Is ageism the last 'acceptable' ism?

[Rum]

These days racism is a no no, so is sexism. We stopped making fun of people with disabilities some time ago now. And yet here and elsewhere older people seem to be fair game.

Oh, don't be so touchy I hear some people tusk. Where's your sense of humour I hear elsewhere. Just the things women and black people and disabled people heard when they challenged prejudice against them.

[Atheist-Lite]

Old folks? They weren't born old. They had a choice of taking risks and dying young.

[tattuchu]

I don't think it's fair game, necessarily. I'm getting on in years myself, so I'm fairly sensitive about age. I think it's something that can be joked about with a person if they're comfortable with it and it's a good natured ribbing. Folks here tend to tease Pen for his age. It actually kind of bothers me. But he seems okay with it. I hope he is. I myself don't know him well enough to make jokes about his age. To me, it would be disrespectful. I did post that Sarah Silverman vid in the other thread, but that was more a response to something Feck said, and not directed at Pen at all. And I thought the video was funny, but I thought it was funny because it was so shocking. It was a very dark humor. Funny, sad, troubling, all at the same time.

[Exi5tentialist]

And yet here and elsewhere older people seem to be fair game

You mean coffin dodgers?

[Jason]

These days racism is a no no, so is sexism. We stopped making fun of people with disabilities some time ago now. And yet here and elsewhere older people seem to be fair game.

Oh, don't be so touchy I hear some people tusk. Where's your sense of humour I hear elsewhere. Just the things women and black people and disabled people heard when they challenged prejudice against them.

Priapism.

What is an example of ageism in action?

[klr]

The mandatory retirement age.

[Rum]

I don't think it's fair game, necessarily. I'm getting on in years myself, so I'm fairly sensitive about age. I think it's something that can be joked about with a person if they're comfortable with it and it's a good natured ribbing. Folks here tend to tease Pen for his age. It actually kind of bothers me. But he seems okay with it. I hope he is. I myself don't know him well enough to make jokes about his age. To me, it would be disrespectful. I did post that Sarah Silverman vid in the other thread, but that was more a response to something Feck said, and not directed at Pen at all. And I thought the video was funny, but I thought it was funny because it was so shocking. It was a very dark humor. Funny, sad, troubling, all at the same time.

Quite. Nobody knows if Pen is offended and he has too much dignity and pride to say either way.

[Atheist-Lite]

Self-centred old people are clogging up houses too big for their needs here in the UK and adding to a shortage of affordable housing for young families. This is the real ageism.

[Exi5tentialist]

Self-centred old people are clogging up houses too big for their needs here in the UK and adding to a shortage of affordable housing for young families. This is the real ageism.

No actually, old people are just living their lives waiting for a coffin to hit them - hopefully a long, long time for most of them. Housing shortages come from a moribund housing market locked into high house prices through the oversupply of credit in the 2000s. Capitalism failed, and yet the world's governments still pour public sector resources into the void it left. The system is morally bankrupt. Old people are hapless spectators like the rest of us.

[amused]

What is an example of ageism in action?

We were recently notified that one of the older engineers who worked at a consulting firm we use was laid off because of the recession. They kept the young guy that he was training, because the young guy is paid less. It's very difficult for men in their 50s to get hired, for the same reason. Plus, we tend to know more than the people who hire us, which makes them nervous.

So, the boomers need to occupy the personnel departments and neener neener the scruffians...

[hadespussercats]

I have firmly crossed the line from Miss to Ma'am. Invisibility is sure to follow.

[Atheist-Lite]

Self-centred old people are clogging up houses too big for their needs here in the UK and adding to a shortage of affordable housing for young families. This is the real ageism.

No actually, old people are just living their lives waiting for a coffin to hit them - hopefully a long, long time for most of them. Housing shortages come from a moribund housing market locked into high house prices through the oversupply of credit in the 2000s. Capitalism failed, and yet the world's governments still pour public sector resources into the void it left. The system is morally bankrupt. Old people are hapless spectators like the rest of us.

They should move into multi-occupancy care homes and there would be no housing shortage. This isn't the system it is people hogging resources because they are afraid of the grave - like mini-pharoahs they want to take everything with them.

[HomerJay]

Atheism is the last acceptable ism.
Agnosticism is the last unacceptable ism.
I think the type of ageism we see now has only developed from the 50s and 60s, a relatively new phenomenon.

[Exi5tentialist]

They should move into multi-occupancy care homes and there would be no housing shortage. This isn't the system it is people hogging resources because they are afraid of the grave - like mini-pharoahs they want to take everything with them.

Multi-occupancy care homes are ridiculously expensive. People should be in their own homes when reach the end. The problem is the system, not old people. And stop smoking - do you realise how much it costs the rest of us to look after lung cancer patients? And I'm not talking about the NHS.

[Pensioner]

Self-centred old people are clogging up houses too big for their needs here in the UK and adding to a shortage of affordable housing for young families. This is the real ageism.

No actually, old people are just living their lives waiting for a coffin to hit them - hopefully a long, long time for most of them. Housing shortages come from a moribund housing market locked into high house prices through the oversupply of credit in the 2000s. Capitalism failed, and yet the world's governments still pour public sector resources into the void it left. The system is morally bankrupt. Old people are hapless spectators like the rest of us.

They should move into multi-occupancy care homes and there would be no housing shortage. This isn't the system it is people hogging resources because they are afraid of the grave - like mini-pharoahs they want to take everything with them.

Silly cunt.