Elderly People in the Media

1. Elderly People in the Media By: Emily Gage

2. Movie • The Bucket List http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc3mkG21ob4 The movie ‘The Bucket List’ displays the positive stereotype of older people being youthful and daring. These two men who set out to cross off things on their bucket list have no fears, just like teenagers. They are rebellious and are always having fun. They do not fall into the stereotype of old people being lazy or weak at all. They are grumpy sometimes, a classic stereotype for elderly men.

3. Movie • The Notebook http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M7LIcH8C9U The movie ‘The Notebook’ shows the positive stereotype of elderly people being cute, sweet and kind hearted. Noah still cares about and loves Allie, even though she has forgotten about him. There could be negative elderly stereotypes drawn from this movie too. The fact that Allie has forgotten about Noah is saying that older people are forgetful and the fact that she is requiring constant assistance models the stereotype of the elderly being weak and cannot care for themselves. But, when you look at the movie as a love story, which it is, it portrays older people showing their love and affection for the one they love the same as when they were young, but in a different form.

4. YouTube Video • Webcam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcN08Tg3PWw This is a short video of an elderly couple who are trying to use their webcam, they record their conversation without realizing it. This shows them in a positive light because this couple is adorable! They are cute and still care about each other. The man is a jokester and the woman tries to figure out what they are doing. One could say that this video shows the stereotype of older people not knowing how to use technology, which would be true, but this video is hilarious, innocent and harmless. And plus, I am sure that there are others who are not old and have had the same troubles as they did.

5. YouTube Video • Cooking http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkjonH4M034 This is a video about a grandma who is cooking a classic dish in her family that is her specialty and secret. Many grandmas have a recipe that they always make and it always comes out perfect. Everyone else in the family loves what she makes but no one else knows how to make it the same perfect way. The positive stereotype is that old people love cooking for their family and always want to make that special dish for the ones who mean the most to them, their family. This dish that grandmas (or grandpas) make can become somewhat of a family tradition, which makes it even harder for when they pass away and may or may not of shared their secret recipe.

6. Advertisement • ‘Only a lucky few would ever taste grandma’s spicy ginger cookie. Bake it like Grandma’. This add is for Crosbys, they make molasses. They are portraying elderly people, specifically elderly women as excellent bakers, a positive stereotype. The ad is saying that their molasses is so good that the product you make will taste just as amazing as how grandma would make it.

7. Music Video • Sunlight by: Modestep http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bparw9Jo3dk Elderly people are featured in this music video although they are certainly not portrayed as the normal stereotypes, such as lazy and depressed. They have these seniors acting exactly like teenagers. They are rowdy, youthful and they drink heavily. They show them as being the same as the members of the band, just liking having fun.

8. THE END.