ThirstyFish

In the West, how we treat our elderly is horrible. In the United States, the elderly are isolated from their children and lifelong friends and seen as a burden on society. Ageism is rampant; The elderly are stigmatized and made fun of, neglected and even abused. While we are generally troubled by other forms of discrimination, discrimination against the elderly goes unnoticed.

The consumerism culture promotes self-loathing. We become obsessed with our looks. We spend billions on plastic surgery and on beauty products in order to look "young" and "sexy". Each year, Americans spend more on beauty than on education. And it all starts at a very young age.

In its most wicked form, advertising works using two steps. The first is to subliminally reduce the consumer's self-esteem or find a way to scare them, and the second, offer a product or service that "fixes" it. Advertisers especially target the young. Unsurprisingly, many young people suffer from low self-esteem. Among the most potent tools in an advertisers toolbox is the exploitation of the "fear of growing old". If they can convince you that old age is something to fear, they end up with a lifelong customer who would pay anything to stay young. That is why the stigmatization of the elderly is widespread - even by those who are just five or ten years younger.