Last week the Los Angeles Times reported on “Desert Trip,” when Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, the Who, Neil Young and Roger Waters will take the stage for three days of a Coachella-style festival in Indio. This week, the Times reported that its website has been continually posted with mean and horrifying ageist comments against the performers.
What these entitled ageist idiots are saying:
* “I heard they signed up their first sponsor—Forest Lawn.”
* “The Coachella Wheelchair Tour.”
* “Rockers with Walkers.”
* “Be my guest if you want to shell out 200 bucks to sit a mile away from the stage to witness a bunch of geriatric geezers huff and puff through disappointing versions of their greatest hits.”
Lots of references to AARP, Viagra and motorized scooters.
I had naively thought famous people were immune from the ageism I have been facing as a 60-something guy in a creative profession. Apparently not.
Subtle and Overt
I encounter age discrimination more times than I wish to count. A new generation of leaders in powerful and respectable positions in both the business and nonprofit worlds actually call out my age on a regular basis.
Sometimes cleverly subtle. Other times, shockingly overt.
Ageism, a vile form of discrimination that every person who doesn’t die young is vulnerable to suffer, is alive and well. It is even acceptable when other forms of discrimination today are not politically correct, and in many cases, illegal.
Ageism in Business.
Ageism takes on many forms. In the business world, to which I have returned in recent years, there is a near hysterical pursuit of “Millennials, Millennials, Millennials.” Millennials as employees. Millennials as customers. Millennials as a culture.
Try being a Boomer looking for a job in Silicon Valley—or anywhere.
Go into a clothing store and see how many young sales people simply ignore you.
Then there is the reaction I receive in the supposedly socially conscious nonprofit world, where I have spent years working.
Everything is about the “next generation.”
“Next Gen” has become code for millions of dollars in funding for young people to experience what is new, exciting and global. In contrast, funding an older generation means meager dollars for in-home care, meal delivery and social services, as if we have no other value.
(Why aren’t Boomers sent on those service trips to Third World countries to help improve their societies and economies? Our output would be a lot more impactful.)
Conflict. Tension. Solution.
Yet in this space of conflict and tension about and between the generations, is where the solution to ageism can be found. I have witnessed in my own transition back to success in my 60s, the trajectory is totally dependent upon my collaboration with the Millennial generation.
From them, I do indeed learn how to work in a digital society, gaining new skills, talents and thinking. From me, they learn the wisdom and experience of creativity, idea making and team collaboration. In our integrated process, we make each other relevant and powerful in our careers.
The gift that has afforded me this opportunity of generational collaboration was when I became adjunct professor in the Masters of Communication Management program at the USC-Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. I bring my graduates into everything professional I do.
Case in point is that this blog is designed by one of my graduates. Its social marketing is overseen by another. Its analytics are followed by another. They all comment on my content.
THE BOOMER REBELLION.
They are partners in my upcoming book, Hey Millennials, we’re not dead yet: THE BOOMER REBELLION.
The first half of the book advocates that Boomers return to their 1960s roots of protest, taking on ageism as our legacy issue.
This time, the protests will not be on the street, but instead online, an effort that will lead Boomers to become digital savvy, learning from Millennials.
The second half of the book, The Manifesto, builds the Rebellion through 10 big ideas, many of them being Boomer-Millennial collaborations.
These ideas not only propel the Rebellion toward success, but also demonstrate that creating collaborative big ideas are the path to both personal and professional relevancy and transition.
Throughout, the Manifesto is laced with The Journey, my own struggle and transition from being professionally and creatively discarded to emerging several years later as relevant and in-demand.
The book, in reflection of a new era, will be published online. My Millennial partners are taking over this task, its design, marketing, social media, PR, launch and themed events. And of course, they have had much to say about the content.
June 27.
The launch appropriately will be on my 65th birthday, June 27. On that day, a bomb will be dropped on ageism.
By the way, does anyone have any discount tickets to Desert Trip? In my successful re-emergence, between my book expenditures, our kids, grandchildren, elderly parents, I am not so flush with cash.
Mr. Wexler may be contacted at gary@garywexler.com
Gary, have you tried to raise the ticket money on one of the crowdfunding sites, like Kickstarter?
Thank you to Gary. I could not have said it better. There is room for everyone. And everyone call learn from each other. Please let me know if you find those discount tickets!