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Camilla Breitholtz January 23, 2011 WS Gender, Power, and Privilege Dr. Joelle Ruby Ryan Exam #2 1.) After reading more about ageist oppression, I must admit I have acted as an agent for ageism in the past. I now realize the ways in which I have given truth to ageism, as the negative connotations that the stereotypical ‘old person’ has been depicted as has lingered in the back of my mind ever since I can remember. From the ways in which I complain about their driving skills, to the times I have laughed at the disparaging humor that pokes fun at the elderly, I have perpetrated ageist discrimination. Ageist stereotypes have become an internalized idea that is firmly rooted within our socio-cultural attitudes, that center around a person’s ability and age. Society perpetuates ageist oppression without fully being aware of the many ways it exists within our daily lives and cultural norms. Whether or not a person can admit to the ways in which they perpetrate ageist oppression, I believe ageist oppression is further enabled by society’s ignorance to ageist prejudices, as it is a form of discrimination that people often fail to acknowledge. Society perpetrates a societal norm that fuels ageist oppression by the ways in which they ignore the systemic and marginalized practices that subjects a person’s worth based upon their attributed age. Until recently, I haven’t really given second thought to the many instances in which everyday socio-cultural practices center upon adultist power and privilege. Society, as well as well as myself, perpetuate an ageist, socio-cultural atmosphere, through the ways in which we identify old people as less human, or incompetent beings that are boring, stinky, and cranky. At the same time, the youth generation is seen as disrespectful, arrogant, spoiled and ungrateful, even criminal. And in turn, this oppressive indifference has habituated a subconscious, cyclical, ageist ideal that is rooted deeply within our societal practices that in turn, perpetuates ageist oppression. Rather than taking into consideration that we are all human, old and young, and that we all deserve the same amount of respect as our neighbor, society has neglected to acknowledge these prejudices more profoundly while ageist portrayals continue to prevail. Through my own normative and stereotypical ageist attitudes and beliefs, I have acted as an agent with out being fully aware of my oppressive attitudes. As ageism is easy to fall innocent to, I believe societal unawareness has perpetuated the stereotypical notions in creating an ageist society and theoretical adultism. Throughout history, ageism and/or adultism, has existed in many forms, depending upon how you are looking at it. As ageism exists beyond discriminating against the elderly, people often forget the everyday manifestations of the oppression that youth generation faces as well. Although I have negatively portrayed the elderly as stingy, cranky, or insufficient, acting as an agent of ageist oppression, I have also experienced ageist oppression as a target. While I never really considered the ways in which ageist oppression has victimized me personally, I too, have been judged based upon my age, in the work place, in school, legally, even at home with family and friends. I can just hear my parents saying now, “When are you going to grow up'” Yet other times they talk about how fun it was when my brother, sister, and I were all young and ‘cute’. Although I have not experienced harsher ageist oppression that perhaps the elderly fight to overcome, ageism is something that affects everybody, of all genders and cultures. Everyone will experience ageist discrimination at some point in their lifetime. For my essay, I chose to write about ageism because I had never given deeper thought to this form of discrimination until recently. I think it is an important that people become more aware of this form of discrimination, as it is too often unacknowledged. As I learned more about the many different isms that our society sees today, I could profoundly say for each that know I am not racist, heterosexist, or prejudice against the homosexual, transgender community at all, nor do I negatively perpetrate any oppressive religious affiliations or sexist stereotypes. However, once we started to learn more about ageism, I realized how much I never really noticed or gave second thought to its unequivocal assumptions. In hopes to learn more about the notions behind ageism and adultism, I will explain the ways in which I think society perpetrates ageist oppression because it is easy to fall unaware of the ways in which ageism dominates our socio-cultural practices in many different aspects, and because ageist depictions have become so firmly situated within our societal beliefs and values, we often overlook the ways in which ageism dominates our cultural norms. In turn, I hope I can share what I have gained with others about a form of discrimination people often close their eyes to, so to speak. 2.) Ageism is a form of discrimination in which a person’s character or personal ability is judged or discriminated against based upon their age. One of the first people to write about ageism, Robert Butler, explained how stereotypical ageist notions that discriminate against elderly people categorize them as ‘rigid in thought and manner, and old fashioned in morality and skills.’ (pg. 557, Readings for Diversity and Social Justice) John Bell later defined adultism as, “behaviors and attitudes based on the assumption that adults are better than young people, and entitled to act upon young people without their agreement.” Both forms of oppression fall under the general category of ageism, however, people often portray ageism as discriminating against the elderly, falling short to acknowledge how ageist oppression affects the youth generation as well. Ageist oppression discriminates against an individual, simply because they are either too old or too young. While the aging process is a natural occurrence, society overlooks the inevitabilities that chronological age is unavoidable and predestined. Age is a physical and biological reality that each individual will personally face throughout their lifetime whether they like it or not. Despite theses inherencies, our society instills ageist prejudices in a variety of cultural norms. Young people and elders have been unfairly limited based upon their physical and biological realities from the ways in society mandates retirement laws to the ways in which parents reserve the right to punish and discipline their child in hopes to ‘teach them a lesson’. Overtime, these socio-cultural practices have become instilled within our social practices in the justification that the youth and elder generations are less worthy or reliable. We live in an adultist society, where the elderly and the young are often given less, less power and less credit than they deserve, whereas the dominant, middle-aged, working class members of society take pride in their age appropriated, societal privileges, perhaps without really knowing it. While every child needs nurturing and adult providence throughout their early years, the youth generation is explicably placed under the assumable category that they have no choice but to be dependent upon an adult, whether it be in the home, the workplace, or school, adults hold a position of power over younger persons. Personally, a child is denied the right to explore their individuality; adults reserve the right to ostracize young people, deeming it necessary to take away their privileges and rights as strategy of control and discipline. Likewise, as a person grows old, they are seemingly expected to become less resourceful, more dependent, and less autonomous. Placed under the assumption that they can no longer live self-sufficiently, placed in a nursing home. Elderly people are given less credit, less worth and self-adequacy, marking them as cranky, needy, demanding, and rigid. Adult privilege has denied the youth and the elderly access to certain attainments, respect, and solidarity. Ageist oppression lingers among many aspects of our daily lives, reserving institutional and age-contributed confinements, as both children and older persons are defined as dependent, needy, or reliant, taking away from their rights as a human being. Just as a child is forced to attend school for 12 years of their life, or the obligations of mandatory retirement, ageist discrimination exists on multiple levels, in terms of education, legal rights, employment, even love and relationships. 3.) In his article, “Ageism: Another Form of Bigotry”, Robert Butler explains how an ageist, younger generation, give shape to the stereotypical ageist prejudices and myths that older persons are subject to. These typical stereotypes range from scornful, or ugly, bossy, and even dirty descriptions of the elderly. Butler goes on to explain the ways in which it is easy to subdue to ageist oppression, as its ‘invisibility’ it easily overshadowed by ‘normative’ lifestyle choices that center on age and ability. Unequivocally incoherent to the physical, emotional, social, sexual, and financial abuse the elderly generation fight to overcome, Butler notions the ways in which our society obsesses with the idea of youth and beauty, emphasizing the ways in which our society’s fears the mere thought of growing old, as we see more and more cosmetic surgeries today than ever before. Butler emphasizes the many ways ageist oppression labels older persons as having a certain disability, labeling them with dislike and subtle avoidance and disdain, marginalizing them as smelly, ugly, even gross or dumb and old-fashioned in morale and value. In terms of their life chances, Butler notes the ways in which the elderly are confined by discriminatory practices, ranging from housing policies, to healthcare, the miserable conditions of being placed in a nursing home without choice, employment opportunities, and mandatory retirement obligations, and pension arrangements too. The prevalence of ageist stereotypes collaborate to the negative impacts in which elderly people are burdened by in terms of their life chances, as well as their overall happiness and self-worth. In his article, Butler references the great social scientist, George Mead’s, concept of The Looking Glass Self, collaborating the ways in which the victims of oppressive prejudices eventually turn those negative connotations inwards, coming to terms with these prejudices personally, absorbing it emotionally, and eventually accepting and coming to believe the ageist notions held against them are true. Elderly people are constantly being negatively impacted by ageist oppression, as they become more overwhelmed by its harsh testimonies, they begin to fall short in confidence and spirit. As the elderly community falls victim to ageist discrimination, society enables these injustices culturally and systemically. In their article on Ageism and Adultism, Dejong & Love explain how the stereotypical social identities of the elderly and youth have become culturally internalized, rooted by the rationality of laws, policies, and principles dictated by biology. These identities have become so widespread and normative, that most societies believe these two groups, old and young, are less resourceful, targeting them as needing control and holding tight to the assumption that those with more power and resources should have power and privilege over the decisions and life chances of those with less power. (pg. 535, Readings for Diversity and Social Justice) We live in an adultist society, where middle-aged, working class members of society dominate day-to-day socio-cultural practices and hold a position of power. Adults play an enormous role in the lives of nearly all young people. In his article, “Understanding Adultism: A Key to Developing Positive Youth-Adult Relationships”, John Bell explains the ways in which adults reserve the right to punish, control, and take away their privileges in a battle-less effort to control or discipline younger children. Going on to say that society accepts these treatments as normative, even valuable, internalizing the idea that, “that’s the way you treat kids” attaining the excuse, “that’ll teach them a lesson!”, Bell theorizes that these mistreatments are societally reinforced through social institutions, laws, customs, and socio-cultural attitudes. Arguing that besides prisoners, young people are more controlled than any other group in society, Bell acknowledges the concept of adultism is a relatively new concept and has yet to be widely accepted as a reality. (pg. 541, Readings for Diversity and Social Justice) Whether we acknowledge its pervasiveness or not, the youth generation is constantly confined by their age. Waiting upon each birthday with the belief that wisdom and privilege comes with age, children fall under the assumption that their age defines their ability. From the time you learn to ride a bicycle, or when a little girl gets her ears pierced, these ‘privileges’ seemingly come with age. Adultist norms exist within our societal lifestyles, as children are constantly told what to do as they are growing up, what to eat, what to wear, who to hang out with, when to clean their room or go to bed, portrayed as individuals that need to be controlled, regulated, their behavior closely monitored. Age defines the youth, as they wait to turn 16 to drive a car, to turn 18 to purchase tobacco or buy lottery tickets, 21 to buy alcohol, or 25 to rent a car. The youth generation is constantly under control, their life chances limited in a struggle to develop a deeper sense of individuality, denying young people of their right to motivational feat, personal ability, and success. The negative impact these prejudices place upon a young persons life chances exist within their lack of control and independence over their own life decisions and choices. 4.) Ageist oppression is a form of discrimination that is often invisible to the naked eye. We live in a culture where age seemingly comes with privilege, power, intelligence, ability, and legal rights too. A child never really considers the ways in which adults possess a certain power and authority over them, coming to terms in the belief that that is just the way it is. Because adultism is a generally new term, it is something that needs to be given more attention and protest. While ageist oppression against the elderly is more widespread than adultist oppression, it is easy to deny or ignore the negative connotations of ageism until it becomes a personal issue, which is why it is so easy to ignore until it’s too late. Ageist oppression is easy to be unaware of, in combating it’s injustices, it is important that people do become more aware of its’ existence and harsh realities. Ageism has become a part of our institutional and socio-cultural systems. Johnson argues the ways in which social systems are fluid, as it is not some solidified object that stays the way it is forever as our world is constantly in motion, ever-changeable. Explaining that systems happen because people are in it as active participants in its systemic and cultural practices, Johnson theorizes it’s no doubt that these daily practices become dynamic processes of creation and re-creation, from one situation to the next. (pg. 129, Privilege, Power and Difference) In order to re-create ageist prejudices, I believe we must partake as active participants in contributing to social change and equality. Thus far, we have denied ourselves as a participant of ageist discrimination. In order to re-construct social patterns, we must all acknowledge the role we play. Although social change is a process and no cultural practice could ever change over night, it is important to speak out about ageist injustices so that others can become aware of this seemingly unspoken form of discrimination to say the least. It takes time and patience to fight oppressive attitudes that have become so deeply rooted into our subconscious norms and values, but it is important that we fight for awareness and a more widespread acknowledgement of ageism in its entirety. Re-creating the ageist prejudices society has constructed for generations must start with recruiting allies against ageist oppression as well as educating and speaking out to the community about what ageism exactly is. Individuals need to voice not just the rights of the youth and elderly, but their personal rights and worth no matter what their age is. No person should feel as if they are less worthy, or powerful, based upon their age dependency. As a society, we need to put into question, why is it the way it is' Although I cannot personally change the ways in which our socio-cultural norms repudiate an individual based upon their numerical age, I can fight for the injustices ageist oppression burdens our world with, explaining that whether your 8, or 80, a person is a person, with rights, emotions, and a story of their own that should always be heard. References: Privilege, Power and Difference, 2nd Edition by Allan G. Johnson. Readings for Diversity and Social Justice, 2nd Edition Edited by Maurianne Adams, Warren Blumenfeld, Carmelita Castaneda, Heather Hackman, Madeline Peters and Ximena Zuniga. Self Evaluation: 1.) I think I carried out a thoughtful performance to each blog entry. Having learned so much each day, I always wrote a thorough blog entry and also really enjoyed reading other classmate’s posts and responses, commenting on more than 2-3 from on most days. I completed all 15 entries, however I believe one was a day late. I also turned my video in a day late because of technical difficulties. Other than that, I worked very hard, and think I did a great job, overall. 2.) I worked very diligently on each exam, and the video project. I learned a lot throughout each assignment, having learned and read about many different inspirational accounts of activism. I think all of the assignments very adequately reflected a proactive learning environment, I learned a lot 3.) I think I did okay on the short video project. For my lack of experience with technology, I did pretty well. However, I wish I could have done a better job. Once I got more into the making of the video poem, I wanted the song to give meaning to the slides presented in my power point. However, my song ended up not working once I figured out to upload the video. But it was a popular song so I just posted it on my blog, instead. Overall, I thought it was a really great, creative project. It was a fun learning experience. 4.) I would like to say I deserve an A in this class. Each day, I did more work than required and worked very hard on each exam and assignment, giving each video and reading profound reflection. However, I did pass in one blog a day late, and had technological difficulties with my short video and therefore passed that in late also…so I would have to say, overall, I think my final grade should be an A-. Thanks for a great J-term, this course has opened my eyes to so many injustices. I am proud to say that I look forward to sharing what I have learned with others.