Ageism: Stereotyping and Discrimination — 30 Days Writing Challenge

Are you familiar with age limitation on job advertisements in Indonesia? Or a phrase saying that older people are always right? Or maybe you’ve been told that you don’t know anything because of your age? and things like “you’re only a child while I’ve been through anything”, or “Don’t you dare! I’m your senior”.

It’s called ageism: the stereotyping and discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of their age; ageism can take many forms, including prejudicial attitudes, discriminatory practices, or institutional policies and practices that perpetuate stereotypical beliefs.

It is a serious problem because it significantly affects the current generation and their future as they get older. Further, it is a difficult problem because ageism often manifests itself in subtle ways. I want to discuss more about ageism on prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory practices aspects that had been a very popular issue in Indonesia; seniority. Although personally I haven’t been insulted or mistreated because of seniority, but I’m sure that 90% students range from elementary to college are aware about the practice.

When I was in high school, there’s a welcoming tradition from seniors to juniors and during that time my friend experienced a verbal bullying from my senior just because she wore a make up. Probably it’s because of the tradition for stereotyping that the seniors shoud be the prettiest. Despite whatever they called a seniority tradition, for me it’s too much, people like that act like they’re right and as if they’re mature but in reality lack many things.

Seniority shouldn’t be used as a ‘revenge’ for juniors just because seniors were suffering the same way. This is the Devil Wheel; endless. In the end, it will only leave a hatred against the next generation and so on. We have to stop the fuckin’ cycle because it’s pointless.

Well, I agreed at some point seniority is needed, as long as it makes sense and fits the portion. I mean, logically, indeed someone who is older than us, must have much more experiences because they have been through it earlier. But it doesn’t make them any better. Seniority could be a good thing if it grows a respect, not the arrogance between the seniors and juniors. Everybody makes mistakes, and admitting that it’s wrong is not the sign of weakness.

No matter the reasons are, or the affected age is, practice of ageism has to be ended.

-d-