How Much Fun Is Growing Old?
We’re all getting old, there’s no cure for it and no dietary supplement, despite what many start-ups would have us believe. But in my opinion, neither age nor youth is a merit. It is the life cycle that God, the universe or whoever has predetermined for us. If anything, I can attribute a certain amount of merit to the younger generation if they survive these turbulent, frustrating and sometimes overwhelming times unscathed and make something of themselves despite all the adversity.
I can’t understand this cult that is now being made around the age of women – that’s right, it’s only about women, not men. It really gets on my nerves. The female age is celebrated in “New Beauty” podcasts. They write about the beauty of age. At “Turn Around Age” conferences, experts discuss how to postpone ageing.
Books are titled “Age is becoming curable” as if it were a disease. Designers let older models present their collections on the international catwalks to great press attention. There’s nothing wrong with that. But why can’t we accept this as normal? Is it such a miracle that women over 50/60 can still walk in a straight line?
Growing old, but presentable please
We Germans tend to see everything as either black or white. In the past, youth was exalted, today it’s age. Young, slim and successful – and mostly blonde – were the women I was shown as role models in my youth. What is so different today when women in best ager communities meet regularly to exchange ideas? The older, fitter and more attractive the participants, the better. After all, you want to present yourself well on social media channels.
Here, too, you won’t find average women who are perhaps not so “well preserved”, have a few extra kilos and have not set up a successful business after children and often husbands have left home. The model women talk live and online about their successes and achievements in old age, about beauty secrets and perhaps also about their private lives. But what ageing actually does to you is left out.
Ageism instead of youthism
But is old age really the new youth? I very much doubt it. Because as my mother used to say, “getting old is not for cowards”. I was 40 at the time and couldn’t understand what exactly she meant by that. I now know. I’m now one of the best agers myself.… weiterlesen
CultureAndCream Author from Munich
To travel during my profession as a beauty journalist was never enough for my. Also my six month on a world trip didn’t do it. It always attracts me to other cities, foreign countries, on roadtrips and places I don’t know yet. But I am not only interested in “culture” and “cream”, I am also fascinated by people who have stories to tell . Such unique experiences I want to share with you.