Some thoughts on age discrimination and becoming nifty
in Cape Breton: nifty! Nifty! Look who's fifty! Because that was what I
became yesterday.
As much as I told myself it didn't matter, it wasn't something I looked
forward to for a number of reasons. One, I like working, and I like my
profession, but I expect age discrimination in the years to come. Turning
fifty made me think of this more and more. Indeed, I was reluctant to post
this because I figure some H.R. screener will use this to screen me out of
potential opportunities. I even get minor tastes of it at my current work,
this sense of me not being suited for certain roles, since after all, I am
"senior" or in IBM terms, band 9. "Why is a band 9 doing that? We should
get a band 6 (I.e. Junior person) to do that!" It doesn't matter if I can
do it or even want to do it. Such events have been rare, but I fear them
cropping up more as I get older.
A second reason is that there are a lot of things that younger people in
their 20s like that I liked when I was that age too and still like. I like
well made and unusual pop music, film, and cultural things like that in
general. I love social media. I enjoy great restaurants and food. I have
been fascinated by clothes and fashion since I was a kid and remain that
way. Likewise I like new trends and ideas and what they signify. I like all
those things. But I don't like them because I want to appear young. I
continue to like them despite being older. Sometimes I am talking to
someone younger about them and I will think I am talking to a person. Then
I will imagine what they are thinking: I am talking to an older person. An
old guy.
It is facile to say 40 is the new 30 or 50 is the new 40. What is true,
though, is that major life events are started later than they have been in
the past, and as a result, people like myself feel like someone younger
because they still have much to do. It's also because they and I are
stretching what can be done at our age. I challenge anyone who feels that's
wrong to a marathon! :) I would argue, though, that definitions of what is
age appropriate is changing.
Two men I admire are Karl Lagerfeld and Bill Cunningham. What I admire
about them is that is their dedication, their drive, their interest in the
world and how they reflect it in their work, despite being much older than
a lot of people in their profession. They are both decades older than me,
but they defy their age and what is expected of them.
In the end, that's why I decided to write this. Being older is not
something to be ashamed of: it's the prejudice and discrimination against
older people that is shameful. I hope to defy such judgment and make my own
way, staying interested in what I am interested in, regardless of my age.
Perhaps I will inspire some younger people and shake up the beliefs of what
can and cannot be done at a certain age. While there are some things of my
youth I will gracefully (and happily) surrender, that list is shorter than
some expect.
Our bodies are in a state of continual change, starting with the day we are
born. Some of those changes impose limits, it's true. But these constraints
should be our source of inspiration, not constriction. As long as we are
thinking and breathing, we should all strive to make the most of our lives
and defy the things that would rob us of our joy.
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Sent from my BlackBerry Handheld.