But I now realize I’ve fallen prey to what’s referred to as “everyday ageism,” meaning I was reinforcing the stereotype that old is bad (and young is good). The poll examined older adults’ experiences with nine different forms of ageism, which fall into three buckets: exposure to ageist messages (like advertising), ageism in interpersonal relationships (what friends or family say) and internalized ageism (negative beliefs we absorb). But much less had been known, she said, about the “discrimination, prejudice, and stereotyping” that older people routinely encounter in their daily lives — ageism that is not only everyday but casual. When I asked friends over 50 whether they had encountered ageism in their everyday lives, I sure got an earful. No, I’m not 59, I’m 63.

Source: Washington Post December 19, 2020 13:41 UTC