About a year ago I came across a fashion blog Advanced Style by Ari Cohn. He is a photographer and posts photos of the older generation because he wants them to be appreciated as being as beautiful as the younger generation. I thought that was a worthwhile endeavor. It seems in the USA elders are stereotyped and depicted in the media as sickly or crazy in the head
I am old enough to remember when there were no black people in advertisements. We all know what happened with the message "black is beautiful" as they were slowly included in our ads and the media and the television brought them right into the living rooms and now we have our Fab President. Ari's premise is if we get used to seeing older stylish men and women in the media we will see them as beautiful as well. We may need to start with a slogan "aging is amazing".
Or maybe it just isn't that important? Do we reach a certain age where it just doesn't matter what people think of us? It is a sign of maturity not to give a damn about what anyone thinks? I think Ari is right on. In my world of ballet there is always a reference to age as a bad thing never a good. It is readily acceptable that with age the body deteriorates and people never question that equation. In dance as in most all sports old means the late thirties. When a few people break through the age barrier they call it a fluke. An exception to the rule.
What does it mean to grow old gracefully? Do we celebrate and show our fabulousness or if we do chose to show a positive image of aging does it give an impression we are begging for attention? I am asking myself these questions. If the media shows more positive images of aging will it be appreciated more or still be dreaded except for the alternative?
I am old enough to remember when there were no black people in advertisements. We all know what happened with the message "black is beautiful" as they were slowly included in our ads and the media and the television brought them right into the living rooms and now we have our Fab President. Ari's premise is if we get used to seeing older stylish men and women in the media we will see them as beautiful as well. We may need to start with a slogan "aging is amazing".
Or maybe it just isn't that important? Do we reach a certain age where it just doesn't matter what people think of us? It is a sign of maturity not to give a damn about what anyone thinks? I think Ari is right on. In my world of ballet there is always a reference to age as a bad thing never a good. It is readily acceptable that with age the body deteriorates and people never question that equation. In dance as in most all sports old means the late thirties. When a few people break through the age barrier they call it a fluke. An exception to the rule.
What does it mean to grow old gracefully? Do we celebrate and show our fabulousness or if we do chose to show a positive image of aging does it give an impression we are begging for attention? I am asking myself these questions. If the media shows more positive images of aging will it be appreciated more or still be dreaded except for the alternative?
No comments:
Post a Comment