Growing Older in Traditional Societies

Introduction

Audience Relevance: Relevant to anyone over 65, hoping to live past 65, or with parents/grandparents over 65.
Book Mention: From a chapter in the latest book comparing traditional, small societies with large, modern ones.

Diversity: Traditional societies are more diverse.
Governance: Large societies with governments are similar but different from tribal societies.
Learning Opportunities: Tribal societies offer natural experiments for running human societies.
Perception: Traditional societies shouldn't be scorned or romanticized.

U.S. Model: Most elderly live separately in retirement homes, isolated from family and friends.
Traditional Societies: Elders live among their children, relatives, and friends; treatment varies.
Worst Treatment Scenarios: Neglect, abandonment, encouraged suicide, or killing.
- Conditions for Poor Treatment: Nomadic societies or marginal environments with food shortages.

Usages:
- Food Production: Efficient at producing food.
- Babysitting: Taking care of grandchildren.
- Craftsmanship: Making tools, weapons, baskets, pots, and textiles.
- Leadership and Knowledge: Leaders and repositories of information; crucial in crises.
Cultural Values: Respect for the elderly varies, with high respect seen in East Asia (Confucianism).

Current Status: Low respect for elderly;
- Protestant Work Ethic: Values work, disadvantages non-working elderly.
- Self-Reliance: Emphasis on independence; elderly often seen as non-self-reliant.
- Cult of Youth: Advertisements focus on young people; old people only seen in retirement planning ads.
Better Status Changes: Longer life, better health, better recreational opportunities, specialized care.
Worse Status Changes:
- Social Ties: Breakdown due to frequent relocations (every five years).
- Formal Retirement: Leads to loss of work friendships and self-esteem.
- Reduced Usefulness: Literacy and rapidly changing technology reduce the traditional roles of the elderly.

Suggestions:
- Childcare: Grandparents providing childcare.
- Unique Experience: Older people’s experience with rare conditions (e.g., Great Depression, World Wars).
- Leveraging Strengths: Focusing on roles that improve with age (e.g., advising, supervising, strategizing).

Learning from Traditional Societies: We can learn from the treatment of elderly in traditional societies as well as other aspects.
Happiness in Traditional vs. Modern Societies: Traditional societies have richer social lives, more self-confident children, and are less plagued by modern diseases.

Closing Remark: Fascination with traditional societies can offer valuable insights. (Applause)