AIBU to Think MNHQ needs to tackle the ageism on this site?

[LastGoldenDaysOfSummer]

The venom and hate aimed at older people on some of the Covid threads is disgusting. If the same was aimed at disabled, TW or BAME people then the posts would be deleted immediately, and rightly so.

But because it's the elderly it's left to stand, even after being reported. This isn't new, MNHQ has always been a hotbed of ageism but it's usually dealt with when reported.

But not any more. Should they be doing more?

I'd like to point, as well as agreeing with @LastGoldenDaysOfSummer, that ageism isn't just about old people - it's about denigrating people of any age, because of their age.

There's lots of it on MN and I report it and call it out wherever I see it. I sometimes thing that MNHQ themselves don't understand what ageism is.

I blame Brexit.

Those of us who are still working and have a mortgage/rent to pay are pretty resentful that a larger proportion of the older population voted for this and have damaged our economic prospects.

Uni students/school children and young people are demonised on the coronavirus board as well, the fact that older and those of us who are more vulnerable are suggested to shield while the rest of society carries on to pay for it is not in my opinion ageist. It's just a different solution to locking us all down.

I have actually stopped reading those threads because of the vitriol of around 5 repeat posters who police them.

If you have ever actually been on them you full well know how irrelevant people who are not young are.

They have had their lives apparently and they are not worth tanking the economy for, the poor young people being left such a legacy! This is the attitude on there and if you challenge it you get torn down.

I would be really shocked if anyone who reads those threads didn't see this. Its the whole 'yeah, they were care home deaths, so they were gonna die anyway'.

We are all going to die, doesn't make the government's euthanasia of the elderly acceptable to me.

Oh god, yes please. It is scary that there are people out there who seem to actually think that middle aged and elderly people's lives are worth less than younger peoples.

The inequalities between the lives of the baby boomers - the wealth and opportunities they had and have and have been steadily removing from those behind them - and those of us who have to work to support their luxury, is appalling.

Please spell out exactly how each and every boomer is removing wealth and opportunity from those behind them?

@buildingbridge

Wow.

What a bunch of racists I'm seeing.

Can you really compare discrimination based on age vs a group (BAME) who have been treated the lowest of the low for thousands of centuries, lack of opportunities as a result of their skin colour, people being killed because of their skin colour.

I cannot believe what I'm reading on this thread.

Then read it more closely. I'm comparing MN's response to the two issues, not the issues themselves.

I've reported racism and it's been deleted. Ageism - not deleted.

Ageism is rampant on here and the only 'ism' seemingly supported by MNHQ as they do nothing about it. Any other 'ism' wouldn't be tolerated.

@LiveintheNow

I think it is a mindset thing, the example of a 60 year old having 20 years left but a 20 year old would have 60 years completely ignores the experience and value of the older person gained in those years.

But it isn't about the value of the individual! It's about the potential loss which is risked. An 80yr old is not at risk of losing as many years to Covid illness or death as a 20 yr old is, and their income is at less risk.

OP can you give a specific example? Because I’m not sure saying the vulnerable should shield is ageism worth of deletion.

No, you are too lazy to read the thread I suggested

Shes too lazy To read the threads

And youre too Busy to link to specific posts

Ok

I always report disablist and agist posts. mn hq are very quick to delete.
so maybe more people need to report.

I'm getting tired of being unable to have important conversations because of the perceived 'ism' involved. It totally shuts down any weighing up of experiences, or discussion of pros and cons.

It's often not out and out, but subtle-which is harder to deal with and tends to go more into subconsciousness.

I've seen many times comments on Covid threads along the lines of "I can't cope any longer with lockdown, all people at risk should just isolate and let the rest of us get on".
Otherwise translated as I don't want to continue with restriction as they are now, but all people over 70 or have health conditions should be forced to totally isolate so I can get on with normal life.
Implying their feelings about lockdown aren't worth as much as the OPs.

Also dismissal of death figures with "yeah, but they're all old or have health conditions".

"Why should my dc's future be ruined for the old people? They can just stay at home."

The implication is that the older generation and people with health conditions (which btw includes an awful lot of things on the list so you might well be surprised to find you are in the "underlying cause" category) have no quality of life and do nothing and don't really matter.

When in actual fact, I know a lot of over 70s who have very active lives, I know an 80yo who runs not only marathons, but does the supermarathons for fun, a 76yo ex-accountant who does accounts for several local charities for free, many grandparents who look after their grandchildren after school every day, my gardener is approaching 70 and has health conditions... etc.

@BIWI

I'd like to point, as well as agreeing with *@LastGoldenDaysOfSummer*, that ageism isn't just about old people - it's about denigrating people of any age, because of their age.

There's lots of it on MN and I report it and call it out wherever I see it. I sometimes thing that MNHQ themselves don't understand what ageism is.

I agree

But I don’t think its just mnhq not understanding, lots of posters don’t understand either

Im fairly positive ive never said anything agist on here, but id probably miss some cases of it

Linking to another thread would be a TAAT and so would be deleted.

@bumpyknuckles

I particularly dislike threads about having a baby over 40 where lots of posters pile on to shout about how selfish women are to have babies in their 40s, and how they will inevitably have disabled babies and will embarrass their children with their decrepitude before dying before their children are 18. It's quite unpleasant.

I don’t think it’s ageist to point out that having a baby in your 40s carries more risks than having one younger. It’s just biological fact.

I haven't seen any "ageism" on here but I do think young and old are at odds with one another. obviously covid is an age issue though because it massively affects the older more so obviously the question is raised whether it would be better for the younger of us to get on with life and keep our economy going and just isolate the elderly, instead of isolating everyone when most of us will be fine. I think theres also a case of young people feeling like the elderly aren't as invested in our economic future since they wont have to suffer through it with us.
I also think younger people have grown up with older people being ageist against them so there's no bond between the two generations, and now those "youths" have actual voices and are able to vote its caused conflict. We got right shit off older people just for existing when I was a teenager.

And a prime example right here.

I'm 51 believe me I am still working full time and very invested in the economic future of this company. Take all over 50's out of the workforce and then see this country collapse.

Being 51 I've lived through the 70's and the 3 day week; Thatcher - nuff said; Ive seen interest rates rise out of control overnight to 15% plunging many of the most vulnerable people in society into poverty and on the streets; I lived through a time of 3 million people unemployed; the 90's and the recession there.....oh and the recession in 2008 not to mention austerity.

So no, people my age and older know nothing about economic collapse and suffering ffs 🤔

Is that to me biwi

Ive seen it done before, but ok

Just thought it was interesting that one person was ‘lazy’ and the other was ‘busy’....

Please spell out exactly how each and every boomer is removing wealth and opportunity from those behind them?

I am talking about that group as a generation. Let's see. That generation would have been the people steadily dismantling the public sector since the 80s. Steadily dismantling employment rights. Cashing in on Right to Buy and privatisations of publicly-owned utilities. The generation that oversaw the great leap back into private renting and buy-to-let that had been dismantled by the earlier generations, which is causing widespread poverty everywhere. The generation that has welcomed huge levels of immigration from everywhere, which reduces wages and increases our population and pressure on the infrastructure they have dismantled.

And finally, that is the generation that have taken us out of the EU and removed our EU citizenship rights. So much to thank you for.

Oops

Seen it done before and the post was not deleted for taat

I think on Covid threads there is a lot of vitriol towards anyone who is vulnerable to the virus. Not just the elderly but also the young and vulnerable. The usual theme is that those people should be "looked after" while the young and beautiful run the country . What they mean is that they want to do whatever they want and stuff anyone who dies as a consequence as they should have locked themselves in a cupboard. It's probably only a few posters under different names though. Most of them are psychopaths in my opinion.

I don’t think it’s ageist to point out that having a baby in your 40s carries more risks than having one younger. It’s just biological fact.

When that information comes laden with value judgements (it’s selfish, you’ll be an older parent and embarrass your kids at the school gate, you won’t have the energy to keep up), it becomes ageist.

@RufustheSniggeringReindeer

Is that to me biwi

Ive seen it done before, but ok

Just thought it was interesting that one person was ‘lazy’ and the other was ‘busy’....

Well yes, but also to others who have called for examples! Not personal ...

I dunno I’m torn on this. The older generation have prospered whilst younger generations have a shit time of it picking up the pieces with no opportunities. Then the older generation predominantly voted brexit and conservative which has and will make it harder still for the younger generations who are struggling and now there’s a virus that is only really affecting them and the younger generations are losing everything to protect them.

I think younger people are allowed to be a bit fucked off about that, tbh.

But saying that, it seems barbaric to think we should handle this any other way than to ensure they are protected.

@MayYouLiveInInterestingTimes

Please spell out exactly how each and every boomer is removing wealth and opportunity from those behind them?

I am talking about that group as a generation. Let's see. That generation would have been the people steadily dismantling the public sector since the 80s. Steadily dismantling employment rights. Cashing in on Right to Buy and privatisations of publicly-owned utilities. The generation that oversaw the great leap back into private renting and buy-to-let that had been dismantled by the earlier generations, which is causing widespread poverty everywhere. The generation that has welcomed huge levels of immigration from everywhere, which reduces wages and increases our population and pressure on the infrastructure they have dismantled.

And finally, that is the generation that have taken us out of the EU and removed our EU citizenship rights. So much to thank you for.

Talking negatively about an entire group or generation is ageist! How can you not understand that?

I'm over 60 and didn't do any of those things, thank you very much