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Andrea Oswald Reflection Paper CMMU 3271-003 Professor Olson 20 April 2010
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Abstract This paper focuses on how age in our society has socially constructed the way I have come to develop my self-identity. To introduce this topic, the paper will begin with how age is defined not only by educational resources, but from a personal perspective as well.
After, will be a
discussion of how age was culturally and socially constructed over time and how the concept of age has allowed me to mature and become a more educated person. My thoughts of age will be laid out with comparative research on age and a correlation with the information from this course. I will take the opportunity to disclose my personal experiences with age and ask questions that could enhance my self-learning process. Through out this paper there will be references to class readings, discussions, as well as outside information found in research.
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This paper focuses on how age in our society has socially constructed the way I have come to develop my self-identity. The primary introduction of this paper will begin with how age is defined not only by educational resources but from a personal perspective as well. Following, will be a discussion one how age was culturally and socially constructed over time and how the concept of age has allowed me to grow as a person. My thoughts of age will be laid out with comparative research done on age and how there is a correlation with the information from this course. I will take the opportunity to self disclose with my personal experiences with age and ask questions that could enhance my self-learning process. Through out this paper there will be references to the class readings and discussions as well as outside information found through research. An analysis of aging exposes the preconceived notions our society holds about the definition of one’s age and the stereotypes that follow this notion. According to Brenda Allen, age is the length of a person’s existence extending from birth to a specified in time (2004, 166). With this is seems that the concept of age is generally basic, but what if age means more to the individual than just a starting and ending point?
For me age is not the
place in time at a person’s birth and death, age is something that becomes apart of one’s self-identity. The way a person chooses to show the world
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who they are and what they stand for is not just defined by age. Though a person may hold the number of 21 as their age, there may be more to them than just the stereotypical college binge drinker. This 21-year-old may be interested in the fine arts, studying French, in the military, a dancer, a producer, an intern, a sister, a journalist, an athlete the list may go on and on. The purpose of a person’s age is not to define thy self it is to enhance the self that is being constructed. I, along with millions of others share the age number 21. This number to me has held a right of passage ever since I was a child. As society has dictated me to believe at 16 a girl earns her drivers license and has what many call a “Sweet 16” birthday party.
At the age of 18 you have
opportunities to become a voter, join the military and purchase tobacco. Twenty-one is the age where you become of legal age to purchase and consume alcohol. That’s it? Has the age that we assume in these major points in our life really only mean we are allotted just a few privileges? I know directly that my age influences the way people view me due to stereotypes and other societal constructions.
For example during an
interview, the interviewer may ask the question of age. Now lets think for a moment, if you are perusing the role to work as a house manager for a nonprofit organization and you announce the age of 22, the interviewer may
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assume you have little work or personal experience to handle this type of role. Why has our society placed such a sizeable importance on a number? In cultures all around the world many of the first things we teach children is how old they are (Allen, 2004 167).
This is a very common
ritual based among many families that is a way of showing a part of ones self-identity. Age, over time, becomes a major influence on the way a person and others view them individually.
There have been many
assumptions and stereotypes made about ages all across the board. Ageism is one of the most prominent types of discrimination that our world unfortunately participates in. In earlier societies the elderly were seen as not having a value, feeble, and sometimes a nuisance. Who was making these assumptions? People from younger generations. According to Taylor, the reason for many of these dated assumptions is due to a generational gap that has been growing by large percentages every year (2009). Taylor’s Article “Growing Old in America: Expectations vs. Reality” also discusses what is defined by old age (2009). From his data there was a commonality of what age is “old,” and the average of the respondents answers averaged the age of 68. There was also a correlation of gender effecting the perceptions of old age. It was seen in this article that women would refer to “old age” at 70 and men would refer to being of “old age at 66” (Taylor 2004). It is
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understood that not all of society’s perceptions of old age can be summed up in Taylor’s article, but this does share some incite into what people view as “old age.” I have had the opportunity through several life experiences to learn what the word age should really mean. When I began attending college I earned a certificate as a Nurses Aid, and obtained a job at a local nursing home. I initially entered this field having no prior knowledge of caring for the elderly; the only people I considered elderly were people of the same demeanor as my grandparents. Working as a nurse’s aid taught me the meaning of age.
I provided care for residents who were completely
dependent. I was expecting to care for people 80 years old and greater, but I learned quickly that society had depicted a nursing home in a very obscure manner. Many of the residents I cared for ranged in age of early 60’s to late 90’s. The residents I cared for required help doing daily things, using the bathroom, eating, dressing, and bathing themselves. In conversations with these residents I learned that not only were they young at heart, they really had not given up on life and what it had to offer. I had a resident lucky enough to make it to her 100th birthday and just the glow in her face showed me that age is just really a number. This resident passed shortly after her birthday and I was the aid tending to her when she took her last breath. One
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of the most heartbreaking and difficult situations in my life taught me that a person should not look at their age, but really how young they feel inside. My experiences have referred me back to Brenda Allen’s discussion on concepts and attitudes about old age. The deficit model of aging is something believed to be used by society in order to construct thoughts about age and specifically old age. This model “characterizes old age as a pathological condition in which individuals undergo physical and mental decline”(Allen, 2004 170). Though this concept may not be as strong and prevalent anymore, the stereotypes of people of certain age still do exist and they seem to be very much acted upon. The way in which we speak to people of a certain age also reflects back upon the communication accommodation theory. According to West the communication accommodation theory focuses on the role of conversations we have with others (2004).
With more elaboration this
theory is a way of explaining how people modify or alter their speech, tone, rate, and content according to whom they are speaking with. In the case of the elderly I have seen many people use overaccommodation strategies such a slow speech, loud tones, and the use of diminutives such as “honey” or “sweetie” (Allen, 2004 176).
I have found myself using these
overaccomodation strategies from time to time because I have been
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socialized to think people of a certain age cannot hear or understand what I am saying. Yes, loss of hearing and confusion can be attributed to the ageing process but I have learned it should not be assumed that a person is unable. Though my learning process about ageing had begun well before this course, I have learned so much more about age and what this word really means through the examples of theories and readings. John Dixon discusses in his article “Ageism set to be outlawed,� describes a new era of thinking when it comes to the discrimination against the elderly. The focus in this article is to bring awareness to the topic of age discrimination in health care and social services sectors (Dixon, 2009). There is a push for reform in 2012 to eliminate discrimination of people of all ages especially the elderly. When I first read this article I realized how little I knew of age discrimination. I understood that there are various working and educational environments that have subjectively discriminated against people due to their age, but never understood that this type of discrimination takes place. As Brenda Allen speaks of age discrimination in her book she shows that people of a certain age are viewed as more costly and less productive than hiring a younger worker.
Yet it is shown that a
person with school aged children costs more in pay because at one point or another the child will become sick causing the parent to have to take a day
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from work, costing the company more overall. I can see now why many people of a certain age retire and start small businesses or hobbies, they are constantly being discriminated against for their age. Many people display age a just a number and I now too hold this belief. From the class readings, articles and life experiences I have come to find that I am often more sympathetic of people of a certain age. I can see now how many of them struggle due to the stereotypes created by our society. A person’s age can be a positive or a negative influence at any given point in their lives and I ask why do we hold age of so much importance? I feel now that society has placed a heavy burden on all of us to act of a certain age, dress of a certain age, appear to be of a certain age. I feel that wrinkles are beautiful, they' are a sign of age and wisdom so lets embrace our age. We are all as truly old or young as we feel.
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References Allen, B. J. (2004) Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity. Illinois: Waveland Press. pgs 166-184. Dixon, J. (2009). Ageism set to be outlawed. Community Care, (1799), 26. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database. http://0web.ebscohost.com.skyline.ucdenver.edu/ehost/detail? vid=6&hid=8&sid=a8449524-f702-4ec5-b4f8-255d8089300e
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%40sessionmgr11&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d %3d#db=aph&AN=47780254 Taylor, P. (2009) Growing Old in America: Expectations vs Reality. Retrieved from http://pewsocialtrends.org/pubs/736/getting-old-in-america West, R. & Turner, L.H., (2004). Communication Accommodation Theory. Second Edition. Retrieved from http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0767430344/student_view0/chapter29/