Ageism is Alive and Well

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I have heard others talking about ageism, but I have never really been confronted by it.

It is a thing.

I would say that if you have been confronted by it most probably the wind will be knocked out of your sails very quickly.

Your confidence and self-belief will be tested.

It is not that people lack experience; the years of living will provide that by default, the strange thing is that others judge you by your age with a predetermined bias.

Discriminating on any level is not cool.

Anyway, onto the yarn, I recently helped some friends out, they were starting a new business venture, and; looking to create a website to promote their business. They were going down the agency path and had run into a few issues, both parties were not on the same page.

Listening is one thing listening and understanding another thing altogether.

So anyway to cut a long story short, I whipped out a website as a demo ( Site Rubix a gift is it not ). I guess it was what you call local friend knowledge. Precisely what they were looking for.

It can be that extra set of eyes that sees what the people involved do not.

I thought nothing of it, the folks at the agency did get a tad upset, we always hear that story about the website being created by the son that's into gaming and knows all about computers, you will have heard them as well or variations on the theme?

Amateurs the scourge of any self-respecting agency.

During a conversation with one of the creatives, that sort of went along the lines of amateurs set unfair expectations for clients and kind of ended with that " O "word.

" Too old to be relevant in a market place, that requires cutting edge to create competitive outcomes ".

It was quite a classic, this coming from a young lady with purple hair and a ring through her nose, or am I showing an age bias

Stopped me in my tracks, for a second, and I can say that takes a fair bit these days.

I, don't consider my self to be old or getting older, but in real terms I am, we can not escape it.

Obviously, there was a little commercial sensitivity, however, through the conversation, there was a bias there.

Thinking about it, one of the positives of the internet is that it doesn't care, there is no bias based on age, gender, preferences, or whatever.

The defining measure is the content created in whatever field we care to get involved in.

When you chat to folks nearing retirement, that are still employed there is a fear that they will lose their job and income and not be able to gain re-employment in the same field or at the same pay scale.

Their age is working against them.

It is a strange dynamic, one that is real. Traditionally we go to school, learn, get a job work all our lives so we can have enough money to retire when we get older.

It is bizarre.

Today there are so many opportunities for people to explore and create different outcomes. Our ages are irrelevant, in that mix.

All it takes is applied knowledge, at any stage or phase.

I look here in Wealthy Affiliate, and am amazed daily by the number of members that are striving to create new outcomes, irrelevant of age or circumstances.

Adding successfully as well.

Is ageism alive and well, it probably is but then again as we know water always runs off a duck's back.

What are your thoughts on this subject, my oldie or nearing oldie status comrades?

Alex Evans.

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Recent Comments

152

Alex,
Great post, what is the correct age, when does experience beat the strength of youth - is it just an excuse for procrastination. Surely there is a better way of measuring someone rather than the unchangeables - height and age. Would a better measure possibly be outlook, emotional intelligence, concentration, knowledge and experiences plus possibly many more?
Thanks again
Peter

Hi Peter, good to see you hope that your journey goes well.

That is a good question Peter, I am not sure about that one, however from an observation about mid-morning when the effects of that Red Bull that they had for breakfast starts to wear off.

I was planting trees with some young chaps yesterday they go at it like a bull at a gate, haven't learned to pace themselves or have they developed stamina.

Constant effort and constant, learning can tip the scales.

How we measure value and inputs is changing and I think that in the near future it will indeed encompass many more facets.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts much appreciated.

Alex.

Alex,

I have followed your journey for a while here, and you are definitely going steady and well. I hope you are achieving the success you deserve.
Thanks again

Peter

I'm in my mid-thirties and already being called old by my kid's friends :) Suppose being old is relative on who refers to it. Speaking of which, some of my close friends are in their 60s and live the lives of younger people not letting anyone's perception of them stop them. Ageism is well and alive indeed and of course like any "ism" is reserved only for the closed-minded, ignorant folks.

Hi Maria, on the button, it is all relative, I know some people who are younger yet in their thinking and lifestyle are old before their time.

So true some people definitely have the life spark shining brightly and do everything in their power to keep it that way.

At the end of the day that is the thing that can make all the difference.

Some can be closed off to things, which is sad for them.



Alex

I appear to have become invisible, it’s not that anyone is overtly ageist it’s more subtle, I can stand in a queue, I can wait for service, i can wait my turn, and recently I have noticed it’s taking longer to be seen. Granted I am only 5ft however as a younger female my lack of height was never a problem, quite the opposite, I feel sometimes it’s just me, I lack the confidence I did in my 30’s and feel invisible therefore I probably am.

I too remember when in my youth being dismissive of anyone over 50, what could they possibly know. Here I am well over 50 and know age is a state of mind and it would appear people in WA are still awfully young in heart and mind. Long may this continue. Maybe once I start believing in myself I will be seen by the waiter, the shopgirl etc.

Great post, made me think....👍

I was in a supermarket and I was walking past an elderly lady about 5 foot trying to get an item off a top shelf she could not reach so I reached up and picked it up and gave it to her.
She said I am Too Short.
I said How do you do, I am Tom Short we must be related.
Thanks for your time,
Tom Short.

Ha ha, that is funny 😁

Hi Cordelia, that age thing just keeps ticking over.

I was chatting t this spritely 85-year-old lady whose our look is anyone under the age of sixty is a kid, that is the age of one of her surviving sons.

I guess it is in the eye of the beholder.

Thank you for sharing your experiences, it is actually a real thing, that has been researched. I think at some point it can affect us all.

It can be that loss of confidence that can have the biggest effect. If you talk to people around your age demographic you may find that you are not alone.

We can be dismissive part of the natural order when the scales start tipping it is time to make some readjustments.

The great thing about being involved in the online world is that we can tip the scales back in our favor.

Thank you for your honest and refreshing response, Cordelia.

Alex

That is life Tom never know what's around the next corner.

The first time I encountered ageism was from a young guy calling me an "old *7#!&" because I took too long reversing out of a parking. He was just fortunate that I couldn't drive straight back into it - because I would have, and gone back into the shops. Haha!
All the isms are real and say more about the person expressing them than the one receiving them.
I love the online world, it really does level all the playing fields :-)

That is awesome Louisa, I think many of us have observed that situation.

That paints such a cool picture.


I think that you have raised such a valid point, like all this kind of stuff it is more about the other person, their issues and attitudes.

The online world is the great leveler, it is unique at a very unique point in time. the thing si that we can grow into our online space. being here in WA we have a double opportunity we can grow alongside the platform as well.

Thank you for sharing,


Alex



I reckon it is great that we have reached the age were people are picking on us for being old. A lot of people don't make it this far.

I have had this where I work from the young managers, when I suggest doing a job a certain way they say that's old school. I reply that old school works, but they don't listen and fail their target.

It is their problem I think, being older means you have more experience in a job that they have only been doing for a few years. But I suppose they call it progress.

Thanks for this reminder that I am getting on a bit :)

Frank

Hi Frank, I was waiting for that one, every day is something to rejoice in, and on reflection, many have not made it.

Very grounding.

That is such a classic, old school is a good school to have attended, nothing comes close to that qualification.

QBE.

Qualified By Experience.

I notice a lot that younger folks tend to be wind up merchants.

When things go wrong, things turn to custard, a cool head is needed.

The thing about being online is that the opportunities do not evaporate and are not age dependant.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, much appreciated.

Alex

Ageism is alive and well simply look at some of the debates that people have about political candidate and their age. It's not reasonable and it is discriminatory but it happens all the time.
I live in a retirement City and lots of people don't like it that old people drive on their streets. They complain all the time about how slow they drive. As an older driver I complain about all the young people I see crashed into other cars on the side of the road and causing all kinds of traffic backups. So it really doesn't matter how old you are it has more to do with your attitude and your abilities. Life on the internet has no age unless you choose to make it known.
SamNBobbie

Well said, SamnBobbie, it has probably always been there.

Back in the day, I think that there was respect displayed towards older members of our society.

Today it seems to be more vocal.

The thing is that experience cradles wisdom and understanding.

Those two qualities in tandom can be a combination that is hard to beat.


The online journey is unique, age is no barrier, continued learning is the key to retaining lifes spark and vibrancy.

Thank you for sharing.

Alex

Another awesome post Alex. 'Agetastic' It's interesting how our 'reality' is always current, regardless of the fact that we have been 'there' before. We know how it was to be young because we were young, yet we seem surprised when it is bought to our attention by those younger than ourselves. Maybe it's our aging minds that make us forget. The paradox of youth (That we won't remember because at the time our lives were 'current.' We were just who we were) is that two things are fused together. Confidence and insecurity. It is a surprise that we came through unscathed, though some of us didn't.
Your post bought back a quote I heard on one of Tony Robbins CD's where he mentioned Ronald Reagan's reply during a Presidential election debate. When quizzed about his age and whether he had any doubts about being able to 'function' with the rigors of office, his reply was:

"Not at all, Mr. Trewhitt and I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent's youth and inexperience."

The flip side of this is also that wisdom is not neccessarily a bi-product of age.
My own personal spin on 'aging' is that I have now reversed my birthdays. This year I was forty eight and next year I will be forty seven. At forty five I will start going back the other way. So far no one no knows any different, interesting to see how long that lasts.

Awesome, Twack, I have a friend who has been sitting at 39 for about the last 7 years, 40 is a bridge too far, every one of his friends knows the go, he is happy in his bubble.

The funny thing is that we all seem to be the age we are it is though it is how we always have been.

Reflecting back, we can understand where younger folks are coming from, it is just part of the natural order.

Thank you for sharing that quote from Ronald Regan, quite polarizing.

Alex

I have to borrow that, newism, if it is okay.

'Agetastic'


That is awesome.

You're always welcome Alex, your posts are always an introduction to a conversation, which I am more than happy to have.
'Agetastic' use away.

That is epic Twack, likewise.

Ageism is alive and well and so will the other isms be long after I have gone.

I will fight it because I find it discriminatory. At 72 I am living a life I never thought possible. I made that conscious decision to take full responsibility for my life.

I have a wonderful marriage with a gorgeous wife whom I love dearly. I have a close relationship with all my adult children and I marvel at my gifted grandchildren. I believe in daily hugs and laughter

I have a travel case on standby and I can take off to another foreign land at a moments notice. My online business travels with me.

I don't use wishy-washy words like maybe or cant. I am up at 5 am and plan my day from meditation, personal development on myself my online business and gym.

My day starts with a Gratitude Prayer and ends with a Gratitude Prayer. What others think of me is none of my business.

Get Busy Dying or Get Busy Living

Thanks, Alex for reminding me that Age is no Barrier to Success

Going by the image a very happy couple.

Thank you for your honest and refreshing response.

Real motivation.

That is awesome Richard, you've just outlined a blueprint for a successful life.

I really like your closeout.

" Get Busy Dying or Get Busy Living ".


That is transformational.

Thank you.

Alex





Hi Alex,

Yes, it is alive and well unfortunately. I have experienced it myself, and I am a very young 55.

I think tho being in the business we are in that we have to be open minded. Whether we are coming at it from the standpoint of the younger generation or the older generation.

If you aren't careful you may alienate one or the other.

Just my two cents.

Michael

Hi Michael,

Thank you for sharing your experience, much appreciated.

So true, we are in the business of selling and promoting the key as you say can be to reach out across the divide.

Roll with the punches and stick to our plans, creating solutions for problems that people face has an ageless quality to it.

We can have a foot in every camp.

Alex


Hi Alex.
I understand your point but I can also not understand the target marketing of the young.
The agencies go for flash images, loud noise, quick-fire issues designed at the young brain. The advertising we won't understand like or write.
I am writing a post on video ideas and researching some that might be interesting. I came across the Dollar Shave Club with a short 1.3 min video of nonsense, well to my brain anyway but the other 26.5 million people who viewed it probably liked it.

However, we write to a target market and as long as we understand the market we can go someway there. But not all the way.
From an old white-haired guy that still thinks he is young. LOL

Peter h

That is so true Young, Peter, it is all about that focus.

Understanding and making a stand in our respective markets can be that thing that makes all the difference.

The interesting things are that imagery and loud doesn't always hit the mark. Learning to listen can be one of the golden rules of creating the sales copy.

The Dollar Shave Club has moved on by some 1500%, that is a classic piece of 2010 marketing.

Staring to think WA members can crank the odds in any market they decide to enter and make their mark.

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights apeter, much appreciated.

Alex

Thanks, Alex,
When D Trump is about my age and runs the world surely I can write the odd post.
( and work and play)

It's only the photos that lie.

Peter H

Good one Peter, that is epic, we should all take your lead in that one.

Thank you.

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