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The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 321

The Symbolic Interactionist Perspective 10.8 Discuss changes in
perceptions of the elderly.
At first, the audience sat quietly as the developers explained their plans
to build a high-rise apartment building. After a while, people began
to shift uncomfortably in their seats. Then they began to show open
hostility.
“That’s too much money to spend on those people,” said one.
“You even want them to have a swimming pool?” asked another
incredulously.
Finally, one young woman put their attitudes in a nutshell when
she asked, “Who wants all those old people around?”
When physician Robert Butler (1975, 1980) heard these complaints
about plans to build apartments for senior citizens, he began to real-
ize how deeply antagonistic feelings toward the elderly can run. He
coined the term ageism to refer to prejudice and discrimination
directed against people because of their age. Let’s see how ageism
developed in U.S. society.
Shifting Meanings of Growing Old

As we have seen, there is nothing inherent in old age to produce
any particular attitude, negative or not. Some historians point out
that in early U.S. society, old age was regarded positively (Cottin

When does old age begin? And what activities are appropriate for the elderly? From this
photo that I took of Munimah, a 65-year-old bonded laborer in Chennai, India, you can
see how culturally relative these questions are. No one in Chennai thinks it is extraordinary
that this woman makes her living by carrying heavy rocks all day in the burning, tropical
sun. Working next to her in the quarry is her 18-year-old son, who breaks the rocks into the
size that his mother carries.
FIGURE 10.15 As Florida Goes, So Goes the Nation

Percent Elderly
WA
The younger states: tates: 12.7 VT ME
8.1% to 13.1% 15.0 16.3
MT ND NH 14.0
tates:
The average states: OR 15.2 14.4 MN
13.2% to 14.1% % 14.3 ID 13.1 WI NY MA14.0
12.8 SD 13.7 RI 14.7
The older states: WY 14.4 13.9 MI CT 14.4
es:
14.2% to 17.6% % PA
NJ
12.7 IA 14.1 NJ
13.7
NV NE 14.9 15.6 13.7
12.5 UT 13.6 IL IN OH DE
CA 9.2 CO 12.7 13.2 14.3 WV VA 14.7 MD Least elderly
16.2
MD
11.7 11.3 KS MO KY 12.5 12.5
2.5
13.3 14.2 13.5 NC DC 1. Alaska (8.1%)
TN 13.2 11.4
AZ OK 13.7 SC
14.2 NM 13.7 AR 14.1 2. Utah (9.2%)
13.6 14.6 AL
MS GA 3. Texas (10.5%)
13.0 14.0 11.0
TX LA
10.5
12.5 Most elderly
FL
AK 17.6
8.1 1. Florida (17.6%)
HI 2. Maine (16.3%)
14.7
3. West Virginia (16.2%)
Source: By the author. Based on Statistical Abstract of the United States 2013:Table 16.