Who Are Those People?

Who Are Those People?

 

The daily newspaper I read (yes, like me, many us look forward to reading the paper) has a column listing celebrity birthdays. A recent column had 28 people sharing that day. All of them were in the entertainment industry. I guess that’s typical.

As I read through it, I recognized only one person under the age of 60! Is it just me? Am I really that out of touch? I gathered the newspapers from earlier in the week to check out that column. Same result. Got me to thinking. Why? One logical answer is my taste in entertainment hasn’t changed as I aged.

I analyzed how I keep myself entertained. When watching TV, I usually tune into the reruns of my old favorites (remember “Must See TV”?). Exceptions would be shows I’ve been watching for years that are still on. Wheel of Fortune, for example. To me, it seems like every other current show is ‘reality’ based. Cooking, home remodeling, Real Housewives (yeah, sure), Naked and Afraid (I know the feeling, I’m afraid to look in the mirror when I step out of the shower). Looks like it’s Hallmark to the rescue again, at least if you enjoy Christmas movies nine months out of the year!

In my car, the radio is preset to the FM stations that play ‘golden oldies’. Sorry rap music, acid rock, punk rock, etc., you just don’t do it for me. Even prefer older country music, though it hasn’t changed much over the years. I guess I just identify more with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton.

AM stations? Pretty much what you also might expect; news, sports and which politician are we going to hammer today? You can tell who their audience is by the commercials they air.
   • Call us to set up your retirement plan.
   • Do you have trouble sleeping (or eating, hearing, vision, etc.)? contact us for treatment. And then the disclaimers are broadcast at three times the speed of sound.
   • We can get you out of that stupid time share you bought 25 years ago.

Gee, I think I just described everything on AM radio.

Movies??? They used to be…well, you know, family friendly. These days movies are targeted to a whole different audience. You have choices between cartoons, blood and guts or language that would make a Marine drill sergeant blush. And no matter where you sit it’s always close to someone chatting on their phone. Don’t forget the movie popcorn. Pound for pound, I suspect it’s more costly than crab legs. 

So, back to where I started. Is it just me?

It’s been said that your social contacts are from three main sources; family, neighbors and co-workers. I call it generational segregation. Throw in school. That’s where generational segregation begins. Remember fifth grade when no one in the sixth grade would even be seen with you?

I checked with family members, both middle-aged and young adults (don’t really have any older family). They each pretty much have their own lifestyles. Social lives are spent with those who are most like themselves; age, financial position, marital situations, etc. We do get together for holidays, birthdays and anniversaries. But for our family, gathering everyone together in the same place, at the same time, is like herding butterflies.

Neighborhoods are similar. Subdivisions of houses in the same price range attracting people in the same income brackets, who are all likely to be close in age.

Same on your job as well. The co-workers you associate with, especially after work, are also probably in your generation (and most likely share your taste in beer).

Eventually though, you reach that point when you have retired, perhaps downsized to a smaller place to live. Your family has now scattered to different parts of the city, state or country. Maybe even overseas. 

All of your old, familiar friends, coworkers and family are no longer nearby. You are surrounded by new people who are probably living in the same circumstances as you, isolated and possibly lonely. Now is the time to start a new chapter. And the best way to begin is to get out, meet them and find out……..

Who Are These People?