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A World Growing Old
For the first time in history, the world's population is ageing. For rich countries in the west, economies rely on youthful populations to provide for those who have retired. We face a profound economic and social crisis - how do we care for the elderly when pensions and social security systems are under threat, housing is short and fewer young people are entering the workplace?
Yet this is only half the story. Populations in the poorer countries of the South are also ageing. Life-expectancy has increased due the availability of lifesaving medicine. Child mortality has decreased, so people are having smaller families. India will soon have one of the largest populations of over-sixties. The one-child policy in China will similarly lead to a severe imbalance in the age-profile of the people.
In A World Grown Old, Jeremy Seabrook examines the real implications of the ageing phenomenon and challenges our preconceptions about how it should be tackled. Arguing that the accumulated skills of the elderly should be employed to enrich society, rather than being perceived as a 'burden', he calls for a radical rethinking of our attitude to population issues, migration, social structures and employment policy.
Yet this is only half the story. Populations in the poorer countries of the South are also ageing. Life-expectancy has increased due the availability of lifesaving medicine. Child mortality has decreased, so people are having smaller families. India will soon have one of the largest populations of over-sixties. The one-child policy in China will similarly lead to a severe imbalance in the age-profile of the people.
In A World Grown Old, Jeremy Seabrook examines the real implications of the ageing phenomenon and challenges our preconceptions about how it should be tackled. Arguing that the accumulated skills of the elderly should be employed to enrich society, rather than being perceived as a 'burden', he calls for a radical rethinking of our attitude to population issues, migration, social structures and employment policy.
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
7 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Seabrook
65 books14 followersJeremy R. Seabrook was an English author and journalist who specialised in social, environmental and development issues. His book The Refuge and the Fortress: Britain and the Flight from Tyranny was longlisted for the Orwell Prize.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 16, 2021
I never feel qualified to review literature I just like to consume it but this book has had an impact on me, it made me look at things in a different light.
I read the book when I was 19 and that changed the way I engaged with elders and in turn gave people the impression that I was wiser or more mature for my age, I wasn't I just knew that elders had something that is valuable and staying quite in order to listen is the best thing you can do.
The book takes a look at the phenomenon of an aging world population and includes stories of real people and their experiences as an elderly person.
It includes stories from elders form all walks of life and from different parts of the world.
For me this was a book that enriched me and helped me grow as a person which is something I value a lot.
On a train a person commented on the book and asked about it, when I explained the book they took offense to the idea of talking about age and I couldn't comprehend this. Everyone ages, it is natural and will happen regardless of what you want, isn't it better to age gracefully with information about what you can expect rather than going in blind?
I read the book when I was 19 and that changed the way I engaged with elders and in turn gave people the impression that I was wiser or more mature for my age, I wasn't I just knew that elders had something that is valuable and staying quite in order to listen is the best thing you can do.
The book takes a look at the phenomenon of an aging world population and includes stories of real people and their experiences as an elderly person.
It includes stories from elders form all walks of life and from different parts of the world.
For me this was a book that enriched me and helped me grow as a person which is something I value a lot.
On a train a person commented on the book and asked about it, when I explained the book they took offense to the idea of talking about age and I couldn't comprehend this. Everyone ages, it is natural and will happen regardless of what you want, isn't it better to age gracefully with information about what you can expect rather than going in blind?
Displaying 1 of 1 review