Calculated Ageism: Generational Sacrifice as a Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract Objectives Popular responses to the pandemic illustrate ageism’s pervasiveness and the extent of collective acquiescence to its newest expressions. We explore these themes by analyzing Twitter reactions to “calculated ageism”—a term we use to refer to a political figure’s edict that older a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences Psychological sciences and social sciences, 2021-03, Vol.76 (4), p.e201-e205
Main Authors: Barrett, Anne E, Michael, Cherish, Padavic, Irene
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Ageism - psychology
Ageism - statistics & numerical data
Aging - psychology
Anxiety - psychology
COVID-19 - epidemiology
COVID-19 - psychology
Female
Humans
Male
Prejudice
Research Report
Social Change
Social Identification
Stereotyping
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Summary:Abstract Objectives Popular responses to the pandemic illustrate ageism’s pervasiveness and the extent of collective acquiescence to its newest expressions. We explore these themes by analyzing Twitter reactions to “calculated ageism”—a term we use to refer to a political figure’s edict that older adults should sacrifice their lives if it will mitigate the pandemic’s economic damage to younger people. Method Using thematic analysis, we examine tweets (n = 188) responding to Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s March 23, 2020, statement that encouraged generational self-sacrifice. Themes that emerged included positions of support or opposition and tweeters’ critiques. Results The large majority of tweets—90%—opposed calculated ageism, while only 5% supported it and 5% conveyed no position. Opposition centered on moral critiques, political-economic critiques, assertions of older adults’ worth, and public health arguments. Support centered on individual responsibility and patriotism. Discussion While prior research reveals ageism’s entrenchment in popular culture, our study finds that it has limits and identifies the reasons underlying them. The most common reasons for opposing calculated ageism center on its immorality and on its privileging of the economic interests of the powerful few over the many, patterns suggesting that the boundaries of ageism are influenced by core beliefs about fairness. They also are shaped by a bedrock conviction that older lives have value. This intergenerational solidarity could be leveraged to reduce ageism during the pandemic and beyond.
ISSN:1079-5014
1758-5368
DOI:10.1093/geronb/gbaa132