Kids These Days: Why Youth-Directed Ageism Is an Issue For Everyone

This article explores the issue of youth-directed ageism and its impact on individuals of all ages. It discusses the prevalence of ageist attitudes towards younger generations and the negative consequences of such stereotypes. The article shares that combating youth-directed ageism requires a collective effort from individuals of all ages and highlights the role that education and intergenerational connections can play in promoting positive attitudes towards younger generations. It also provides practical recommendations for individuals to challenge and combat youth-directed ageism in their everyday lives.

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Journal Prompts

• The authors of the article, Kids These Days: Why Youth Directed Ageism Is an Issue for Everyone posits that ageism not only affects older adults, but it affects young adults as well. The author contends that ageism against young adults is a societal issue that is critical to examine because it can have adverse impacts on future generations. How do you think ageism affects young adults and older adults differently? How can educators promote intergenerational relationships and communication in effort to reduce youth-directed ageism?
• The author of Kids These Days: Why Youth Directed Ageism Is an Issue for Everyone contends that it is important to “pay closer attention to the ways that different constructs of age and intersections of identity relate to bias to help us overcome our unnoticed age-bias and ensure the wellness of future and current generations of all adults.” What can educators do to combat harmful stereotypes against young adults and work towards a more inclusive and age-integrated learning community?