With her usual in-your-face honestly, Applewhite is tackling some of the greatest hurdles in fighting ageism–our bodies. We’ve explored these a bit and know the ways in which social order and interactions influence the changes our bodies experience and how we cope with them. Couple of things that stuck out to me were that “not all [mental] activities are created equal, and that a social component may be crucial” (Applewhite, 2016, p. 73) and I loved the “Push Back!” section in chapter 4 (pp. 108-114), especially the mindset shifts that (I hope) can become cultural norms one day. I’m curious to see how you react to the content this week, especially since “losing your marbles” or reduced physical ability (especially sexual ability) were mentioned earlier in the course as things you (or others) fear most. Can’t wait to hear what’s resonating with you! You must post before you can see others’ posts.

For your post (click the reply button below), share one “big idea” that was new or insightful for you. Explain why this was significant and how you related to the idea personally or professionally. Identify something you didn’t understand well or that you had questions about. Who might you ask or where might you go to learn more? Be sure to use in-text citations when appropriate and page numbers so others can easily find the passages you’re discussing!