#200 An Intellectual Journey II

After 211,312 words we have reached Newsletter #200. Where has our journey taken us?

A Five-Minute Read

It was on 22 April 2021 that the first issue of this Newsletter appeared. I offered to take you on an intellectual journey. Seeking enlightenment about the ageing of consumers. About ageism within the firms that served them. I promised to be driven only by my intellectual curiosity.

If you turn on my dashboard within Substack you will find it empty. There is no stock of Newsletters ready to be #201 next Sunday. I start each new week with no idea of a new topic. Something or someone within the week will trigger my curiosity to know more.

The Journey

I thought I would briefly look at where my curiosity had taken us. What triggered my interest? To look at the pattern and offer a few personal insights.

“Ageism” is the topic about which I have written the most (27 Newsletters). The “Business of Ageing” comes next at 25 Newsletters. I am a businessperson and a Professor of Management. It is not surprising that my curiosity made me try to apply what I was learning to business. It has also become the focus of my website thebusinessofage.com.

The “Ageing Brain” goes next (21 Newsletters). I am a consumer psychologist. It is logical that I am interested in how consumers make decisions. By comparison the “Ageing Body” comes a poor joint 9th on my list with only 10 Newsletters.

The demographic forces that are reshaping society appeared in many different themes. I have written about the demographic statistics in 20 Newsletters. How declining fertility (13 Newsletters) and longevity (10 Newsletters) are acting together. The “Ageing Senses” makes it to number 4 on the “best seller” list (19 Newsletters).

“Subjective Ageing” featured next with 13 different Newsletters. Our view of our own ageing is very different to physical reality. More importantly, how we feel about ageing influences how well we live and when we die.

The implications of a changing society were explored in different Newsletters. We have explored how those changes will have a massive impact on the macro-economics of a country (8 Newsletters). We have looked at the level of a city. How can they be made more age friendly? How can we be supported to live at home as we age (11 Newsletters). About the growing need for care (5 Newsletters). How more and more workers are becoming carers and the impact on productivity and job design. How ageing can bring with it loneliness. How loneliness is a killer (4 Newsletters). A shortage of young workers means that the workforce will age (5 Newsletters). Finally, how technology can be used in the home and at work (6 Newsletters)

My Personal Highlights

The Menu from the last night on the Titanic (Newsletter #018)

The white crowned sparrow changed its call when COVID stopped San Francisco traffic. (Newsletter #019). It got more mates!

The difference between exercise and activity (Newsletter #25)

My specification for a miserable Christmas lunch to avoid obesity ( Newsletter #37)

The advertisement for Japanese adult diapers (Newsletter #57)

Coffee and temperature can influence shopping behaviour (Newsletter #73 and #77)

Elderspeak is an international language (Newsletter #97)

80% of our health and ageing come from the environment not our genes (Newsletter #106)

Some cities in China are older than the retirement communities of Florida (Newsletter #121)

Within 6 months of prescription, only 51% of Americans still take their hypertension pills (Newsletter #123)

A quarter of UK centenarians say they are in “good” or “very good health” (Newsletter #130)

FOR BEST GRAPHIC: The spread of loneliness in Framingham, MA (Newsletter #135)

Apes do have a mid-life crisis (Newsletter #140)

Fertility decline will eventually lead to human extinction (Newsletter #147)

“You can’t outrun your diet” (Newsletter #187)

What Has Changed?

There has been a growing awareness of ageing as an issue. When I started writing', China delayed its census results. They wanted to show a static population. Now everyone accepts their declining numbers. Annual fertility decline for country X is no longer news. Unfortunately ageism still seems to be an acceptable form of discrimination. Racism, sexism, homophobia etc are all deemed to be bad. Few people include ageism on the list. Governments are still making too optimistic forecasts of increasing fertility.

I can now read menus! Battery powered, LED restaurant table lamps arrived. I no longer need the flashlight function on my phone.

Thank You

To my loyal readers who have read all those words. You could have read the 200,000 words in Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall instead!! Thank you to the other sub-stackers who continue to recommend me.

“Now what shall I write about next week?”

If you enjoy the Newsletter please recommend it to friends and send them to Substack to subscribe. It is free. Alternatively try the button below. All the Newsletters and lots more background is on my website thebusinessofage.com