Stereotypes About Older Adults In The Movie 'The Bucket List'

These stereotypes, however, are very far from the truth about what occurs during the late adulthood stage. They stem from a form of prejudice referred to as ageism (Berger, 2008). Gerontologists define ageism as “A form of prejudice used to categorize and judge individual based on their chronological age only” (Berger, 2008, p. 615). The issue of ageism can promote patronizing treatment toward persons in the late adulthood stage and even foster discrimination. For example, people in the West unconsciously process

Ageism and stereotypes of older people can have an important impact on their physical health, mental health and overall wellbeing. Negative stereotypes of older people being dependent and decrepit can be internalized and become self-fulfilling. These ageist thoughts and stereotypes can lead to older people not seeking health care in general and to not get treatment appropriate for their illness or medical condition due to their age and not based on any other factor.

“Ageism has been called the ultimate prejudice, the last discrimination, the cruelest rejection,” Stein (unpublished). We as a people have defeated for the most part racism and sexism, but we have allowed the third great “ism” to remain unchallenged. “This widely practiced prejudice has gone on for generations and is known as ageism,” (Palmore, Erdman, Ballagh (1999). By definition, according to Webster’s Dictionary, it is discrimination against person’s of a certain age group. Ageism includes both positive affect and a negative connotation with any given age group. It is predominately seen as a reflection on the elderly. Positive aspects of ageism on the elderly include medical care, discounts and tax

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

Many sociologists believe that, like childhood, the age status is socially constructed. Many discussions about old age are negative and stereotypical, therefore it is constructed as a problem. People have different critical stereotypes of elderly people, they see them as, slow, old fashioned, complaining all the time and many other traditional stereotypes. An example of this would be the Griffiths Report. This report claimed that the care of the elderly was pushing society to facing the problem of meeting the growing costs that health and social care needs in order to help the growing number of elderly people. There has also been a recent fear of the ‘pension time bomb’ this has also caused some negative attitudes and concerns that the ageing population creates a

The Bucket List is a movie all about two men who live their lives as if they are going to be gone tomorrow. It’s a movie about two men with cancer that share a hospital room from both having cancer. When finding out they do not have much longer to live, decide that they are going to pursue a bucket list that one of the men had made. The two men Edward and Carter are complete opposites. Carter is a mechanic that has been married for forty-five years and has two children. Edward has tons of money and has been divorced four times, with a daughter that no longer talks to him. He owns the hospital that the two men end up in with the motto he stands by “Two beds to a room, no exceptions.” This motto is what caused him ending up in a room with

There are several negative stereotypes surrounding older people and the aging process. Stereotypes of aging include assumptions and generalizations about how people at or over a certain age should behave, and what they are likely to experience, without regard for individual differences or unique circumstances (Rylee, 2015). When topics about the elderly come up most people begin to think of stereotypes like the majority of elderly people live institution like nursing homes. Other stereotypes consist of older people cannot learn, elderly people are set in their ways and unable to change, sickness and disability come with old age. When I think about all of the negative stereotype surrounding the elderly population. I can't help but wonder how these individuals handle depression during the aging process.

The news is flooded with stories of negative acts of racism, along with arguments regarding sexism and stereotypical gender roles. While major steps have been taken toward a more unified, accepting country, the United States continues to still lack correct knowledge and understanding to one of the most common “isms” in the country: ageism. Ageism is defined in Aging, the Individual, and Society as “the prejudiced behavior of individuals and systems within the culture against older adults, including negative consequences of inaccurate stereotyping of the elderly” (Hillier & Barrow, 2015, p.11). As a result of prejudice, myths tend to form about the stereotyped group of people. Facts and Fiction about an Aging America by The MacArthur Foundation

Ninety six percent of people sixty-five and older are nonmovers (Quadagno, 2014, p.203) yet the film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) follows seven individuals who are seeking a place that can accommodate their elderly needs. Despite this being a fictional film, the text Aging and the Life Course: An Introduction to Social Gerontology (Quadagno, 201) can support the ways in which the film accurately depicts various obstacles associated with aging. Each of the characters in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel overcome ageist social constructions present within western culture but represent that there can still be hope in old age.

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.

the negative representation of the elderly in film, they do serve a purpose. On the big screen we

This is a society of isms, racism, sexism, and ageism. It labels, stereotypes, and categorizes people, by shape, size, color, and age. The elderly in their later years should be able to have a peaceable life, treated with dignity and respect. However, pretty much anyone under the age of 50 is a target for an attack of an attitude of ageism at some point. Those who do the disrespecting don’t stop to consider that at some point, they will also be at the receiving end of that attitude.” (Webb)

Have you ever been in a situation where you either have to make a decision to stay in for the day or go do something fun and exciting? Have you ever just got the urge to be spontaneous and do something so far out of your comfort zone? In the movie, The Bucket List produced by Rob Reiner, two grown men who were complete strangers to each other, had to make the decision to either live the rest of their lives moping around in a hospital or actually do a series of spontaneous things to make their lives that much richer in exciting experiences. Edward is a billionaire, who one day was in court defending his hospital while another group was fighting against the ways he ran his hospital. But suddenly, he collapses and finds himself actually staying in his small, two people to a room, crowded hospital. Carter is the other man, who how been a mechanic his whole life and has lived a normal life, until one day he got a call with test results saying he needed to come in. The two older men find out that they both have cancer and have to be treated for it right away. Edward and Carter are stuck in the same room with completely different personalities but carter is so laid back that this does not cause problems. One day Carter writes a list called “My Bucket List” and puts many things he wants to do before he dies, they are all things that will help people or that he wants to go and see. Edward finds this list one day and reads it, Carter sees his reading it and gets very upset. But

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

The Bucket List is a film about two middle age men who have nothing in common other than that they are both diagnosed with terminal cancer. Edward Cole, a White man, is a billionaire who owns many hospitals. He is a self-made man with a bitter outlook on life. Edward has married and divorced four times, and has no relationship his only child. Carter Chambers, a Black man, is a blue-collar mechanic who once aspired to becoming a history professor until he gave up his dreams to support his growing family. Carter and his wife have been married for 45 years, they have three children. The two men eventually bond as they endure the rigors of