Ageist Birthday Cards . . . They Are Not Clever, They Are Harmful!

Are you tired of looking at racks of cards about being over the hill and crashing into mental and physical decline? There is an alternative! Join us for a discussion with a pioneering artist and entrepreneur who has created the first age-positive stationery business! 

Jan Golden https://agefriendlyvibes.com/

jan@agefriendlyvibes.com

Chat Transcript

12:04:45     From  Meg LaPorte : Hi Jan!! So great to have you here!!

12:05:02     From  Glenna Crooks : Really looking forward to this!

12:05:05     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : https://agefriendlyvibes.com/

12:06:12     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism https://a.co/d/1wI9IfW

12:06:24     From  Jenna Jones : LOVE Ashton Applewhite~ she's a she-ro of mine and her TED Talk and follow up book are ON POINT!

12:06:54     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : https://changingthenarrativeco.org/anti-ageist-birthday-cards/

12:08:42     From  Jenna Jones : I hate the ones with photographs from the 1920s - 1950s and disparaging comments

12:11:28     From  Jenna Jones : I bought these cards too! And some stickers to put int the envelopes. :-)

12:14:11     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : https://artagainstageism.org/

12:14:23     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : https://oldschool.info/

12:14:30     From  Meg LaPorte : Thank you, Steve! Jan’s cards are on our website!

12:14:32     From  Eileen Caroscio RN MSN   to   Hosts and panelists : Love these cards!  Our book is at the publisher but we are editing it now —so we can add it.

12:15:46     From  Sue Christopher : I'm recently retired (baby boomer) and now a lot of my friends are starting to retire as well and it's been hard to find these positive cards.  I look forward to ordering some of these retirement cards!  Thank you for raising my awareness of these alternatives to recognize others.

12:16:04     From  Jenna Jones : Sure thing!

12:16:14     From  Meg LaPorte : Jan also has great art prints and stickers!

12:16:19     From  JEAN IVORY : Thank you ,Jan. I appreciate that there is someone else that appreciate cards that compliment the aging.

12:18:46     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live https://a.co/d/eURD8fe

12:18:57     From  Meg LaPorte : Yesss!! Positive age beliefs are good for everyone and for your health!!

12:21:18     From  mary busse : I like this quote..."Your real age is what you can do."

12:21:38     From  Glenna Crooks : One of my favorites books on aging. I especially like her discussion of priming and how negative it is. https://www.amazon.com/Counterclockwise-Proven-Yourself-Younger-Healthier/dp/0340994762/ref=sr_1_1?crid=6N47WLES9S13&keywords=counterclockwise+ellen+langer&qid=1676654436&sprefix=Counterclo,aps,72&sr=8-1

12:21:45     From  Fairfax Building: : maybe analyze jokes in general - about race or women or older...

12:21:45     From  Jenna Jones : OMG - that is a great point about how key people see this who shouldn't be discriminating against you in the workplace! WHOA

12:21:56     From  Eileen Caroscio RN MSN   to   Hosts and panelists : Ageist cards are really discriminatory and we need to kindly educate people about it.  Also the idea of having a president take cognitive testing is another perception that is not favorable to older adults.  It was brought up on Jimmy Fallon show which made me cringe.  Yeah to this great  cards

12:23:32     From  Meg LaPorte : Excellent point Jenna!

12:24:27     From  mary busse : Why are people so ashamed of their age.  I am proud of mine.  However, I find it sad that the standard response is "You don't look it," I seems to me that it is a reflection on society

12:24:39     From  Paula David : Love that story Steve, I often buy thank you cards instead of birthday and fathers and mothers day cards. Nice to write you own note to them

12:24:49     From  mary busse : Oops....society's attitude toward aging.

12:25:59     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : If you think that as an individual you can’t change people’s minds about aging –– think again. https://www.jeanetteleardi.com/post/the-power-of-one

12:26:25     From  Jenna Jones : What company is printing this card?

12:27:52     From  Glenna Crooks : I'm told that in China, you don't get a real birthday celebration until you turn 80. People come from all around for the party. When you're younger, all you get is a bowl of noodles for good luck. Apparently, it is considered to be no great accomplishment to be 6.

12:29:00     From  Jenna Jones : Hahahhaa, Glenna! It's fascinating how other cultures aren't as ageist and actually celebrate gaining more years in life.

12:29:12     From  Glenna Crooks : I'm going to get some of hers and take them with me to some of my local stores that are displaying only the ageist ones and tell them to stock hers instead.

12:29:20     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : https://www.ted.com/talks/ashton_applewhite_let_s_end_ageism?language=en

12:30:55     From  Karen Gatzke : I wonder how old most of the people are who CREATE the cards?

12:32:58     From  Dixcy Bosley   to   Hosts and panelists : Recommend purchasing card stock, envelops, a list of favorite quotes or photos and send your own hand made cards !  I have not purchased a card for years.

12:34:02     From  Glenna Crooks : Perhaps that industry should know that if people over 50 were an economy, they would be the third largest economy in the world, behind the total economy of the US and China. They are an economic force. Why would they be so negative towards a prospective customer group?

12:36:02     From  Meg LaPorte : The Age-Friendly cards are great examples of artistic activism — which is an excellent way to tackle ageism. Taking the affective emotion of art and combining it with the effect of strategy helps to raise awareness and promote age positivity.

12:36:10     From  Ken Silverstein : I went to college with Bruce Willis, so it makes me really sad to hear whats happening to him

12:36:59     From  Jenna Jones : And here's a precedence: Hallmark has a series called "Mahogany" that are beautifully designed and respect African Americans. Years ago cards featured Maya Angelou inspiring quotes. How about asking them to create a line of respectful cards for birthdays and retirement, etc.

12:39:09     From  Jenna Jones : You're saying it's best to look young.

12:39:32     From  Jenna Jones : when you make that statement. We are a culture that overly values youth and beauty.

12:40:11     From  Karen Gatzke : I think there is such a difference between how we look and how our grandparents looked back in the day-- is where "You look great for your age" comes from.

12:40:27     From  Eileen Caroscio RN MSN   to   Hosts and panelists : I love the idea of levels of aging instead of the focus on the number of years lived.  Each level you gain experience, wisdom and life lessons.  I am in my 6th level and going for more levels of experience, wisdom and living life to the fullest

12:41:14     From  Fairfax Building: : The ad industry makes money by making youth the best part of life and indirectly (occasionally directly) downgrade older age.

12:45:04     From  Eileen Caroscio RN MSN   to   Hosts and panelists : Interestingly the baby boomer population are big buyers-big consumers so they should be given clout with their thoughts about products negative to aging

12:51:01     From  Linda Bier : Maybe you could have a service available that will include the mailing of the card(s)

12:51:48     From  Meg LaPorte : Absolutely!

12:53:51     From  Meg LaPorte : I think senior living communities should sell her cards!!

12:56:16     From  Fairfax Building: : Another great session!  Please!  More about ageism and how to combat it!!

12:57:08     From  Steve Gurney - ProAging Community : https://agefriendlyvibes.com/collections/stickers

12:57:56     From  Eileen Caroscio RN MSN   to   Hosts and panelists : Love  these stickers!  We can buy your cards and put the stickers in the,.  All good!

13:00:11     From  Jennifer Brown : Politics & Prose in NW WDC has a good cad section and possible opportunity for these cards

13:00:20     From  Diane La Voy : Some years ago, at a diversity event attended by several Villages, I made myself a button that says “I (heart) BEING SENIOR”.    Listening to this great program reminds me to wear it!

13:00:23     From  Elva Roy : Exactly what Steve is saying about how to compare our aging selves about jumping out of airplanes...Bill Thomas, M.D. makes this case in books he has authored. Gotta love Bill Thomas!

13:02:16     From  Glenna Crooks : This was great and went so fast!

13:02:53     From  Jenna Jones : Thank you! So glad I attended! I feel inspired!