Role of mass media in Pakistan in promoting Health Ageing
Hypothesis
The media is negatively affecting the perceptions of old people via negative stereotypes, stories, misery porn and general disingenuous attitude about the value of old age folk.
Abstract
We examine editorials, TV dramas and movies to observe the perceptions that media has of Old people (60+ years of age). Additionally, we check for the frequency of coverage of old age related problems (gerontological) covered in the said media. While it is clear that in the context of Pakistan that the elderly is resected in the culture, it is not so clear in the economic side of things. So far, we have found that the elderly is used as a prop to push the plot forward, rather than as their own people.
In many advertisements, several harmful tropes are used; burdens, sources of wisdom (while actually powerless), ‘parent’ role, and elderly-as-a-plot point.
These kinds of harmful stereotypes have proliferated media for the past few decades and don’t seem to be going away anytime soon.
The problem is that there is now a tilt for tv to not show non-favoured groups. Such groups include minorities, old people and politically ‘irrelevant’ people. Old people in particular are almost always considered to be the ‘invisible’ problem; they exist in small but significant populations, require attention but they are attended so poorly that it seems they’d much rather be forgotten.
For example, a popular adage for old people in terms of economic help is that they are ‘not asking for much’. While on the surface this appears to be a sentiment of humility and even frugality, in truth, it is used to justify minimal health and monetary compensations dealt out to the elderly folk.
Economics of Old Age Perception
A very common trope and role of the elderly is to be stand-ins for money, wisdom and/or plot, with sometimes a little bit of ableism and “elderly are burdens” bigotry mixed in.
This one dimensional and cynical use of old people is on par with the perceived notion that they are burdens, or at least unwelcome but begrudging ones. The ‘burden’ perception comes from the fact that they are primarily an economic one.
One issue that stands out economically is one of pensions. Pakistan has been a country of historically poor coverage of employment and unemployment benefits, rendering pensions magnitude And coverage crucial to continued survival.
The problem here is that there is the pension system is not exactly the fairest there is. A lot of the coverage is focused on the government servants. Therefore, economic issues of the old aged folk are a very near and dear problem that has persisted in society for decades.
It seems pertinent to mention now that culturally, the elderly has a great and revered place in the stricture of society. They Are seen as guides in terms of wisdom, knowledge, tradition and religion.
However, despite this, a troubling trend emerges of economic destitution and neglect; this major issue is reflected in the constant push for better pension, unemployment and health coverage.
This begs the question: why is it that the elderly, while culturally so respected and relevant, so economically irrelevant?
The answer is that there are prevailing primary economic stereotypes that don’t value old people at the basic economic level.
The following stereotypes are unearthed with a review of media, expert opinions etc,
- The burden
- The father//mother role
- The wise parents
- Desperate old people
- ‘funny’ grandparents
- Money frauds
- Family parasite
- monarch/patriarch
- Con grandpa/ma
The above is non-exhaustive list; we also found that there is a huge problem of AGEISM in media and marketing.
