Publisher
All the new, trendy publications and TV shows focus on the new, young and beautiful because disposable income is being spent by the young, trendy and beautiful.
Few commercials are focused on the infirm – or institutionalized – and the few we see are focused on the care for the elderly rather than “life” for the elderly. There is little disposable income and mostly cost of “living” in regard to our elderly.
Like the late cowboy Joe Propps, I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I try to pay attention to my surroundings, and what I see in southwest Arkansas is an aging populace, especially among Caucasians and African Americans. Take a look at who you see in Walmart or Western Sizzlin’. Pay attention to who the discounts are offered to (wake up, Dickie Hendry).
Whether we see it or not, Tyson, Pilgrim’s and McDonalds are paying attention to the fact that pretty soon, a very large part of our populace will be over 65.
The few of us who still serve on boards can tell you we’re aging. Anyone try to get a young person to serve on a board lately? Good luck with that.
The new hip journalists are writing (bemoaning) about the fact that Chipotle Grill can’t get enough free range pork for their customers, the aforementioned young, trendy and beautiful.
Few articles are focused on nutrition for the elderly. You will find little fickleness among the survivors of the depression, while those of us raised by survivors of the depression seemed entitled to fickleness and complaining.
Robert Burns is famously quoted as saying, “Oh, would some power the gift giver give us; to see ourselves as others see us.” I believe, while we see ourselves as trendy, young and beautiful, history will remember us as selfish, fickle and narcissistic; especially in regard to our elderly.