Social Participation of the Aged in Different Cultures

• Author: Leo William Simmons
• Published date: 01 January 1952
• Date: 01 January 1952
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/000271625227900105
• Subject Matter: Articles

Social Participation of the Aged in Different Cultures
By LEO WILLIAM SIMMONS
A PROMINENT physician recently &dquo;old,&dquo; and by fifty, if she was so fortu-
remarked that pediatrics is essen-
nate as to see fifty, she was a &dquo;mass
tially a medical matter, but that geri-
of wrinkles from foot to forehead.&dquo;
atrics is, after all, a sociological prob-
Among the Bushmen of South Africa it
lem. However much one may choose
it is reported that &dquo;really old people
to qualify such a statement, there will
are rare.&dquo;
The Creeks of North Amer-
remain some pertinent and provocative
ica had a saying that parents were
truth in it; for in the course of human
lucky whenever they lived to see gray
experience it is apparent that the initial
hairs on the heads of their children.’
priority of biological forces in life be-
It is of further note that human so-
comes profoundly affected by the super-
cieties met the problems of a fruitful
imposed sociological factors. This is
and satisfying old age for some individ-
especially true with respect to aging,
uals long before there was any oppor-
and provides a source of insight both
tunity for many people even to grow
into the evolution of human societies
old. Indeed, in certain quite primitive
capable of carrying large numbers of
groups the aging years of life have been
old people and also into the life cycle
actually regarded as the best. Prob-
of the individuals who manage to reach
ably nowhere, for instance, has age
and to face a ripe old age.
been viewed in a more favorable light
or accorded greater homage than among
SOCIAL ASPECTS OF AGING
the Palaung of North Burma, who at-
The farther back one goes into primi-
tribute their longevity to virtue in a
tive and rudimentary forms of associa-
previous existence. In anthropological
tion the fewer old people are to be
perspective it is literally true that so-
found, and those, quite generally, with
cieties achieved a very good old age for
old age attributed to them at a much
a few long before there could be any
earlier chronological date than in ad-
substantial age at all for the many.
vanced societies.
It is reported, for
But modern civilization has reversed
example, that the Arawak of British
the process and the problems.
Guiana, under native conditions, sel-
Another interesting contrast is por-
dom attained more than fifty years.
trayed in the relative uniformity of the
&dquo;Between the thirtieth and the fortieth
patterns of adjustment to birth and
years, in the case of men, and even
childhood and the very much greater
earlier in the case of women, the rest of
diversity of socially prescribed ways of
the body, except the stomach, shrinks,
coping with the problems of age and
the fat disappears, and the skin hangs
death.
in hideous folds.&dquo;
Arunta women of
Some of the extremes in cultural
Australia were regarded as very for-
variations with respect to aging can be
tunate if they reached fif ty, and it is
sketched offhand: Old age has been
said of the Bontok Igorot in the Philip-
1
Leo W. Simmons, The Role of the Aged
pines that a woman reached &dquo;her prime&dquo;
in Primitive Societies (New Haven: Yale Uni-
at twenty-three, at thirty she was &dquo;get-
versity Press, 1945), p. 17.
Cites original
ting old,&dquo; before forty-five she was
references.
43

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44
said to begin quite early or rather late
thetic plight in which the individual is
in life, and it may last a very long or
regarded merely as a long-sufferer and
a short time.
By conventional norms,
a social obligation.
its coming may be resented and dis-
Of particular pertinence in the evo-
counted or welcomed and treasured.
lution of the social dynamics of aging is
It may be considered an idle and use-
the observation that the overaged,. use-
less period in life or an active and
less, or liability phase of senescence
fruitful one. It may bring promotions
actually has had little significance for
in position and homage or demotions
the simple societies which were never
in both. It may be expected to drag it-
able to sustain more than a few really
self out in dull, tedious boredom or to
old people anyway, and those under
go by quickly with interest and zest.
conditions in which the very helpless
Thus, the onset of aging may be viewed
could not long survive. But this help-
as a curse on the one hand or as a
less and hopeless period in life takes on
challenge on the other. But most peo-
paramount importance in our modern
ples meet it somewhere between these
times and in complex civilizations which
two extremes.
are so successfully solving the physical
problems of a potential old age for the
The liability phase
multitudes. When we envisage the pos-
A stage is reached, however, in the
sibilities of sustaining and prolonging
experience of aging where one finds al-
life far into this phase, perhaps even
most everywhere a surprising degree of
with eliminations and substitutions for
uniformity in attitude and social re-
all but the more vital organs and ele-
sponse. Although there is wide range
ments of the human body, the emerging
of socially sanctioned adaptations in
problems of overaging are greatly mag-
different societies, a point comes in
nified. If we add to this the recognized
senescence where any fruitful participa-
fact that the &dquo;useless&dquo; period in life
tion is regarded as past, and the in-
is socially and culturally determined and
cumbent is looked upon as a definite
may be moved up as well as pushed
liability. Senility may be a suitable
back in years, the potential problems
label for this phase of life; but it is
of anything like successful aging be-
not entirely apt in that it implies ex-
come staggering.
The societal fates
treme physical weakness and/or mental
can become most unfortunate for aging
infirmity, while the main idea conveyed
in our times, of course, if so many old
is that of being regarded by members
people are made to feel useless much
of the group as inconsequential and a
too early in life and find the twilight
hopeless burden.
This is a status
years empty, lonely, and too long-
which may be attained under various
lasting. Thus can civilization create
degrees of physical and mental debility
more problems of aging than it has yet
in different societies.
Some primitive
solved.
folk use a term which implies &dquo;over-
aged,&dquo; &dquo;useless,&dquo;
INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE IN AGING
or
the &dquo;sleeping&dquo;
stage in life. And everywhere for the
We have stressed the conditioning
aged in this state, unless death provides
impact of society upon the experience
an early release, the prospects for fur-
of aging in general. But this is not the
ther aging, and the attitudes toward it,
whole story. The initial and basic bio-
tend to be uniformly dismal. Ap-
logical forces.in life are no less critically
parently all societies...