Why Society Lets Ageism Run Wild

July 22, 2025, 19:00

If you think society has a problem with Millennials and Zoomers, just wait until you see how openly ageism is dished out to anyone over 55. While the younger generations get memes, think pieces, and endless debates about their “problems,” the 55-plus crowd gets straight-up open season — and nobody bats an eye.

Walk into a hiring manager’s office and you’ll see it plain as day: resumes from folks in their late 50s and 60s get tossed faster than bad pennies. They’re “overqualified,” “too expensive,” or just plain “not a fit” for the “culture.” Meanwhile, Millennials and Zoomers might get roasted on Twitter or dragged on TikTok, but at least they’re still in the game. For older workers, it’s game over before the whistle blows.

But this isn’t just a workplace thing. Society’s got a nasty habit of pretending ageism isn’t a big deal. You hear endless chatter about how Millennials killed this, or Zoomers don’t care about that — but when it comes to seniors? Crickets. The aged are sidelined, overlooked, and sometimes openly mocked, all while the rest of us look the other way.

Here’s the kicker: this is all happening while the 55+ crowd is still paying taxes, raising grandkids, and propping up communities. They’re not just a drain or some problem to be “solved” by social media snark or virtue signaling. They’re the backbone, and we’re turning our backs.

Meanwhile, the younger generations fight tooth and nail for recognition, and rightly so. But society’s weird double standard lets the oldest among us take the brunt of the disrespect — and there’s no hashtag movement, no viral video, no public outrage.

Maybe it’s because aging is the last taboo. Maybe it’s because we all secretly fear getting there ourselves. But whatever the reason, open season on the 55+ crowd has got to end.

It’s time to call it out. To give respect where respect is overdue. Because if we don’t stand up for our elders, what does that say about us? That we’re happy to throw people away as soon as their birth certificate hits a certain date?

That’s not just wrong. It’s damn shameful.