Basic HTML Version
Life
Can Get Better
WithAge!
by
Clayton Steep
He re is what t he Western industri al na tions have forgotten about the elderly.
Y
ou'v
E SEEN
it on T V
and in t he ads. Who is
assoc i ated with t he
glamorous, t hrobbingly ex-
c i t ing li fe-sty le? Most ly
young people.
T hcy a re at the pul se of
cntcr t ain mcn t, clothing, cos–
mctics, travel and advertising in
general.
That's not to say older people are
not featured in the media also.
They are. They sell denture cream,
painkillers and Iaxatives.
The overall portrayal of old age
in Westcrn cultures is negative.
Though increasi ng attention has
been focused on t he aged, it is
usually in the context of "the prob–
lem of the elderly." But why
should the elderly be considered a
"problem" for society?
Growing old is a part of life,
affecting every form of life. lt is a
natural process.
There is no basic problem
involved in determining what part
babies, children, teenagers, ad u lts
or rnidd le-aged persons play in
society. Why shou ld it be difficul t
to define the role of the elderly?
Thc answer is that it should not
be difficu lt and many T hird World
societies have proved it need not be.
1
ndeed, in these cases the elderly
enjoy a variety of fulfilling respon–
sibilities. l n most Western indus–
trial nations, on the other hand, the
September 1984
aging and aged are for the most
part left out of the mainstream by a
culture that worships youth.
Age is the crowning culmination
of life-the golden years. l t should
be looked upon with honor, respect,
even awe. lt should be an experi–
ence made pleasant by t he warm
attention and support of family
members, especially children and
grandchildren. l f society doesn't
consider it in that light, t hen the
problem is with society, not with
the elderly!
Let's face it. We in the Western
world live in a throwaway culture.
"No deposit- no return" are famil–
iar words. Wrappings, packaging,
st r ing- who thinks twice about
throwing them away? And the still
perfectly useful items ranging from
cars to clothing to kitchen cabinets
no Ionger in fas hion or not the
"lt
is a lost art to
have patience and
bookbinding requires
patience. 1 give
my best quality work
to every person,
no matter who he or
she is."
Ted Bauer, 62, one of
seven master bookbinders
in tbe United States.
latest model? T hey too are dis–
carded or, if kept of necessity,
grudgingly tolerated unti l they can
be conveniently dumped.
Planned obsolescence-t he idea
that what is not new is not desir–
able- is thc credo of t he ind ustrial
31