From Zoomers to Geezerade: Representations of the Aging Body in Ageist and Consumerist Society
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Analyzing Images
There is a loose gearing, then, between social structures and what goes on in particular occasions of ritual expression… Participants…are often displayed in rankable order with respect to some visible property looks, height, …elaborateness of costume… and so forth—and the comparisons are somehow taken as a reminder of differential social position, … Thus, the basic forms…provide a peculiarly limited version of the social universe, telling us more, perhaps, about the special depictive resources of social situations than about the structures presumably expressed thereby ([16], p. 3).
3. Methodology
4. Portrayals of Seniors in the Media
5. Positive Images
Images of Older Adults | Zoomer Magazine | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
March 2012 | April 2012 | May 2012 | June 2012 | July 2012 | |
Positive Images | 26 | 23 | 25 | 29 | 30 |
Negative Images | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Comical | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
Total | 26 | 25 | 29 | 32 | 34 |
Percent Positive | 100% | 92% | 86% | 90% | 88% |
Images of Older Adults | Zoomer Magazine | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
March 2012 | April 2012 | May 2012 | June 2012 | July 2012 | |
White | 23 | 23 | 26 | 30 | 34 |
Non-White | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Total | 26 | 25 | 29 | 32 | 34 |
6. Negative Images
Images of older adults and young people in Advertisements | Zoomer Magazine | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
March 2012 | April 2012 | May 2012 | June 2012 | July 2012 | |
Images of older adults | 16 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 11 |
Images of young people | 15 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 11 |
Mix of older adults and young people | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Total | 36 | 25 | 31 | 32 | 25 |
Positive Images of older adults | 15 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 10 |
Negative Images of older adults | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Total | 16 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 11 |
White older adults | 16 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
Non-white older adults | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Total | 16 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 11 |
7. The Geezerade Campaign
A couple of kids from our in-home daycare walked by and when they saw the photo, one kid said, ‘Oh look at the geezer.’ Then another kid said, ‘There’s a geezer on the screen’ and they all started to laugh and it just kind of made me cringe [52].
I would like to voice my support to end this promotion. I wrote an email to Irving on Wednesday May 4th after seeing the poster in question. Couche-tard called me the next day to explain that they had researched the word “geezer” and found nothing wrong with its use. I've been interviewed by Radio-Canada and they gave Couche-tard the opportunity to respond to my request of removing this promotion; they responded that they would not be removing the poster because young people are attracted to this images. I've asked different young people in the last day about the poster and they do not understand the message. I also wrote a letter to the editor at the Times & Transcript. Therefore, I am again, asking for the removal of these posters [57].
8. Conclusions
The ideal aging citizen is someone... that… remains youthful as long as possible, contributes to the economy as a smart consumer and as an active participant in productive activities, and stays healthy to avoid accessing healthcare and other public services ([20], p. 220).
Acknowledgements
References and Notes
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Low, J.; Dupuis-Blanchard, S. From Zoomers to Geezerade: Representations of the Aging Body in Ageist and Consumerist Society. Societies 2013, 3, 52-65. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc3010052
Low J, Dupuis-Blanchard S. From Zoomers to Geezerade: Representations of the Aging Body in Ageist and Consumerist Society. Societies. 2013; 3(1):52-65. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc3010052
Chicago/Turabian StyleLow, Jacqueline, and Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard. 2013. "From Zoomers to Geezerade: Representations of the Aging Body in Ageist and Consumerist Society" Societies 3, no. 1: 52-65. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc3010052