Doublespeak

This past Sunday's issue of Parade Magazine, the huge-circulation supplement in many Sunday papers, is a "Women's Health Special."  And prominent (placed second)among articles on energy-level, heart-health, organ-donation, breast cancer, and exercise, is an article called "The Best Beauty Breakthroughs."  This touts non-surgical techniques to look younger: microdermabrasion or skin-sanding, at $200 "per area"; injectables of botox or collagen at $400-$1400 per area; laser treatments - with the advice that "Three to six treatments are best for optimal results and the pain level is minimal" - at $300 to $1,200 per treatment; and chemical peels, with the helpful plug to "Specify that you'd like a 'lunchtime' procedure," at $200-$800.   

   All of this to "Erase the Signs of Aging."  So now that sanding, burning, and poisoning away brown-spots, wrinkles, and "marionette lines" is touted in a national forum as "health," is it any wonder that researchers are finding that such negative stereotypes of aging can have adverse effects on elderly's health? (see http://www.timegoesby.net/weblog/).  In her Oct. 9 post, elderblogger Ronni Bennett showcases the current New York Times series by Gina Kolata, featuring researchers' correlations between positive views of aging and increased strength, vigor, and longevity in elders; while the much wider-circulation Parade pushes denial of age as "women's health."  Ironic and insulting.                     

Comments

[Annie in Austin]

Because my husband brought the NYTimes article to my attention, I'd heard about the negative image studies and the very sobering words on becoming frail before they were discussed at Times Goes By.

Maybe I can find the Parade mag if it's still around. Sometimes I read it, sometimes I throw it in the corner with a few oaths, but I never even looked at it this week. We're out of the 90's so I've been planting and transplanting.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

[joared]

Thanks for bringing this example of the prostitution of the word "health," a perfect example of how false images of what constitutes healthy aging practices in this commercially driven culture are perpetrated.

[Chancy]

Good comparision. I thought the same thing about the Parade article in my local paper and I was extremely impressed with the NYT article.

[Terri]

It certainly does seem we have double meanings about aging in today's society. What really gets me is, we all age differently due to various reasons....genes, lifestyle, etc.
While I don't think anybody at age 65 wants to look 85, I feel all the hoopla about "staying young" just boils down to the almighty buck. Another way for the industry to profit on the insecurity of females determined never to look their "age."
Makes me wonder how my grandmother and the women of 70 years ago dealt with getting older. I'd bet anything they sure had a more healthy attitude about it than many females today.