Morgan Ellis
Rec 304
Ageism in the Media:
- Finding Neverland: The Movie
-It is a movie about a writer who writes the story of Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up.
-Myth: that growing old is bad and you should not look forward to it. However, there is something called “Aging Well” and this is when you successfully adjust to aging and have positive thoughts about the aging process.
- The Jitterbug Phone
-This is a cellular device specifically targeted towards older adults
-Myth: that older individuals cannot adapt to the technology of today and that they cannot keep up and they have an extremely simple phone. However, older adults are capable of having up to date phones, they just learn at a different pace than younger people do and they are capable of learning how to use a newer phone.
- Regenerist by Olay
-This is an extremely popular anti-aging product made by Olay that claims to reverse the look of fine lines and wrinkles.
-Myth: that getting wrinkles is a horrible thing and we should try to keep looking young for as long as we can and not be proud of our age. However, contrary to popular belief, aging can be a graceful process if we take all of the right steps to keep moving in the right direction. Wrinkles are a sign of wisdom and should not be looked down upon.
- Codename Kids Next Door episode F.O.U.N.T.A.I.N
-This is an episode from what was a popular children’s show that features children elementary school age looking for the fountain of youth.
-Myth: That old age is something we should fear and should start thinking that there is no fun to be had when we get older. However, the truth is that aging is inevitable and should not be something we fear, especially by children who are so young.
- Chevy Cruze Eco television commercial
-This is a car commercial that is advertising the new Chevy Cruze Eco that gets 42 miles per gallon. The setting of the commercial is in what looks to be a nursing home and all of the people are hard of hearing.
-Myth: That all older people are hard of hearing and do not understand the technology of today. However, not all older individuals are hard of hearing and most of them understand today’s world and want to take part in it and experience it, they just might need a little more time for someone to explain things to them.
- Forbidden Falls: Virgin River Series book
-A Virgin River series book: Forbidden Falls by Robyn Carr implying that older people need to live with a younger member of the family because they cannot support themselves.
-Myth: that older members of the family have to live with their children or younger members of the family because they cannot take care of themselves and they need to be looked after. The book took it from the stand point that the older individual needed to be looked after as if they could not take care of themselves. However, more elderly people can live on their own now, with the assistance and the reassurance of some modern technology such as “Life Alert” and similar products.
- The Locket: a book by Richard Paul Evans
-This book is about an older woman who has had some unfortunate things happen to her and she is now a cranky older woman in a nursing facility.
-Myth: That all older people are bitter and frail and mope around because they are miserable. However, many older people are content with their lives while maintaining contact with their loved ones so they are not grouchy and stuck in a nursing home.
- “When I’m 64” song by The Beatles
-Song by The Beatles and written by Paul McCartney
-Myth: Love does not have to dwindle as you age. The truth is that love can still be strong even as you grow older and there can be love and devotion in a relationship of older persons.
- Loggins & Messina song, “Your Mama Don’t Dance”
-Written by Jim Messina and Kenny Loggins and the song is about how older people do not like things younger people like and how older people just like to stay inside and not have any fun.
-Myth: That all older people do not like to rock and roll and that they are cranky and they all g to bed early. The truth is that older people might go to bed earlier and in this song everything is exaggerated and not all older adults go to bed really early.
- Dove soap ad with nude elderly woman
-A soap advertisement that included nude older woman to portray that the soap is gentle and is good for your skin and it is promoting natural beauty.
-The ad was partially banned in the United States because the woman in the adis “too old” to be in an anti-aging commercial. The truth is that older adults want to feel confident and that you can still be beautiful as you age. You do not have to be considered ugly or “too old” looking as you grow old.
- Tangled: The Movie
-Disney Movie that contains a character named Mother Gothelwho is obsessed with looking young and she will go to any length to look young and pretty again and when she does turn into an elderly woman, she acts completely appalled by what she sees.
-Myth: that older people do not need to go to great lengths to make themselves look younger and they should not feel like they have to do everything in their power to look physically younger. The truth is that you do not have to be afraid of aging, and no one stays young forever. It depends on if you age successfully and how you age that makes a difference.
- Newsweek magazine cover
-Magazine by Newsweek with the title “No Country for Old Men” with a picture of McCain who ran for president in a wheelchair.
-Myth: that older people are incapable of doing things for themselves and that in this case he was too old to be president and hold a major position. However, McCain was born on August 29th, 1936 and he is 77 years old now and shows no signs of disease such as dementia. A lot of people think that when you age and become old, diseases like dementia are inevitable. This is not true and the mind can still function at any age no matter how old you are.
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937)
-Snow White and the Seven Dwarves contain a character that turns herself into an elderly woman so no one can recognize her.
-Myth: people tend to think of elderly people as mean and snide and they tend to think that they get meaner as they age and that they want to take “revenge” on younger people. This is not the first Disney movie to portray older people in a negative way.
The truth is that elderly individuals are not this way and most of them are sweet and have very kind dispositions unlike the “Queen” in this story’s ending.
- Everybody Loves Raymond television series
-The grandfather in this series is stubborn and very hot-tempered and you rarely see his soft side.
-Myth: Older people (especially men) get this way when they age and that their wife or significant other is sweet, caring and docile and just someone who puts up with them.
-The truth is that not all older adults are like that and not all of them have a bitter personality and not all women put up with their husbands attitude.
- Aveeno Positively Ageless complete care aging system
-This entire line claims to give you youthful looks and to reverse the effects of aging.
-Myth: That aging is something we have to prevent and protect ourselves against.
-The truth is that people think that they have to use all of these products to help reduce wrinkles and reverse the signs of aging, but no matter what you do, the effects of aging are always there and they will find a way to visually come out.
- Ad in a Good Housekeeping magazine
-The title of the article was “Kooky Anti-Aging Trends” and the caption under the title was “How Far Would You Go to Look Younger?” The article was describing some of the methods people use to look younger and how crazy they can be because it shows how desperate people are to get younger looking skin.
-Myth: People feel like they have to do anything to get rid of their wrinkles, but it a normal part of aging and it is inevitable. People will do anything to make their signs of aging disappear and with pressure from the media to look younger, looking “old” can be perceived as negative.
-The truth is that you shouldn’t have to be concerned or have pressure from the media to look younger. The media is such a powerful influence on society and it is hard to not feel the effects and the media also does not put forth a positive image for older adults.
- Article on CNN website
-Written by James Moore on September 25, 2013. This article talks about how Hilary Clinton is too old to run for president. Age one of the first things mentioned in the article.
-Myth: That older adults cannot function as highly as younger adults and that their intelligence declines as they age. The truth is that the opposite is accurate, and their crystallized intelligence increases as they grow older. The article mentions that Hilary has one of the most impressive resumesfor the job, but because there is such a generation gap between her and the newer generation, the article states that America needs to “move on” and go for a president who is younger.
- AARP magazine cover with Helen Mirren
-Published by AARP on their magazine cover, the largest thing on the cover besides Helen herself is the caption “Look Younger Now, Erase 10 Years (or More)”
-Myth: That we have to erase the effects of nature away and always look younger and appear like we are not as old as we seem.
-The truth is that we do not have to look our best for as long as we can and try to ward off wrinkles and pretend as if we do not age. AARP is an organization that is for people who are 50 years old and older. I thought it was strange that on a magazine whose target audience is people over 50, there is an advertisement on the cover telling you about hoe to erase 10 years or more off your appearance.
- More magazine and website
-On their website and in their magazine there is an entire section labeled “How to Not Act Old”. It describes what not to do in certain situations so you do not come off as old or behind the times.
-Myth: People think that all older people are not cool and that they cannot do anything younger individuals can do.
-the truth is that older adults have the ability to keep up with the current times, however, a lot of them still do things the way they were taught. Just because older individuals do something a certain way does not mean that it should be labeled as something only older people do.
- UP: The Movie
-This movie is about a man whose wife died and ends up unhappy. They had tried to save up money to go on a vacation, but they never got the chance to go. He attaches balloons to his house until it floats until he makes it to his destination, but not without a couple bumps along the way. This movie was harshly criticized because the main character is an older man that is not that easy to get along with.
-Myth: That older people cannot do things for themselves and they should just stay at home. Many people could not see why this movie was popular because the main character is an elderly man. However, I thought that what made the movie popular was having an older individual as the main character. It was also interesting to see things from the perspective from a person of his age and not a younger person like all of the other Disney and Pixar movies.