young as well as to the old.

The underlying message is one that we can all take, and it does not apply solely to the issue of ageism. As Jedi we should aim to cut through the stereotypes and hidden assumptions that pervade society - to witness how things are, and what people are really like. If we don't do this, and merely follow inherited rules of thumb which may well be inaccurate, we will treat people inappropriately, have misguided expectations, and make poor decisions.

There is also an important message which applies to each of us, individually: we should not necessarily behave in the ways that society 'expects' for our age. We should behave in ways that are a reflection of what we actually feel, in reality. As we get older that may mean that we should not fear busting through societal stereotypes - a certain kind of genuine, non-conformity!

We do live in a culture that is cultishly obsessed with being forever young. For those of us who are middle-aged (or older) we should embrace the benefits that accrue with experience and maybe even some wisdom, and not desire that which has passed. I was particularly interested in the U curve of happiness. That suggests to me that whilst older people are undoubtedly fed-up with being stereotyped as sad, sick and infirm - it doesn't seem to get them down too much

Of course that vision of the cheerful, content pensioner can then become a stereotype too. There's no getting away from the fact that people are complicated and respect for the each individual's circumstances and pysche is the only way to not fall foul of incorrect generalisations. This video was a timely reminder of that fact.

Wonderful video Alex, thank you for sharing it! Wonder if I just admitted to being "old"? :dry:

We do live in a society obsessed with youth, and the youth run with it as far as they can in most cases, unless their parents are well grounded anyways. It certainly sheds light that we are still as a whole, rather unawakened and egocentric in regards to our outlook on longevity and the aging process.

I'm at that place where most of the people I socialize with are either older than me, or quite a bit younger. That in itself can create a bit of friction as the younger crowd look at me as if I'm clearly over the hill, and the older crowd laughs when they remind me how young I am while calling me "kiddo."

So the question I suppose that begs to be asked, is why do we perpetuate all the stereotypes, not just with age, but with race, culture etc? Ingrained belief structures centering around certain stigmas? That's understandably acceptable as an answer for those younger who don't know any better, (quite possibly a result of the following) but what about older generations? Are belief structures still to blame, or are people just lazy and stubborn to admit there's an underlying issue beneath it all, and that is a fear from breaking from the norm and treating people as individuals instead as simply little more than a member of a certain group.

Treating people as individuals requires time, it requires us to care enough to get to know someone enough to treat them as Individuals, and time is one thing many seem to lack. Perhaps it's not time that's the problem, perhaps people for the most part, just don't care enough to move past these stigmas in order to break the cycle. That would require work and energy spent, and treating people as Individuals means less time obsessing over the self.

And then we wonder why some become anti social... :lol:

Zenchi wrote: So the question I suppose that begs to be asked, is why do we perpetuate all the stereotypes, not just with age, but with race, culture etc? Ingrained belief structures centering around certain stigmas? That's understandably acceptable as an answer for those younger who don't know any better, (quite possibly a result of the following) but what about older generations? Are belief structures still to blame, or are people just lazy and stubborn to admit there's an underlying issue beneath it all, and that is a fear from breaking from the norm and treating people as individuals instead as simply little more than a member of a certain group.

Structural prejudices are often like unknown unknowns, it is hard to see them when you live within them. They are the questions you don't think of thinking. Much of the time our thoughts feel like they're structurally secure, until someone questions the foundations and we discover they are built on sand.