Media Influence

Nightingales Elder Day Care Centre is located in Malleswaram, Bangalore. On 26th July 2011 we took part in a meeting about media. Although the subject of conversation was not directly related to our project we still learnt a lot in the few hours we spent there.

Firstly, the seniors seemed well prepared with their speeches beforehand and intent on speaking for its own sake. Funnily, the discussion lacked a single path of logic and the speakers appeared to attend to be heard rather than to listen, respond and discuss (opinion).

Secondly, the elders we spoke to were vehemently opposed to being referred to as "old", and protested with such cries as "we are young at heart!" This begs the question, what is wrong with being old? This rejection of self-image probably stems from the abundance of negative stereotypes associated with aging. Moreover the natural deterioration of mind and body is nothing to be ashamed of, yet the consequent dependency chagrins or burdens.

Media influence is likely the culprit. It, particularly advertisements, are designed to make us feel inadequate and insecure about balding, wrinkles, age spots and grey hairs, all of which were symbolic of wisdom in days not long gone by.

Although most stereotypes regarding senior citizens are harmless and fact-based, some
misconceptions perpetuated by the media can be offensive and misleading. Furthermore, many
advertisements and television programmes are designed to make the audience feel insecure about
wrinkles, age lines and spots, balding, grey hairs: the physical manifestation of a natural process.
Incidentally in most countries senior citizens watch more television than any other age group.

However a disproportional number of leading characters are of the same. This is contrary to the
obvious train of logic that dictates that the majority of viewers should be able to relate to the
majority of protagonists. This discrepancy indicates an underlying assumption that there is an ideal
age that all – if not most – people desire to exist at, and more importantly that this age is well below
65.