treat each other differently, which shows especially in the way people treat the elder generation. Native Americans, for instance, regard them as very wise, whereas other cultures don’t treat them that respectful. I’d like to examine the American behaviour, when it comes to senior citizens and compare it to Austrian behaviour.According to the Peace Corps culture website, in America there is an emphasize on physical beauty and youth. The same is true for Austria, but there are certainly differences. For example, in most people won’t accept plastic surgery to look younger. I don’t think that Austrians are more self-confident, they are just more conservative. The only kind of plastic surgery we do accept is reconstructive surgery. So if a woman looses one breast due to cancer, no-one would mind her having such a surgery done. But when it comes to cosmetic surgery people would certainly backbite.
In addition, the site claims that for Americans physical activity plays a vital role, since that’s the key to work and therefore to production. Elder people aren’t so fit anymore and as a result less productive. That’s why they are fired and younger, in many cases even cheaper, people are hired. In Austria, work isn’t assumed to be that important. Elder people are supposed to retire and in fact most of them are looking forward to this time. However, problems occur, when older people are fired before they are in retirement. That happens for the same reasons as in America, namely because younger people are often cheaper and more productive.
The site continues, explaining that for Americans new is principally better, and the elderly aren’t too much concerned about what’s new. In Austria it’s not so much the problem that elder people aren’t in touch with what’s new, but they aren’t taken serious. I can’t say why, but there are those clichés of slow driving men -in the Austrian’s opinion they are always wearing a hat- and of old women, all having the same short haircut, usually a permanent made by Klipp (an Austrian hairdresser chain).
Overall, it’s a very negative vantage point the article reveals and it’s not better in Austria as I’ve pointed out. However, that’s only the general opinion about elder people. When it comes to real people, like our grannies, neighbours etc Austrians love elder people. In fact we love them so much, that we hire illegal east European caregivers to look after them. Well, I guess that’s another topic…
1 comment:
Interesting site. Did you know that an average American spends thousands of dollars for pills that 'make them look younger'. Pharmanex, for example offers pills that will supposedly keep you young and vibrant. Also - concerning exercise in the States, and old age - I read a very interesting article in the National Geographic about the oldest people on Earth. They are to be found in Japan, Korsika and California. California! That is interesting. And what they all have in common is that they value family, spend a lot of time with the family and sociolizing, they all eat a lot of omega-3 food, they all drink red wine, and they all have plenty of exercise. There was a man,107, who walks several km a day....Anyway, I like your culture project. Thank you for doing it for all of us.
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