Aging and Death
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Aging and death is a natural part of life, yet American culture at large attempts to defy the aging process and the inevitable; which is death. Aging is a reminder of mortality and in some that induces anxiety toward death. There are two major factors that contribute to the fear of aging; mass media and the fear of death.
AFFECTS OF THE MEDIA
There is a fear of aging in American culture and the fight against aging has become an epidemic due to the paramount effect of the mass media. Documented research proves the enormous effect of the media and the way it has psychologically affected societys view on aging.
Since the 1960s when television infiltrated most every home in America the mass media has had a remarkable and yet detrimental impact on American culture and its perception of beauty as it pertains to aging. Americans are flooded with images every day that glorifies youth as the equivalent to beauty which drives both men and women alike to seek ways to look young. This desire to look younger or become what the media has portrayed as attractive has given rise to the purchase of the anti-aging techniques (cosmetics, anti-wrinkle creams, plastic surgery, etc.) producing a multi-billion dollar industry. Media has defined what being attractive means. Millions of dollars are spent each year on marketing anti-aging products to the young and old alike in order to prevent or reduce the signs of aging. A poll done in 1996 by an international advertising agency concluded that advertising, made women fear becoming old which means unattractive. (Patzer, 2008) Women are not alone; the media has also set a standard for mens attractiveness too.
Research provides damaging evidence of ageism in the entertainment sector of media also. Research done from 1966 – 1997 revealed an alarming prejudicial view through network television. An aged character through print and visual media is based upon what the creators or writers view as expectations of their audiences, therefore suggesting societys poor opinions of the aging. The entertainment sector of the medias portrayal of the aging has influenced society by stereotyping older adults. Aged adults are characterized negatively by senior acted roles played as having less emotional depth, being unhealthy, grumpy, annoying and without loving relationships compared to the younger characters in the same shows. (Nelson 2002)
One can only assume that since a good deal of leisure time is spent watching television one has to imagine that the exposure to these adverse portrayals develops a more negative view of aging. The media has placed a high value on being young as to say that the older generation has not the same worth as the younger generation. This can easily cause the aging adult to feel devalued, measuring their self- worth based on the negative views of aging as characterized in the media. (Cone, 2000)
Advertisements for so-called cures for aging are everywhere around us and numerous adults purchase the products seeking ways to mask aging as if superficially covering up the aging process will stop time and old age. The anti-aging industry has become a multi-billion dollar empire because of the fear people have of getting older. Consumers buy into the lie that they can stop time by covering up and masking the signs of aging. Because of these stereo-types one has to wonder if that is the reason for the success of the anti-aging companies whose target market has recently moved to reaching out to anyone over the age of 20 (Penning, 2012)
Aging and Job Security
Job security and employment also gives cause to the fear of aging. Corporate America wants the young and attractive members of the workforce to fill their positions in their companies due to the stigma attached to aging adults. With job security on the line older adults are driven to fight the signs of aging. (Bayer, 2004) 40 years of research has proven that age affects the way we are perceived, consequently affecting the job market for older adults. Society doesnt consider older adults attractive; therefore the aging do all they can to look young and be perceived as youthful and attractive to remain employable in the workforce. Data has shown that a youthful appearance increases opportunity for promotions and higher salaries. Reports also reveal that people miss out on jobs because they look too old. (Patzer, 2011) Societys perception of the aging adult has drastically changed over time; there once was a period in which age was a sign of wisdom, not uselessness or of no value to the American workforce.
Its no wonder that people fear aging due to negative views of the aged adult as interpreted through media. The attitude of growing old gracefully has faded away and been replaced with an obsession with keeping an appearance of youthfulness out of fear of getting old. This fear derives from the way the ant-aging industry and the media has dictated what beauty is while also conveying the message that aging is a disease.
“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” – Sophia Loren
DEATH and DEATH ANXIETY
Out of fear of aging comes the fear of death. Aging leads to the awareness of ones own mortality. Death is a precondition of life, yet a vast majority of people fear the prospect of dying and death itself. Studies and religious leaders both state that the number one fear of death is the unknown. Death is unavoidable, though people can try and postpone it by living healthier and avoiding hazardous lifestyles; death will come at some point and time.
Even with 159,000 deaths on average a day. (Bronson, 2009) America and other nations of the world find it difficult to cope with accepting their own death.
“The fear of death is a universal phenomenon. No matter where you go in the
world, you will always find large numbers of people who are afraid of dying. The
reason for fearing death is obvious: Death is the greatest mystery of all.” (Bronson, 2009, p.20)
Another reason for the fear of death is aloneness, because we are social creatures, the fear of facing death alone can be extremely frightening. Many people may surround you right before your last breath, but the fact is you experience the actual act of death alone.
The topic of the end of life has a tendency to be one that people avoid, as if to deny existence of death. Most people skirt around the subject and dont want to discuss it. (Lazarus, Lazarus, 2006)
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