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There is something I want to say—but first…

I want to make it clear that it’s not directed at any one person. I’m not singling anyone out—"boomer bashing" has pretty much become the national pastime. So this is not meant to cause offense.

But I’ve always had an issue about giving people a bad time around things that they have absolutely no control over, for example:

Their race, ethnicity or country of origin.
Their physical abilities or disabilities.
Their size or shape.
Their sex or gender.
Their sexual orientation.

And, the number of birthdays they have had.

The last seems to be the one area where it’s still open season, and frankly, it kinda sucks.

Nobody’s getting any younger, and there are both good and bad things that every generation can claim, when the final ledger’s written.

Just saying. 🥺
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JoyfulSilence · 51-55, M
The only age discrimination I like is the minimum retirement age.

Young people cannot retire yet. Ha ha.

Of course there is also a length of service requirement. I will reach that first.

And there is early retirement, with a reduced pension. I suppose one could argue that is due to fewer years paying into the system, but if so, the deduction should be based on the shortfall in years of service, not the years before minimum retirement time, if that time is determined by age not length of service, like in my case.

I have 6 more years! I hope I live to see it.

I should log off here and get back to work.

LOL, a mouse just ran out from under the outdoor bench I am sitting on.

I got a photo!
@JoyfulSilence It’s kind of a trade-off, though. You qualify for retirement at the point where no one will hire you.

I can’t tell if he’s a big mousie or not..
JoyfulSilence · 51-55, M
@bijouxbroussard

I suspect when I become eligible to retire, my employer will want me to stay, due to my knowledge about our program, and skill.

Also, we are short-staffed, at least right now. We are under a hiring freeze. I work for Uncle Sam. But if the pendulum swings back, they might start hiring again. I suppose they will have to someday just due to normal attrition.

It was pretty small. I was zoomed into. 30x magnification on my Pixel phone. It was about 10 yards away.

I think it was scared since it had frozen, long enough for me to take the photo.
Captain · 61-69, M
Speaking as somebody with a lot of birthdays I agree - and the ageism in recruiting is worse then the sexism and racism. All my recruitment agents cannot believe the roles I have been declined for and in preference to whom - but I struggle on.
FreddieUK · 70-79, M
It needs saying. At first I thought this was just an annoying light-hearted jibe, but of late it's became quite nasty and aggressive on occasion, as if one doesn't have a right to go on living ONLY because of age. I know that if this continues those throwing the insults will, before they know it, find that they're on the receiving end and will wonder what they did to deserve it.
ArtieKat · M
@FreddieUK I've not noticed any. Was I having my afternoon nap at the time? 🤣
@ArtieKat Okay, that’s funny. 🤭
ArtieKat · M
@bijouxbroussard You're not alone, as @FreddieUK has too
CrazyMusicLover · 31-35
This made me think how I far less see this kind of BS on here than any other social media. I really don't know why, if it's because of local algorithms or that SW doesn't attract that many teenagers or that I have minors blocked but I'm nearly shocked to see how toxic Instagram, Youtube and Facebook are.
@CrazyMusicLover Yes. It’s a reason that I’m not involved in other social media. Lately I’d been seeing an increase; as people come from those other sites, I guess they bring those biases with them. 🤔
Perfectly stated. Thank you for this post.
I feel those who target others for simply being are unleashing their own insecurities.
basilfawlty89 · 36-40, M
It is.
It started in retaliation to the older generations having extremely conservative views, and blaming millennials and Gen Z lazy for inheriting a broken economy.

But it's not right, because you can't make a sweeping generations about large grouops of people. And not all "boomers" hold such attitudes.
@basilfawlty89 Indeed. You know how old I was when the first GenX’ers were born ? 5. ☺
sciguy18 · M
Despite officially being a senior citizen, I have never openly faced age discrimination. I have, however, been discriminated against for some of the other categories you listed.
DrWatson · 70-79, M
I find it jarring as well.

Especially when someone starts a story with "and so this boomer guy...." as if taking it for granted that the reader or listener shares the same assumptions based on a person's age.
FreddieUK · 70-79, M
@DrWatson I think I might challenge that if it was said to me...make them spell out their prejudice.
fun4us2b · M
Amen to all 💯

Yes, people are unapologetic about ageism - What? They ever heard the word "Karma" ???
@fun4us2b Indeed. And it comes quickly. 😏
fun4us2b · M
@bijouxbroussard IKR - I can't understand why it feels like forever when I'm waiting in a line or something - and meanwhile it's August 1st and felt like yesterday was January 1st...
ArishMell · 70-79, M
The age matter is not helped by the fad for classifying people by silly labels like "boomer" and "genzed" as if we are all items in a warehouse listed on a database drop-down menu.

It leads to sweeping generalising, even stereotyping.
@ArishMell I see it the same way. We've fallen into "boomers are this" and "gen z is this". I have a friend who is always saying gen z is so lazy and they don't want to work.
My neices and nephews are gen z and they all work hard.
@robingoodfellow And I haven’t destroyed the economy, not even once ! 🥺
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@robingoodfellow I take so little notice of political or social cliches I don't know what these age-related ones really mean.

If I want to describe by people by age-groups I use proper words, and I try to avoid generalising.
Lugwho · 61-69, M
I'm with you 💯
Of all the things I have done that could make me feel guilty, I never thought getting older would be one of them.
But here we are.
@Mindfulness Exactly.
ArtieKat · M
@bijouxbroussard I can honestly say that I've not noticed anti-boomer posts here. Unless I have seen them and moved swiftly on. 🤔
@ArtieKat You just don’t take them personally. And I probably shouldn’t, either. But lately I’ve really noticed it. 🥺
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BillyMack · 46-50, M
@bijouxbroussard for sure.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
Thought you’d find my thread here interesting. 🙂

https://similarworlds.com/society/5362105-Stop-being-civil-Stop-Being-Civil
@OlderSometimesWiser I don’t understand how people can have such a blind spot. They’d be outraged about any other kind of generalization, especially if it were applied to them. 😞
@bijouxbroussard Very true, and the excuse “well I don’t mean everyone in that group” just doesn’t cut it. Especially since their generalization oftentimes comes from nothing more than personal experience yet is put forth like a scientifically proven hypothesis.

People need to be mindful of their words because they can and do hurt.
HowtoDestroyAngels · 46-50, M
Very well said.
Livingwell · 61-69, M
I fully agree with you. Those same people could learn a thing or two if they shut up and listened.
We all see the same stars.
@PiecingBabyFaceTogether
Very true, my friend. 🤗

 
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