Through time

By Tor Anderson

Courses throughout my studies in the humanities and social sciences were wonderfully diverse and exposed me to ideas and issues to which I had been previously unaware. Discrimination against older generations is one of these areas.

While much effort has been expended in numerous societies pursuing the study of gender and race, the study of discrimination based solely on age has been noticeably lacking. This disparity interests me, as does the difference in treatment and respect given to older individuals within different regions and cultures.

It is interesting that while aging is a natural and unavoidable process, studies investigating ageism and other associated aspects of discrimination related to old age are either non-existent or left wanting in scope and depth. Ageism can be defined as " ... stereotyping (positive or negative), prejudice and/ or discrimination against older people on the basis of their chronological age or the perception of them as being old".

Rapidly aging populations, especially in Asiatic regions, but not discounting massive populations such as those in Europe, provide pressing motivation to further study the phenomenon of age-based prejudice; it is predicted that by 2050, the population of older persons within mainland China and various surrounding island states will increase by 243 percent, compared to the rest of the world's average of 113 percent. These are profound statistics that further prod the scientific community and societies in general towards understanding a culture's relationship with the elderly, how and why they differ across regions of geographical and cultural space.

A popular perception and widely held position by many cultural theorists suspects that Eastern cultures are less prone to ageism based on inherent values and traditional family structures when compared to Western societies, although unequivocal proof for this theory is difficult to consolidate.

Although research is most certainly lacking regarding cultural differences relating to a society's predilection towards ageism, the process of cultural learning is something that takes place no matter the social environment. Cultural learning finds its origin through an individual's attempt at constructing meaning in the world, and one does this through accepting prevalent sociocultural institutions such as employment, education, interpersonal relationships as personal goals and ingrained principles of behavior. Although far from conclusive, evidence suggests that individuals raised in predominantly autonomous cultures, such as Western ones, assume independence as a desired trait and are likely to exude this value well into adulthood.

Conversely, the supposition that Eastern cultures are less prone to engage in ageism is buttressed by an overarching cultural tendency towards traditional Confucian values, a priority of the communal good placed before the needs of the self and the acceptance of customs that are enforced and subsequently adopted by the youths present within these cultures.

This disparity between Eastern and Western aging paradigms is highlighted further when interpreting these cultural behaviors through the Schwartz Culture Model; Eastern cultures score higher in the realm of embeddedness values, a principle that stresses social order and the retainment of tradition, while Western cultures hold innovation and independence at the top of their value hierarchy, both being largely incompatible with the tradition and stability exhibited by older generations. While intensive and long-term societal studies are valuable for understanding different cultural trends across the globe, I believe that every personal interaction and relationship, no matter the geographic region, is special and unique, regardless of cultural precedents and current social expectations.

One's relationship with time and aging is fascinating to me, as I have felt my own relationship with one of life's inescapable mysteries and components shift over the years. I love archery and it's a passion I've unearthed within the past year. I'm grateful to live near an archery shop that's filled with beautiful people and is owned by a veteran archer who's become a great mentor in form and overall knowledge of the practice.

On a recent visit to tune my bow and re-fletch some arrows, I had Jon reassess my form as I had been consistently throwing arrows low and to the right. He noticed my bow arm was a bit too bent, and after his correction I was consistently pinning the yellow at 20 yards. The older I've gotten, the more I've come to admire the well-worn and weathered aesthetic that only true time can impart. The knowledge and experience that was shared with me that day eliminated weeks and even months of frustration and was earned over decades behind a knock and through countless outings in fields, swamps and forests.
I think a true patina of wisdom is replete with scars, grey hair, wrinkles from all life's expressions and wounds in various states of repair; all of these carry valuable lessons for others, and those are things I hope to share one day as they have been with me.

This article was published on the Fergus Falls Daily Journal, Minn. and distributed by Tribune Content Agency.