Ageism in Korean Society
Ageism is a process of systematic stereotyping and discrimination against people because they are old. Ageism is identified as an essential issue associated with the social perspective toward aging (Sargent-Cox, 2017). It functions as an ideology to justify social inequality that helps the society to disregard a group of a particular age from social opportunities and resources on purpose based on chronological age. Higgs & Gilleard, (2020) argued that the way ageism functions represents a transition in the lives of older people in society. As modernization progresses, it is recorded that the overall stats of the elderly has been looked down upon. Since Korea has experienced power, it has impacted industrialization, and modernization through its long reputable Confucian and patriarchal family system. Additionally, by determining ageism status in Korea in terms of working, mental health stigma, and cultural values. Current National Human Rights Commissions survey on employment discrimination indicates that more than half of women have gone through discrimination because of their age. In addition, the youths have this idea if ignorance, untrustworthiness, and unpredictable access to power. This causes them to become disrespectful to those who are aging. Mahler (2018) argued that this discrimination can discourage the aged people from working or going for recreational activities and they play a huge role in social isolation of the oldest generations, limiting their ability to contribute positively to the whole collection and developing a fear of aging in all people. Different studies have shown that negative age stereotypes predict intentions for discriminatory actions using experimental and correlative designs.
Lee (2017) indicated that participants made more suggestions about effects such as transfer in case that an older person makes a mistake that was particularly the case of respondents with more negative stereotypes. Although discrimination at an institutional level could be related to stereotypes that are held by people and their actions, it is part of its specific features that it does not rely on them (Dovido et al.2010). However, reinforcement of age stereotype usage can be done in decision making hence strengthening the relationship between stereotypes and age discrimination. The older people are the biggest group accessing and using care services within Europe and are often presumed to be a burden (Wilson, Errasti-Ibarrondo & Low, 2019). Various studies have been conducted so that it can be easy to understand the antecedes of prejudice towards the aged people.
In addition, it has been noted that knowledge regarding aging has been investigated it is associated with perspectives, and attainment of knowledge regarding ageism has assisted in changing the attitudes of individuals around them. According to Levy’s stereotype, embodiment theory, age internalization process that infuses the community starts during childhood and goes on thereafter (Ng et al.,2016). This approach was created to describe age stereotypes across the lifespan but it can also describe other forms of self-stereotypes such as race and gender. Ageism has been identified in the scope of all ages ranging from a small kid to adults and that is why young adult workers might assume that aged workers are less productive than they are even when they have regular contacts with aged workers.
This has caused the aging population to explain themselves how they have been treated by the younger generation in their lives. However, as much as studies have contradictory information, there is a lot of information regarding the existence of negative stereotypes not only in the United States of America but in countries such as Japan, Korea, and Turkey.
Many studies have focused on the consequences of ageism at the personal level without the assessment of structural sources of ageism. Furthermore, past reviews that have recorded ageism at the structural level have not concurrently evaluated how this affects the life of aged individuals. For instance, excluding older people from medical care has been researched but without considering health impacts on older people. In addition, older men in Korean society hold the highest ranks while young women are at the lowest point. Ageism among older Korean women are leading when it comes to knowledge and experience than Korean men. They also face challenges regarding images and appearance. They are judged according to what they look like and how they function in society. Women are most ridiculed yet they play a critical role in making society successful. In Korea, women are supposed to give men top positions whether it’s at work or home because men are regarded as family providers. This will lead to health impacts on how they are treated.
Reflection
Ageism has been an area of concern for a very long time. I developed an interest in it after I noted that many aged people are sidelined at work. They are also judged and looked down upon regarding their appearance especially women. In addition, I realized that most nations are facing a high risk of income and the rapid growth of the aging population. This made me think about those women who go through body shaming because of what they look when they are in a particular age. This indicates that the young generation does not care about the older generation yet they were there for them at their young age. They have played a role in contributing to different economic needs and various degrees of contribution to the economy in every stage of their lives. I thought that creating a conducive environment for them so that their lives can be improved. Their retirement benefits will play a role in ensuring that they are able to survive. Their Korean culture. I felt that there so much that the Korean society can do to help them in terms of quality healthcare access, living environment, minimizing traffic accidents for the elderly. They have endured a lot of pain in their old age. Additionally, I was overwhelmed with fear when I panned ongoing for the interview because I wanted to be thorough and I did not want my respondent to have a negative attitude towards their own culture.
I learned that it is important to be clear about what the respondent expects to get relevant information. One must carry out research on the topic to gain background knowledge regarding the person’s culture and summarize key findings that will help in getting clarification from the respondent. I was confident that whatever questions I prepared were not biased in any way and they were only for research purposes. Their privacy rights were accorded because they must be protected at all costs. The list of questions must be prepared in advance and take notes in the interview without being insensitive because it will affect the respondent.
Paying attention to the tone and the attitude of the respondent stood out for me. I enjoyed the interview because I was able to learn something from them and respect their culture as much as they respect mine. This helps in creating awareness regarding other people’s cultures. Also, the interviewer must be able to understand that it may be hard for the respondent to describe their own culture which reflects the quality of the interview as a person. The interview should be comfortable not only to the respondent but also to the interviewer as well. I was glad that I was given the opportunity to interview someone regarding ageism in the Korean Society and I gathered so much information that will be helpful to the future generations. This helps in creating awareness regarding ageism and creating solutions that will protect their wellbeing.
Furthermore, this study will help in creating awareness regarding ageism in society. It continues to spread information on how they are treated and what needs to be done to ensure that they are comfortable at their age. Additionally, this information will guide the government in creating policies that will be used in taking care of their needs. These policies help in demonstrating how direct and indirect policies affect ageism in Korean society. Being knowledgeable about ageism assists an individual to offer their assistance in maintaining peaceful coexistence between the younger and the old generation.
The literature and the interview have a minimal difference. The literature focuses on the discrimination that elder people face every day while the interview describes what the aged do so that they can look young. The interview also explains the consequences of discrimination which includes depression, and more comparisons to the younger generation about what they wear. I was able to derive information regarding plastic surgery. Most women over forty years consider doing plastic surgery so that they can look young and avoid being discriminated against. It has become a norm and even the younger generation has been doing this to avoid aging. In conclusion, ageism in Korea has been on the rise. It has led to discrimination remarks against women which causes them to develop depression thinking about ending their lives. It is important for people to realize this early and provide solutions that will help in fighting ageism.
References Dovidio, J. F., Hewstone, M., Glick, P., & Esses, V. M. (2010). Prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination: Theoretical and empirical overview. In J. F. Dovidio, M. Hewstone, P. Glick, & V. M. Esses (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination (pp. 3–28). London: Sage
Higgs, P., & Gilleard, C. (2020). The ideology of ageism versus the social imaginary of the fourth age: two differing approaches to the negative contexts of old age. Ageing & Society, 40(8), 1617-1630.
Lee, A. R. (2017). Psychological proximity to issues of the elderly: The role of age-morphing technology in campaigns for the elderly. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 311-323.
Mahler, C. (2018). Protecting and Promoting the Rights of Older Persons through NHRIs. Hum. Rts. Defender, 27, 29.
Ng, R., Allore, H. G., Monin, J. K., & Levy, B. R. (2016). Retirement as meaningful: Positive retirement stereotypes associated with longevity. Journal of Social issues, 72(1), 69-85.
Sargent-Cox, K. (2017). Ageism: we are our own worst enemy. International psychogeriatrics, 29(1), 1-8.
Wilson, D. M., Errasti-Ibarrondo, B., & Low, G. (2019). Where are we now in relation to determining the prevalence of ageism in this era of escalating population ageing?. Ageing Research Reviews, 51, 78-84.
Dovidio, J. F., Hewstone, M., Glick, P., & Esses, V. M. (2010). Prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination: Theoretical and empirical overview. In J. F. Dovidio, M. Hewstone, P. Glick, & V. M. Esses (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination (pp. 3–28). London: Sage
Higgs, P., & Gilleard, C. (2020). The ideology of ageism versus the social imaginary of the fourth age: two differing approaches to the negative contexts of old age. Ageing & Society, 40(8), 1617-1630.
Lee, A. R. (2017). Psychological proximity to issues of the elderly: The role of age-morphing technology in campaigns for the elderly. Computers in Human Behavior, 69, 311-323.
Mahler, C. (2018). Protecting and Promoting the Rights of Older Persons through NHRIs. Hum. Rts. Defender, 27, 29.
Ng, R., Allore, H. G., Monin, J. K., & Levy, B. R. (2016). Retirement as meaningful: Positive retirement stereotypes associated with longevity. Journal of Social issues, 72(1), 69-85.
Sargent-Cox, K. (2017). Ageism: we are our own worst enemy. International psychogeriatrics, 29(1), 1-8.
Wilson, D. M., Errasti-Ibarrondo, B., & Low, G. (2019). Where are we now in relation to determining the prevalence of ageism in this era of escalating population ageing?. Ageing Research Reviews, 51, 78-84.