The Discrimination You Cannot Avoid
 

That's right. There is a... form of discrimination... which transcends all ethnicities and fetishes and sexes. And we All suffer from it - and some are even those who Cause the Suffering.

I am talking about, what I call, AGE-ISM. The act of discriminating against someone based on their age, and making age an issue when it shouldn't be - and there is never a time when it should be.

And it's insidious. Creeping into our language without being picked up on. Little things like commentators calling Andre Agassi the Old Man of tennis - he was born in 1970 so he is 37, and somehow that is Old!? And commenting as if at That Age he shouldn't be playing, or doing anything (that he is beating all the yojnger Good Players doesn't come into it).

Older musicians cop the same treatment in interviews. The interviewer raising the issue of their Age. As if somehow they should just drop off the face of the planet at a certain age and let Younger musicians have a turn. If Tom Jones or Motorhead's Lenny Kilmister want to keep rockin', then all the more power to them. To hell with what some talentless TV interviewer thinks or implies.

Employees being Knocked Back because they are Too Old - in the HR Person's Eyes - to do the job. Yet that Employee could probably run rings around the so-called Young Guns. All based on a DOB Number entered on a form. Some mid forties Ball Of Muscle works like a machine, while the Twenty Something can hardly make it to morning break. But the employer will never know because they didn't base their choice on Ability, but filtered the applicants based on age, then on perceived ability.

It doesn't matter which shade of brown, cream or tan your skin color is, you are discriminated against based on nothing but your age - your real age and your perceived age (how old others Think you are). Men cop it. Females cop it. Even socialist, homosexual, tree hugging, lentil eating, sandle wearing, hairy-legged femi-nazis cop it. No-one is immune.

People even discriminate against themselves. They reach a certain Age and figure they Now need to X - whatever X is and it could be Retire, settle down, stop playing the field, buy a home for security, whatever. But WHO says?

Why can't someone keep on working even if they are 70? If they are ABLE, why throw them on the scrap heap based solely on their age?

Why should a woman have a child at 30 (or whatever age)? Just because Other People Think if she leaves it too long she'll be Ganny Age but have a child to raise? So a woman gives birth at 60. Good on her, I say! If she Wants to be a mom at 60, who is anyone else to pass negative judgement on her and impose their self-imposed age limits onto her?

"You're too old to..."

We've either all heard it - or the opposite "you're too young too..." - may have experienced it directly, or indirectly as with Gummit Laws, and know of others effected and may even have thought those terms. But be careful with your words.

Age should never be an issue. Ability, sure. But age, No! Unfortunately, others make it an issue for us - through ignorance or deliberately. And like those crabs in the pot pulling us back down, they want us to comform to their limited view of what people of certain age should and shouldn't do.

Watch out for age-ism.

Michael Ross

Re: The Discrimination You Cannot Avoid
 

Well, Michael, for once we mostly agree. Ageism is really the worst kind of discrimination in a way because it totally ignores the reality of the situation and focuses on something which may have no real bearing on the genuine objective.

Insurance companies are the worst offenders, IMHO. They arbitrarily increase premiums despite the fact that many ageing folks deliberately take up healthier lifestyles which IMPROVES their health and potential for staying well. There ought to be a law that applies to insurance companies as well as other businesses to prevent age discrimination.

One of the side effects of this arbitrary discrimination is that people over 70, for example, cannot get jobs they are well qualified for and can do as well or better than the younger folks because the insurance premiums are higher for them and the prospective employer doesn't want the extra financial burden. This leads to no job offer or the employer discontinuing insurance coverages (which hurts even the younger folks as well), or a re-organizing project that shrinks the potential job market. It hurts us all in one way or another.

Forcing capable people out of the job market and losing their experience and good work ethic example makes no sense at all. Gosh only knows we need some good work ethics, especially among some of the younger folks who seem to feel 'there's always another job'. We older folks know better and appreciate a good, responsible, employer if we need or want to work for someone else.

Sandi Bowman

Re: The Discrimination You Cannot Avoid
 

While you're Thinking about http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ageism

Here's another fascinating Related topic...

And a very Good Reason to consider Selling all kinds of stuff...

To Female's/Women only in Multiple Niche marketplaces... :) :)

Where you can Almost name your own Price...

It's an Opportunity Open to all Genders... ;)

Gender-differentiated prices is like trying to justify racial discrimination--it just doesn't cut it...

Why women pay more - for services and products

Go figure it out and Make Money!

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...18/ai_18142077

Phil

Re: The Discrimination You Cannot Avoid
 

Just realized...

That article's over 10 years old... :)

Things have gone up just a little...

Add 10 years to the Final Price tag... ;)

Phil

Re: The Discrimination You Cannot Avoid
 

I certainly agree with you on this topic. At the time I started my own home-based business, it wasn't even a issue at the time. But, now that I'm in my second half century, retirement looms as one of the BIG issues.

I decided to table the issue, and postpone any plans of voluntary retirement until my 97th birthday. If I'm still able to choose what I do in life at 97, I'll consider retiring then.

As an employee, the reasons for retirement are completely different, and also out of the hands of the employee. As a business owner, with no store or office outside my home, I truly determine which hours and days I work. I don't have a boss or supervisor to answer to, and haven't punched a clock in over 15 years.

My customer's will have the option of choosing to do business with someone younger, but that will occur one at a time, and many would prefer to continue with a known supplier with years of experience, rather that opting for an unknown source.

Whether I reach 97 remains to be seen. That birthday is only 42 1/2 years away for me, so check back here then to see if I'm posting my retirement notice.

In case my obituary is published before my 97th birthday, the retirement party will be cancelled.

Dennis Bevers

Re: The Discrimination You Cannot Avoid
 

I agree discrimination in all forms is insidious, and most of all stupid, but age discrimination is one of the worst. What our elders may have lost in speed they make up for in wisdom. They often come from a generation that believes in hard work, in fact my inlaws in their 70s can out work most people in their 40s. So lets give this generation the honor they deserve.
James

Re: The Discrimination You Cannot Avoid
 

This past winter I stopped in an Arizona rest stop and saw a gray haired man standing by his bicycle, outfitted for touring. It was an inexpensive bicycle and the panniers for hauling stuff were very old. Because I am into long distance bicycling I initiated a conversation with the fellow. This man said he was forced into retirement, and had only social security, plus menial jobs along the way, to keep body and soul together. He had taken to the road because "I don't have anything better to do." He found the quality of life better on his bicycle with such low income than what it would be if he stayed put.

I never asked for the details of why he was forced to retire. I know it's against the law to force one out because of age, but there are certainly ways to make a person flee a job to keep his peace of mind.

All of us baby boomers have been warned time and again not to count on Social Security. Fact is, SS will be the only income for many of us. I can't imagine that so-called safety net disappearing, as some predict, but even if it does still exist when retirement arrives, forced or not, it won't be comfortable. My bicycling hobby may develop into a very practical pursuit down the road (so to speak).

Re: The Discrimination You Cannot Avoid
 

Discrimination happens. You can't stop it. Infact, it serves a somewhat useful purpose too. Its how you deal with "personal" discrimination that matters.

(For eg: while I was staying in USA - I've been asked "Do you know English" sooo many times! I didn't let it bother me.)

Its Agassis choice - if he should keep on playing, or let the TV interviewers get to him and quit.

TV interviewers will keep on raising the question because "Old Agassi beats ______" makes a better story than just plain "Agassi beats _____".

Anything out of the ordinary will be focused on. 37 year old tennis player who isn't thinking about retiring is somewhat out of the ordinary - based on past history.

Why do the insurance companies discriminate? Insurance is based on "group probabilities". More old people get sick or die than young people. So it makes sense to charge higher premiums to the more riskier groups. Its just how it should be or else it would turn into something socialistic.

Charging the same premium to everyone without regarding their age, habits etc just doesn't make good sense.

Thank you for allowing me to make a very politically incorrect post.

Re: The Discrimination You Cannot Avoid
 

Group probabilities...yes, but what IF the individual doesn't fit the 'pattern' they go by to determine their rates? What if they're the exception and have a very healthy profile and actual death probability of a person twenty or more years younger? Shouldn't the individual be judged by the reality of their situation? Isn't this just flat out age discrimination? You bet it is!

You see, this is just something the insurance companies, as they evolved later, figured out to pad their pockets at people's expense who could probably least afford it. People who have paid them a small fortune over their lifetime for coverage suddenly, when they need it most, are ousted by one means or another. It's a ripoff, IMHO.

Originally insurance was simply a coverage for emergencies for a group of people with a common basis such as membership in a Grange (no other qualifiers needed). When formal insurance companies/policies came into being they incorporated a lot of B.S. that basically makes insurance one of the riskiest investments possible for older folks or anyone with chronic problems of any age. They hold all the cards but they've become abusive with the way many of them are implementing things and cancelling group policies (without transfer or replacement privileges) wholesale. It's a cruel joke...on the elderly particularly.

Sandi Bowman

Re: The Discrimination You Cannot Avoid
 

Thanks Sandi.

It is impossible to predict what will happen to a single person. Insurance companies can make money only based on group probabilities.

Yes - that does mean a few people who are living a healthy life style get hurt because they are bunched into a group based on age. But it also means that a few people who live an un-healthy life style are better off.

Remember the bell curve? Most people will be in the middle. People in the right will be worse off. People in the left will be better off.

But you can't cut the right side of the bell curve and calculate the odds.

* I'm not an insurance agent or a mathematician - but thats my understanding of how things work. I maybe wrong. And would love it if someone can point out how.