AGEISM: A VIEW OF AN

An argument for monetary reparation for systematic deprivation
and impoverishment of citizens over age 55 by labor market ageism

By Kara Lane

Consider  the notion that  skills and abilities deteriorate after age 55.  Thus, despite our  knowledge, skills, abilities and aspirations,  older workers are restricted to the lowest paying, dead end, repetitive jobs, and  excluded from opportunities to learn and update skills.  Skills deteriorate,  experience becomes progressively  remote in time,  and  abilities to compete in a rapidly advancing labor force progressively diminish..  Then  the soaring tax burdens of supporting older citizens may be blamed on the aging process.

 If you believe that the aging process causes all health disorders that develop in later life,  you will disregard concerns that  protracted deprivation and impoverishment, resulting from systematic job discrimination,  impairs health.  Then you can blame the aging process for the increasing costs of health care for older citizens.

Politicians say that  federal law prohibits job discrimination because of age,  when it predominately deters employers from disclosing that they discriminate against older workers..   Furthermore,  to  the extent that discrimination,  the resulting deprivation and health problems disable older citizens in competing in the labor force,   their exclusion from opportunities are justified by  factors other than discrimination.

Nonetheless,  our resentment  and taxpayers' obligations are unabated.  So,  if you are indifferent to ageism,   when this seedbed of inter-generational strife  becomes too burdensome,   remember your elected officials who helped to shape what we have become for you.