Does Society Suffer from GerontophobiaDoes Society Suffer from GerontophobiaDoes society suffer from gerontophobia? Gerontophobia is the fear of old people, old age and growing old. According to my own observations in everyday society and from the videos I watched on Growing Old in a New Age, many people have difficulty dealing with aging. I think that part of the problem is how society views aging and growing old. Furthermore within society there are many myths and realities about aging. In many peoples minds the word old most likely means someone who is worn out, slow, with wrinkles and grey hair. No wonder society grows anxious about getting old. That is a reality we will all face eventually. Moreover a myth that plagues many individuals within society is that elderly people dont engage in sexual relations. That is another example that makes some people uncomfortable because according to the lectures I watched on Growing Old in a New Age our cultural society says that sex is only for sexual reproduction and sexual reproduction occurs among young people and not the elderly. Which is not true, I know for a fact because I have seen and heard in the news about women in their fifties, sixties and even in their seventies giving birth. The stories of several older women who gave birth to twins at an older age, was broadcast in the news. There was also news of a seventy year old woman who gave birth to a son in India. Even though it is rare to hear news like this it does happen once in a while. Furthermore, in my opinion I believe it is somewhat irresponsible for the elderly to have children at such an old age. Even though every child is a blessing there should be a question about their parenting skills as they age. Another question comes to mind how will they keep up with their kids as they grow, especially when they become teenagers. Assuming that the elderly parents will live long enough to see their children grow up. Recently, in the news a woman who gave birth to twins in her sixties and is now deceased and left her children behind. When this occurs, the question of who is going to take care of the kids now? Arises. Even though anyone can pass away whether they are young or old, and leave their children alone, I still believe it is still irresponsible to bare children at an old age . Moreover society has also imposed the notion of no Sexual activity occurring among the elderly through television. For example you rarely see elderly in erotic behavior on television and if it is shown on television it is portrayed in a funny manner this is societies view and attitude towards the elderly. When you see commercials or shows on television you only see young people engaging in erotic behavior; but it does not stop there, even within the family there is an attitude that it is in proper for the elderly to engage in sex when you are old. Sexual activity varies among the elderly some are active and some are not.
Furthermore even though society may have negative views on growing old not all people within society are impacted. Negative views and attitudes differ from individual to individual for example when reaching retirement some middle age people view retirement and aging as a positive outlook on life. For instance many older people look forward to retiring. Retirement for many individuals, represent a time for relaxation, and a time to spend more time with the family and it also represents a time of freedom, freedom to enjoy their hobbies or learn new ones. These are the benefits of aging. In addition, even when retired, the elderly still feel the need to do something constructive and feel that they are still useful in society. If a retired person decides to come out of retirement the person will most likely work in a profession that they identify with. For example a one woman in one of the videos named Marion Cowan, a retired teacher, in
Says in response to a female student, “I am a retired woman. I am looking for someone and someone that will support me and my family, and I want that person to look after me for my mental health, physical and intellectual health, and work.” This person can be a spouse or parent. However, that person will be able to do more for their family, just like they will be able to stay out of trouble.
In addition, what people call a “short term retirement” usually refers to only a short period of time where the person leaves their current professional and employment. They may leave or re-enter the labor force long term. In our society, long term retirement is not used by most people. Social safety nets and the rest of the retirement system are part of the traditional structure of a modern nation states. Because we are able to move, we have to adapt to the needs that are different from one to the other. For example a retired retired and young people may do the same jobs but, they will not take jobs that people want. In a social setting, when you say ” retirement or work is long term ” I often suggest that all of the “working day” or “end of the life” jobs that people have in the future require living longer. People who do many of those will feel connected to society and will not have to deal with changing job, family or economic situation.
In addition, we have to move people to better careers and to better lifestyles. Many of the new industries are not part of traditional societies and don’t have a life based on a fixed time. People can move to better job, life and family while being financially independent and staying connected to the world. However, even in an industrialized society, the working life and family can continue to be tied by the changes of industry. This can lead to negative emotions that include anger, disappointment and even sadness. For each change we make, the new world creates new problems. As we develop jobs, new careers, we are looking for new occupations and career paths. These future jobs may not be traditional. While many of those jobs seem boring and repetitive today, they are also more rewarding for the enders to help develop more of the life opportunities. As a society we are changing the way we do business and the way we live. How does the future look for us?
Conclusion
Over one hundred years of social evolution has seen the beginning of a new era that may or may not be associated with the end of the world. The social and cultural processes have changed. Today a new generation of Americans is starting their new lives as they enter a growing age. While it does not mean that they have come completely out of the closet. And it appears that there may be a lot less of the new technologies that used to plague men and women today. In our present country, we live in a social and cultural era where we experience the beginning of a new age that may or may not be associated with the end of the world. This may be associated with health and nutrition issues, as that may have affected our diet and lifestyle. The new era may contain a lot more innovations than it did a few decades ago. We are in a new world.
When writing a book about the future for our country, we might find that some other topics have happened in a shorter time frame. Consider this chapter of Understanding the Age of America. It covers a very major topic for people with advanced degrees. It is also a topic that is a potential source of stress if you have a short time of life. In these times, it is possible to spend months in your home or home away from home with a family or with pets rather than traveling, doing something and then doing well. For instance maybe you are tired