Past Our Prime? Prime Time to Think Again!

 Ageism!  The one bias that just won’t age out. Sadly, not much has changed since my last column on the subject three years ago.  Like the endless hum of Muzak in an elevator, it drones on in the background of our youth-obsessed culture. Only now the tune’s louder, the bassline heavier, and the impact nastier.

New research shows that even the subtle stuff, like eye rolls, patronizing comments, or being called “adorable” when making a serious point, literally messes with your heart. A 2025 study found that “everyday ageism” reduces heart-rate variability, science-speak for “this bias can shave years off your life.” Stress kills. Ageism pours gasoline on the fire.

And let’s talk about the workplace. Spoiler alert: it’s not getting better. Ninety percent (yes, nine-zero) of workers over 50 say they’ve faced ageism on the job…lower pay for the same work, promotions handed to the “shiny new thing,” or being told you’re “not a cultural fit.” Gimme a break!

Meanwhile, this very group--my group-- is the backbone of the economy…working longer, earning more, and spending more than ever. But sure, let’s keep sidelining the people who actually know how to manage through a crisis!

On the global front, the World Health Organization has rolled out a Global Ageism Scale. Because, as we all know if you can measure it, you can manage it or at least call it out. Results? Societies with higher trust and altruism have lower ageism. Cultures obsessed with ambition and stereotypes rank worse. Shocking? Not really. Frustrating? Absolutely.

Still, there are sparks of hope… like multi-generational teams tackling a VR escape room together. The result? Less ageism. Apparently, nothing builds bridges like trying to escape a virtual locked room with a “grandparent.”

Media studies also show that when older people are portrayed positively, audiences actually engage more and take action. So maybe instead of endless anti-aging ads, we celebrate the perks of being alive long enough to know better.

And yet, people in their twenties still panic about turning 30. Thirty! If that’s not proof we’re all drinking the same cultural Kool-Aid, I don’t know what is.

Frances McDormand nailed it: ageism is a cultural illness.

Aging isn’t a tragedy. It’s the deal we all signed when we showed up on this planet. The only tragedy is buying into the lie that getting older makes us irrelevant, invisible, or “past our prime.”

Like all heinous “isms,” ageism is toxic. But unlike fine wine, it doesn’t get better with time. What does? Us, if we choose to own it. Humor, wisdom, grit, and yes, beauty, at every stage. The years aren’t the enemy, bias is. And we’ve earned our place at the table, not as an afterthought, but as proof that experience and perspective are power.