Opinion: how everyday language reveals invisible ageism toward older people
Commentator Anna Žabicka points out that while society's ageing is often described with alarming terms, everyday expressions actually reveal ageism that goes unnoticed.
Ageing described as a "time bomb"
Europe's ageing population is often described in public discourse using dramatic terms such as a "demographic time bomb" or a "grey tsunami". Such language suggests that an ageing society is perceived as a threat or a problem rather than a natural process.
Everyday phrases that hide prejudice
Commentator Anna Žabicka draws attention to expressions that have become embedded in everyday speech but actually reveal ageism — prejudice or discrimination based on a person's age. As examples, she cites widely used remarks, such as questioning why pensioners always have to go to the market in the morning hours, and ironic calls to take grandmother's passport away on election day. According to the author, such phrases have already become part of a kind of popular folklore, repeated without regard for their potentially offensive meaning.
Prejudice that goes unnoticed
The author argues that these expressions have become so common in society that they are no longer perceived as offensive or discriminatory. This suggests that ageism in Latvian and broader European society often remains unnoticed, even though it is expressed through everyday language and attitudes toward older people.
