Ageism In TV Shows

Ageism, an idea created by Robert Butler, can be described as degrading behavior or emotions toward older people based on one’s own fears or preconceived ideas (Butler, 1969). This kind of behavior can consist of anything from refusing jobs to someone due to their age and perceived capabilities from not offering ideal care to older people because one believes it is wasteful of resources. The presence of ageism within society leads to a population bound by certain stereotypes that can prohibit the advancement of people considered to be older adults.

There is a cliché quote that people say, “Beauty is in the eye of beholder.” But in the essay “The Ugly Truth About Beauty” (1998) Dave Barry argues about how women who spend countless hours on their so called “beauty” whereas men seem not to care. Barry uses juxtaposition and exaggeration to poke fun at men and women behavior and shed light on the harm that the beauty industry is doing. When Barry argues his point of his essay he addresses both genders, but more specifically teenage to middle age men and women, but he writes about it in a humorous and light-hearted manner.

The beauty standard is a culturally constructed notion of physical attractiveness that has become increasingly imperative for women and men. However, this standard has become extremely perilous to men and women’s self-image. Camille Paglia, a highly educated individual who earned her PhD at Yale University and became a highly acclaimed author, explicates this conception in her essay “The Pitfalls of Plastic Surgery”. Paglia suggests that the beauty standard idealizes women to look like “sex symbols with an unattainable grandeur” (776). She continues to claim that it forces her audience of higher class women to pay large sums of money in order to alter their features ultimately conforming to a very “parochial” definition of beauty (776). Although Paglia is a highly credible source, she illogically appeals to the reader’s fears in order to persuade them. Paglia fails to give any credible outside sources which affirms her preposterous beliefs. Contrary to her inconsistencies, Daniel Akst, a social journalist and graduate from New York University provides his audience with reputable sources in order to persuade his audience. Daniel Akst believes that there needs to be a “democratization of physical beauty” in which instead of attempting to alter the beauty standard, we must first change how we view ourselves. Akst provides credible sources to establish his credibility where he observes cases studies and cultural experiments from scientists and organizations including:

The much applauded and critically acclaimed film, “Crash” (2004) directed by Paul Haggis is a film which appears to want the viewers to observe themselves and their world inversely. This film presents a truthful representation of race relations, racial discrimination, and social and cultural tensions in modern American society. It shows the stereotypes and racial myths that still occur today and continue to create racism. The film presents the intricacy of the relationships between diverse social groups and about the effects of discrimination on the everyday life experiences of a number of people. More specifically, the movie touches on three different types of discrimination. First and foremost, it deals with racism. Next, it depicts

The truth about how sex among older adults is portrayed in the media and popular culture is simply that it is not portrayed very often in these mediums. Preadolescents and adolescents tend to receive much of the sexualization that is used in these mediums while the elderly tend to never get portrayed doing these types of activities. This can be attributed to the media's presentation of the perfect human specimen, man or woman; of which most elderly people do not satisfy as they have wrinkles, sagging skin, more skin marks (moles, freckles) and overall are not attractive by the media's standards. Older people have the life experience and intelligence to ignore such impositions and therefore, it does not affect their sexual lifestyle. To the

The show that I decided to watch and analyze about the elderly was Everybody Loves Raymond. I choose Everybody Loves Raymond because it is very relatable and understanding. The show is based on an Italian family living in Long Island New York dealing with everyday life situations. the main character Raymond must deal with his everyday life while dealing with his elderly parents who live right across the street as well. today we see that there are many stereotypes when it comes to the elderly, stereotypes such as the elderly can’t remember things, they’re nosey, or that they know it all. In the show, we see that Raymond’s parents do fall into some of these stereotypes, but also, they do things that make us think that not all elderly people fall into these known stereotypes. We are so accustomed to leaving the elderly in places such as nursing homes whenever we feel like we have no need to take care of them anymore, or if they can’t seem to do things on their own. Raymond’s parents Marie and Frank are still able to do things on their own they still joke around and make fun of their kids. Even after retirement, and helping Raymond raise his kids, they still have Rob who lives with them. Even though their kids essentially make fun of their age, Marie and Frank somehow make the best out of situations.

Ageism can affect both the youth and the elderly, but in today’s times it is mainly focused on the elderly. The elderly are constantly harassed, judged, and stereotyped for their age. The elderly are viewed as disabled, has-beens, and basically serve no propose, instead of being viewed as wise, bold, experienced, and valuable. In the article “Putting The

A new culture of ageism is now in the medical world. So many Canadians look down on seniors that ageism has become the most tolerated form of social discrimination in Canada. Health care professionals like Nathan Stall, a future geriatrics specialist and Carrie Willkies, a registered nurse are both against this new norm. In both pieces, the central idea is clear, “The Eradication of Ageism in health care”.

American television today has drastically changed from the first appearance of the television in the 1920s. Currently, television is nothing but sitcoms poking jokes at the disabled, the LGBT community adapting to the American family standard, and even late night television poking fun at our 2016 Presidential candidates.1950s television depicted America’s heterosexual, patriarchal society in which an “ideal and acceptable” family consisted of a generous working class father, an accommodating and good-natured mother, and a few respectful children. Whereas 1950s American television required the audience to accept television families without question, American networks today understand that times are changing and just like mass communication, adapting to the millennial generation of technology is a must for television families to appeal to the growing masses. But when did television families first start to step away from the cultural ideals of its time? From the 1920s through the 1960s television upheld the Father Knows Best standard of television with shows such as ‘Father Knows Best” and “I Love Lucy.” Well, fast forward 30 years, and in came the Bundy’s. The Bundy’s were television’s first dysfunctional, on screen family to undermine the idea that an ideal family must function perfectly all the time. Married with Children reminded us that it was ok to not conform to society’s cultural norms. “…people want to watch a family that

Another guilty party in the effort to maintain women to lower status is American pop culture, which predominantly portrays women as being nothing more than sex objects. This is only relevant in that it illustrates how "backlash" does not only apply on a government level, but also in entertainment. The younger generations (children through 18 years old, mostly) are far more influenced by pop culture than they are by the government. The messages conveyed by the industry hit at a rather impressionable age. Faludi only touched on this aspect, noting that the television and films generally portray career women as being high-strung and unwed. Furthermore, popular novels show these women as being bitter spinsters whom practically beg for marriage. In this all-too subtle way, the media mocks the independent woman. Rarely are happily married, working women featured. The film industry fails to equally represent females at all. In 2002, 77% of protagonists were males in their 30s and 40s. The mere 16% of characters whom are female are portrayed primarily in their 20s and 30s. Women over 40 accounted for 9% of all

Sissy Spacek played Mrs. Walters, the demented, ornery mother of a racist woman in the movie, The Help. In this film by Columbus and Taylor (2011), ageism was portrayed multiple times in the eyes of her own daughter, Hilly Holbrook. For example, Hilly was indifferent of her mother’s forgetful behavior, ignored her feelings and direct remarks, and depended on her helper to meet her mother’s basic needs. In a specific scene, she ordered her helper, “Give mother a chair before she breaks her hip.” In return, Mrs. Walters replied, “I’m still not deaf, you know.” In the end, despite her memory lapses, Columbus and Taylor (2011) set the scene when Mrs. Walters confronted her daughter’s disrespectful behavior stating, “I may

I really enjoyed the lecture on Ageism; it was very interesting and educational. I was surprised with the 20 True or False question on what is your aging I.Q. We do have different concept about elderly or older people, however after watching the lecture I have learned more true understanding about ageism. Ageism is when you judge people based on age. Unfortunately, I was surprised when this can be called as prejudice and stereotypes. I use to receive elderly jokes through email, which was really hilarious but didn’t think as being prejudice or stereotypes.

Stereotypes have an overwhelming effect especially on the people they are directed towards. Studying stereotypes helps in understanding the factors leading to discrimination of certain people and not others. This is because stereotypes are depictive of opinions that are often passed from one generation to another within a particular culture. Mass media such as television and newspapers form a common source of opinions in the contemporary society (Kotter & Hess, 2012). The media presents messages in steady, repetitive, and compelling manner, making them believable to almost everybody. Stereotyping opinion and depictions from the media can thus have detrimental effects on the

Media demonstrates certain beauty standards that women are expected to meet, similar to Dorian Gray’s obsession with youth and beauty to conform to society’s ideals. Dorian Gray idealizes Lord Henry, therefore he is influenced by Lord Henry’s view on his passion for youth. Henry exemplifies that, “ for youth [he] would do anything

The first question about how I perceive the aging process is a tough one. Over the last year I have watched my Aunts, who I always saw as ageless, start to have dementia and other aging issues. This has been a hard thing to confront, as they always seemed immortal! To hear my mother and her sister’s talk about nursing care, health issues and selling properties just feels strange. These women are the strongest women I have ever known, and to see them weaken is tough. At family gatherings my cousins and I talk about how the family dynamic is changing – parents aging and a few have past, children moving on, and we suddenly realize that we are aging as well! How did that happen!