Ageism on MN

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

Ok so I expect this thread to be deleted because in part it will be a thread about several threads and mainly because MN has been turning a blind eye towards ageist posts.

Today I learned from MN that over 40s are elderly.
I've also learned that over 50s have lived their lives already and need to step aside to allow the younger generation to live.
I hate the daily mail but actually hope one of their journalists pick this up as MN doesn't seem to care

@RockingMyFiftiesNot

Ok so I expect this thread to be deleted because in part it will be a thread about several threads and mainly because MN has been turning a blind eye towards ageist posts.

Today I learned from MN that over 40s are elderly.
I've also learned that over 50s have lived their lives already and need to step aside to allow the younger generation to live.
I hate the daily mail but actually hope one of their journalists pick this up as MN doesn't seem to care

I'd always thought that when I become elderly (I guess when I was younger that did mean 40s) I would prioritise the next generation and step aside in a way (not just die obviously) because I'd had my peak time already. Maybe once I hit 40/50 I'll think differently?

What exactly does step aside mean? I would also question what a peak time is. In terms of knowledge and skills, that might well be an older demographic.
I think we all prioritise our children but I am expecting them to make their own way as adults. Anything else is a disservice to them.

@GrumpyHoonMain

There is a lot of ageism here but the worst of it does come from the same few accounts. Whenever there’s a post asking about older motherhood they tend to surface and try to beat down the posters by glorifying teen / young motherhood. I don’t think they’re genuine people at all but trolls.

I find those posts amusing as a child of an older mother who is an older mother.

I don’t think I ever expected older people to step aside for me. It comes back to the previous point about adults not behaving like adults.

"They are wearing but it's just as wearing when older generations deny statistics that show younger generations have it harder these days." Quite. But nobody on this thread will ever believe e.g. the housing market is screwed so why bother. (I'm a young disabled person so I get shat on by everyone anyway)

But nobody on this thread will ever believe e.g. the housing market is screwed so why bother

Eh? I for one have children who are finding it much harder to buy their first homes than I did. Another sweeping statement there

I'd like to know what 'step aside' means too. Should I renounce all my worldly goods and go into a nunnery like they used to?

@Blackberrycream

What exactly does step aside mean? I would also question what a peak time is. In terms of knowledge and skills, that might well be an older demographic. I think we all prioritise our children but I am expecting them to make their own way as adults. Anything else is a disservice to them.

I think peak for me means willingness to try new things, accommodate new ideas, and consider things from other perspectives. These are things my older relatives really struggle with and they don't have much empathy. The property market, for example, is so terrible now and it will only be worse when my DD is trying to buy a house. I'm planning to downsize as soon as I can to support her rather than hang on to what I think I'm entitled to, and in doing so provide a suitable home for a young family. As I said, I guess I might think differently as I age.

I'm 69, feel like 21 and have no intention of stepping aside for anybody! Whatever that means!

"Another sweeping statement there" Well, half the thread has been complaining about people talking about baby boomers (by which most people - unless they're very thick or nasty - don't mean that everyone of that generation is rich but that as a generation they found some things a lot easier). And what about people talking about how young people just want to go boozing - is that not a generalisation?

I reported Mumsnet to the Equalities commission about ageism.They couldn’t take action as they were an internet website.

So now l report every ageist post l see. I’m particularly pissed off with ‘boomer’ and ‘saving granny’

Imagine if you wrote a racist term instead of boomer!? But it’s OK to write boomer on here.🤷🏼‍♀️

@pucelleauxblanchesmains but no-one on this thread has said anything at all to generate your comment that NO-ONE on the thread would believe the housing market is screwed.

I'd like to know what 'step aside' means too

I'd like to know too

These are things my older relatives really struggle with and they don't have much empathy.

Maybe you have a problem with your relatives. Not everyone is like this

I find Snowflake as offensive as Boomer

@Singlenotsingle yes by your age (and mine) any opinions we might have that are not agreed with are treated as "dementia approaching"

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow

I find Snowflake as offensive as Boomer

Well you may.

But no-one is suggesting any "Snowflakes" should kindly hurry up and fuck off and die. Not as a figure of speech - actually die.

It's disgusting.

What the fuckity fuck is 'step aside'?

What does that mean?

I'm in my 60s. Should I just stay indoors, or sell the house and give it all away, and never go on holiday ever again so that younger people can go and I don't get in the way?

Is that it?

So I need to prioritise the next generation and step aside. Perhaps it means not go to restaurants or bars in case someone younger than me wants a table and I'm taking it, or a cheap seat on a plane, perhaps that's it.

I've never heard such a ridiculous thing as this! I'm not stepping aside for anyone, I've got a lot of living still to do

I've found ageist posts when reported are deleted.

What disturbs me is not just the casual ageism but the deliberate viciousness of some of the ageist posts on here, especially in the past year.

I'm 42 this year and I remember thinking that over 40 was old. I also remember being 11 and thinking my friend's older sister was old at 14 😂 It's all relative. Over 40 is awesome and we all know it!😁

Yes, I agree. I've seen some horrible stuff

It's like blaming the older generation for covid and the housing market and the job market.... well, blaming them for everything actually.

@ViciousJackdaw

You should have seen some of the Covid threads, plenty of talk on how some lives are worth more than others.

Elderly, my arse. I bloody love being in my 40s. I didn't think I would but it's great! Seeing as how we are all living longer, I'd say that a 50yo could have another 40-50 years so no, their life is in no way 'lived'.

In your 40s? Whippersnapper, I have children in their 40s! You're only as old as who you feel is what I was told years ago.

@vannyy

All the threads about how "boomers" have stolen ALL the money and fucked off into their massive houses and pulled up the drawbridge are pretty wearing OP, so I agree.

They are wearing but it's just as wearing when older generations deny statistics that show younger generations have it harder these days.

Can I refer you to The Use and Abuse of Statistics and also to How to Lie with Statistics! Tell me the rersult you want and I'll find you the statistics to prove it.

I'd always thought that when I become elderly (I guess when I was younger that did mean 40s) I would prioritise the next generation and step aside in a way (not just die obviously) because I'd had my peak time already. Maybe once I hit 40/50 I'll think differently?

In reality this doesn’t make sense though because the average 40 year old will still have half their life left. You (general you) can’t just dismiss half of everyone’s life as unimportant.

Of course it seems like that when you’re young because everything is about looks and youth and personal specialness then.

Depending on where you are, well, my neighbour became a grandmother at 39

A 14 year old pupil was horrified that I wasn't a Nana, her mother was a Nana and she was 34!