Where do elderly people fit into society and media?

Ageism Example #1

Modern Family is a hilarious show, but like so many other media outlets, it fails to represent older people and if it ever does it is usually in a very negative way. It seems that our society is accepting  of the fact that once you are over the age of 55 you are no longer an asset, and you are all of sudden a disabled person who is a burden to your family. This concept is heartbreaking because it is diminishing the value of family and loving the people who raised you. It would be extremely refreshing to see a popular show such as Modern Family include a character who is older but still viewed as a contributing member of society. People need to start rethinking their views of age and hindrances of being an older person.

If I were in charge of this media outlet I would portray older people in a positive light. I would give middle aged people someone to look up to, so they would not be so afraid to get older. I would make seniority appear as a status symbol instead of something that holds you back.

The most talented wheelchair basketball players in the world... and I haven't heard of them?!

Ableism Example #1

Wheelchair Basketball is a sport I wish I would hear more about on ESPN or other sport media sources. These athletes are so talented, and it is actually more exciting to watch than regular basketball because of the fast paced aggressiveness and almost acrobatic qualities of the sport. The only reasons these incredible world athletes are being talked about and made famous has to be their physical disability to actually run on their feet like the NBA does. Ableism like this is far more prevalent than people actually realize because we usually don't know what we are excluding from our major media and entertainment sources.

Upper Class exceptions... "do whatever you want, no matter the consequences"

Classism Example #2

This Virgin Airlines ad is the epitome of upper class' freedom to live their lives in the careless way they do without considering who they may be effecting. Virgin Airlines is a privilege to fly with, so you must have some money to even be dealing with them, and then they advertise to "fool around with them" because they are the "hotter" airline. This is something you would only see from an expensive and elitist airline, because it is the people in the upper class that can afford to do things like this. They can fool around and find hotter commodities because they have that luxury.

I would do something different if I was in charge of making this ad. I would probably leave out the whole fooling around with younger, and hotter airline concept. I really dislike how that is reinforcing the approval of having affairs outside of relationships so I would make it something more positive and uplifting.

Bud Light Superbowl Commercial.... the degrading never stops.

Sexism Ad #2

This ad is wrong on so many levels that it is actually shocking. There's a group of women attempting to hold an intellectual book study, and a man just plops down in their circle and pretty much discredits everything they are doing. The man assumes they are all stupid, and that they are wasting their time talking about books and intelligent topics. He turns a comment into a sexual remark, and says that he wants to see if one of the women can read words. He then continues to take all of their beer and turn their study circle into an unwanted party.

Beer ads like these are everywhere, and it is alarming that nothing is being said against these. As a woman, I am completely offended because it discredits everything that I claim as my identity. Women are sexualized, objectified, and looked at as ignorant by men in all of these beer commercials.

If I were in charge of this media source I would never create an ad that was so degrading to a gender. I would never enforce stereotypes the way they do.

Reinforcing the stereotypes of old people...

Ageism Example #2

This second example was taken from one of my favorite shows, Parks and Recreation. It is the episode where Amy Poehler's character is suffering through a date with an older person in their 60's and he is just fulfilling the overall stereotype of older people. He forgets the questions he asked, he keeps acknowledging his "senior moments", he doesn't understand new trends, he is slow and old fashioned, and is just an overall burden to his date. This stereotype allows our society to pretty much look down upon older people and view them as a waste to our system. Unfortunately this stereotype is seen in almost every type of media and it discredits old people all together.

If I were in charge of this media outlet I would make old people appear as the productive and loving and positive people that they are. I would not emphasize their slower qualities or their inability to do certain tasks because that is something beyond their control and it is just a cheap attempt at humor.

Confines of "Old Luxury"?? Privileged Class...

Privilege Example #2

This commercial for the new Audi is ridiculous, and honestly a little funny until it gets down to the main selling point of Audi. The "old luxury class" is confining according to Audi, and they are asking why would you want to drive a Mercedes if you're dad had one. The whole concept of one luxury style being too confining and outdated is obscene because most people will never even be able to drive a Mercedes in their lifetime let alone be given the option to drive an Audi instead of a Mercedes. This is showing the deep rooted privilege in "old money" families in our society and it shows how the privileged class can truly be oblivious to what the majority of the people are actually like. 

This ad really makes me think how I am privileged in my own life, and it makes me wonder if I have made people feel like they are less of a person because of their class. It really saddens me that our culture is this way, and something in our society needs to change the awareness that the different classes have of each other. 

Privilege... "this is the life" at CU Boulder. 

Privilege Example #1

From ours truly, privilege is the overall culture of CU boulder. This video is just a sampling of the 30,000 student population here in Boulder, but it is pretty spot on with the majority of the students. What do we Boulder kids love about college here?? We can hike, bike, ski, party, dine, shop, attend sporting events, rage at concerts, socialize, get involved in greek life, tan, explore, and did I mention earn a degree? If this is not a the biggest privilege of a college experience, than I don't know what is? Most of the students here at CU are just accustomed to this lifestyle and anything different would be less than satisfactory for them. They are also used to being surrounded by people like them: wealthy, privileged, educated, and white. The diversity at CU is extremely lacking, but the students here don't seem to mind, the white ones at least.

As a student here at CU, I have become much more aware of the privileged life that I have but I have also come to realize that very few people have this type of opportunity. My awareness has expanded because of the close-minded people I have been surround with this semester and I have really seen how this bubble type environment can really separate different types and classes of people. The elitist vibe that I pick up in Boulder is something that truly nauseates me because most of the people going to school here do not even realize how lucky they are to have this opportunity.