The elderly and aging process has always been under intense discussion due to the constantly changing social values and perceptions. It remains evident that the attitudes and tendencies change over time. Nonetheless, the similarities exist due to some values, which remain the same. The primary goal of this paper is to compare and contrast modern American society with the Vikings concerning their attitudes about the elderly and the aging process. Each aspect will be assessed differently to be able to display a coherent cross-cultural study. In the end, the conclusions are drawn to understand the significance of elderly and attitudes towards the aging process in each society.
Attitudes towards Elderly
Firstly, the attitudes towards elderly have to be compared due to the potential existence of significant differences between modern American culture and Vikings’ society. It remains evident that the differences might have a tendency to exist due to different cultural peculiarities, customs, and traditions. Moreover, living in different eras might also be a cause of the various attitudes towards the elderly as the values have a tendency to change over time.
Firstly, it is evident that the old people were considered as being wise and valuable members of society among the Vikings. In this case, the youth was highly interested in the ancestral roots, and the elderly were given an opportunity to expresses their opinions and views in front of the other members during the reunions (Dyczewski, 2002). It remains evident that the Vikings cherished relationships with the senior representatives of the society and sought to acquire the information about their heritage and learn more about cultural preferences. It could be said that the elderly played a significant role in the decision-making process and contributed to finding solutions to the critical issues. In this case, their significance cannot be underestimated, and it remains on the high level among the younger Vikings.
As for the American society, it is evident that the elderly are located in the period of decline of their biological characteristics and personal traits. However, different attitudes are present in the American culture. On one side, the elderly remain a privileged group and get various discounts concerning the usage of public transport and income tax (Mahmud, 2005). Moreover, the assignment of pension is another attribute, which determines the respect towards the elderly, as they receive financial support from the government. Nevertheless, the elderly are considered as being the crime victims due to their vulnerability and inability to respond to the aggressive actions of the other individuals (Mahmud, 2005).
It has to be mentioned that this attitude starts gaining popularity among the members of the American society due to the popularization of materialism and vehement change in perceptions of being right or wrong among different social groups. In this case, it could be said that the condition of the old people is only partly satisfied due to the existence of the risky situation in their lives., The personal traits of the seniors are only partially respected in the United States of America in comparison to the Vikings’ culture, and the lack of respect makes their existence vulnerable.
In the end, the attitude towards the elderly had to change over time. It remains evident that the elderly were highly respected during the Viking’s era, as they were considered as the valuable and knowledgeable members of society due to their ability to find relevant solutions to the problems. However, nowadays it could be said that the elderly are respected. Nonetheless, the adverse situations, which involve the elderly, have a tendency to occur since the particular social groups consider them as the potential crime victims.
Attitudes towards Aging Process
In turn, the attitudes and social perceptions concerning the aging process have to assessed to determine similarities and differences in this aspect. It is apparent that perceptions of aging vary depending on the cultural differences. Firstly, the process of aging is highly evaluated from various perspectives, and it is presented in the form of the system of well-established ideas and dogmas, which are created by the society (Kokenhoff et al., 2009). Additionally, aging implies the modifications in physical and cognitive abilities of an individual, as they have a tendency to change over a particular period (Kokenhoff et al., 2009).
As for the American culture, it is considered in two perceptions. One of them implies the peaceful existence, maturity, and spending significant time on the hobbies and relatives (Mahmud, 2005). On the other hand, the aging process is considered as the inability to get involved in various physical activities and lack of energy. Furthermore, the scientists try to develop potential solutions to prevent, terminate the aging process and propose different tips to enhance the situation (U.S. Department of Health and Services, 2012). It could be said that the aging process in the American society is assessed from the negative perspective, and this situation is determined by the continuous development of technology.
As for the Vikings, despite the fact that the elderly were highly respected in the society, the aging process was not appreciated, as Vikings preferred to die during the battles while protecting their motherland (Wolf, 2004). It is evident that the average age of Vikings is 40-years-old (Wolf, 2004). This fact contributes to the understanding of the reasons for the lack of respect towards the aging process due to the inability to survive the severe battles. In this case, the aging process is considered as being more respectful towards the elderly in the American society, as people can devote their lives to their family and hobbies while reaching the final stage of their lives. It could be assumed that the absence of wars and development of technology contributes to the new perception towards aging and considers it as one of the natural processes and the stage of new opportunities.
Conclusion
In the end, it remains evident that differences between modern American society and the Vikings tend to exist due to its presence in different historical periods and locations. Nonetheless, it remains clear that some similarities are present since some core principles and values stay unchanged and cannot be disregarded. It could be said that the attitudes towards the elderly remain the same in the Vikings’ and American societies, as the seniors were highly respected and had particular privileges.
Nonetheless, the elderly often become the first crime victims due to their vulnerability in the modern American society. As for the aging process, nowadays it is regarded from positive and negative perspectives, as aging is associated with maturity and the last stage is filled with opportunities to discover new hobbies and spend more time with the family members. Nonetheless, the modern technology tries to prevent the aging process. In turn, the aging process is not respected due to desire to die while protecting the motherland among the Vikings. In the end, it could be said that these changes are determined by the technological and social development of the modern world.
References
Dyczewski, L. (2002). Values in the Polish cultural tradition: Polish philosophical studies, III. Washington, D.C.: The Council for Research and Values and Philosophy.
Kokenhoff, C., Alcalay, L., Allik, J., Avdeyeva, T., Barbaranelli, C.,…Ahn, H. (2009). Perceptions of aging across 26 countries and their cultural level associates. Psychology and Aging, 24(4), 941-954.
Mahmud, J. (2005). Development psychology. New Delhi, India: A.P.H. Publishing Corporation.
U.S. Department of Health and Services. (2012). Can we prevent aging? Tips from the National Institute on Aging. Web.
Wolf, K. (2004). Daily life of the Vikings. Westport, CT: The Greenwood Press.