Ageism

Learnt a new word today from a ST article. The word is "ageism" which basically means some form of stereotyping or negative connotations about older people. An example is the common perception that elderly employees are resistant to changes.  The article suggests such negative stereotyping will perpectuate the fear of aging.

Let me tell you one fertile place to develop such an attitude is no other than attending a company AGM, especially that of a big blue chip company with loads of minority shareholders who are retirees. I usually prefer attending AGMs of smaller companies which analysts seldom cover and where you can crowd round the management during reception time to hear them talk about growth potentials and challenges.  However I occasionally drop in on the AGMs of bigger companies as well because some of them give power point presentations. Some of these companies hold their AGMs in fully packed hotel ballrooms. If you go in late looking for a vacant chair, you pace down the aisle with rows of silver haired or balding people on each side. You plonk yourself admist "uncles" and "aunties" and blend in. If there isn't any power point presentation you hope that amongst the crowd there are people who query about business strategies and directions. Otherwise you cringe at old men badgering the company chairman/CEO about directors' fees increase, imploring for more dividend payout, grilling management for the details of "miscellaneous expenses", commenting about venue of the AGM, compaining about the buffet spread and sharing funny and not so funny remarks. When the reception begins and the queue does not move due to people taking time to pile maximum amount of food onto their plates, you shudder and wonder whether attending AGMs is one of the highlights in a retiree's life. Is the animation in such trivality a mark of aging? It is scary and depressing. 

You quit the queue and the buffet, get into a shopping mall and drop in at Forever 21 to feel more alive again. That is ageism even whilst you are both the subject and the object.