12 Module 6 Notebook

Prompt (1): How is old age popularly represented today? 

The representation of age with popularity can be contextual in nature, either portraying through negative stereotypes or positive representations of one’s advanced ability at a given age. For instance, people like Lebron James boast a spectacular image of aging correctly, but it’s skewed when the context is applied. Many people cannot spend upwards of a million dollars annually on keeping them in ideal shape or lack the time to dedicate to maintaining themselves; this is not to say the situation is unique, just that people are not always given the tools to succeed. Trying to understand old age as it relates to popular culture is difficult as there just seems to be a higher level of scrutiny; you are either washed, or the best in the world, and the divination is decided by the public opinion you hold when combined with your production. Age as a construct is always shifting, and it should be considered that in a time where the average person lived to fifty, being a 25-year-old at his/her peak aligns with their reality/expectations.

Prompt (2): What does the article (referencing another study by Dionigi) mean by its statement that sport can help aging people to simultaneously “accept and resist the ageing process” (572)? Find two images online and paste them into your notebook showing how sport might help aging people to both accept and resist the aging process.

The “accept and resist the ageing process” relates to the dual role that physical activity plays in future life. Accepting ageing is the encouragement for older adults to acknowledge their changing bodies and adapt to ageing related limitations. This promotes self acceptance by valuing health and functionality over unrealistic youthfulness. Resisting ageing actively combats physical stereotypes of decline by maintaining strength, and mental sharpness; older athletes often defy societal expectations, asserting that ageing does not mean inactivity or non-action.

Prompt (3): Who are the groups less likely to have extensive opportunities to take part in sports, according to Pike? How does privilege factor into aging and sport?

Sports participation in later portions of life isn’t just about individual choice, but shaped by intersectional privilege. Pike requests policies addressing accessibility for the elderly, representation and funding to equalize sports for all ages. People with disabilities, marginalized groups, LGBTQ+, and women all suffer from these groups only existing to serve the standard or status quo whereas it should cater to all groups equally for ideal representation and participation. People are less likely to participate in anything that seems unrelatable or exclusive which leads to an inactive life. People are living longer than ever and that means we need to take better care of those people, lack of exercise, and large entry barriers to overcome lead many people to reside in their own homes free from prejudice and unfavorable opinions.

Prompt (4): What differences do you see in these ads? Which one is more inclusive? How is age represented or not represented in each?  Answer these questions in your notebook.

The first ad from “Nike” deals with inclusivity in it’s scope aiming to represent all people withing the same group, whereas the “This Girl Can” Ad focus’s on body positivity and respecting all people as well as normalizing average people for relatability. I find both their own brand of disingenuous as, “Nike” aims to use the moral shift towards acceptance to align their brand with public sentiment whereas “This Girl Can” is taking advantage via asserting an oppositional view to promote themselves as more respecting and forward thinking. The focus of both videos was not on the elderly exercising but had people and scenarios that could be seen as forms of elderly activity; mainly in the “Nike” ad, which may have been a further attempt to grasp a larger group of people as inclusivity leads to the highest levels of consumption. The Nike ad is more inclusive but I find the motivation behind these ads to be sinister in nature as they in many events don’t align with these ideals or beliefs and only hyperfocus on them to appear “woke” or “on your side”.

Prompt (5): In her article, “Assessing the sociology of sport: On age and ability,” Elizabeth Pike references a “trend towards a ‘feminisation of ageing’, with many women living longer than men” (573).  Do you agree that aging has been “feminized” in this way? How?  Answer these questions in your notebook.

It’s true in a way as less men are elderly the grand total should be in favor of women allowing for a greater level of participation from women, this however acts contrary to women who we’re young in the 1950s as via gender discrimination and norms of the time less women overall likely participated in sports. This would allow for the numbers to be about even though as men and women from that time likely have views regarding sports and “masculine” activities the number of active willing participants could be higher. Under the pretense suggested it should be a female dominated zone but if that’s the case why is it not; Simply put we have yet to reach a generation of the old where equal representation in athletics has been reached leading to poor representation deviating from the norm in elder activities. So no in my opinion ageing has not been “feminize” as a generation where respect for all exists has not become elderly yet.