postmodern society

• how is life structured?

  -sociologist's argue the fixed stages of life are broken down

  > children dressing in adult's styles

  > later marriage

  > early retirement
• what does the breakdown of life stages lead to?

  -greater choice of lifestyle
• what's key to our identities?

  consumption

  -define ourselves by what we consume
• Hunt


  -argues consumption means we can choose a lifestyle regardless of age

  -age no longer determines who we are / how we live
• result of Hunt's beliefs on old


  -old become market for vast range of 'body maintenance' / 'rejuvenation' goods & services > through which they can create identities
• examples of 'body maintenance' & 'rejuvenation'


  > cosmetic surgery

  > exercise equipment

  > gym memberships

  > anti-ageing products
• these trends begin to break down the ageist stereotypes found in modern society
• features of postmodern society that undermine old age as stigmatised life stage

  -centrality of media

  -emphasis on surface features
• centrality of media


  media images now portray positive aspects of the lifestyles of elderly
• emphasis on surface features

  -body becomes a surface on which we can write identities

  -anti-ageing products enable the old to write different identities for themselves