Ageism - A Connection To the Past

     Ageism is a serious issue that has not been as apparent today as in the past, but it still is present.

     During the Industrial Revolution, factories would prefer to hire young children and woman as opposed to adult males because they could pay lower wages to them for longer work hours. Today, the circumstances are different but the conditions are the same: younger people are preferred over the elderly because of their stereotypical capabilities; elderly people are considered to be dependent and inert while the middle-aged generation is considered to be more hard-working and capable of doing work.

    However, this can be disproved by the case of Gwyneth Niman, who was laid off by the Age Concern company when she turned 70 years old. The irony of the situation itself is an injustice to be frowned upon. Niman attempted to display her willingness to work hard by volunteering without wages and working on the days that the person who had replaced her took off. Age Concern was certainly the wrongdoer in this situation.

    Pre-teens and teenagers are also discriminated against because of the misconception that they are irresponsible and therfore not good employees. Hence, young people and elderly people are often paid less, as women and children were given lower wages in the past.

Child mill worker during the industrial revolution: Courtesy of teacherlink.org