Editor WD and I went to meet a new colleague in town. He told us a bit about himself, and then it was our turn. At one point, I mentioned my age – I’ll be 65 next month – and he gave me a surprised look. “Oh, I never would have guessed. I thought you were younger. You look good for your age, seem energetic and clearly still enjoy your work.” Very kind of him, you might think. And until recently, that’s exactly what I thought when people commented positively on my age. Or rather, when they told me I didn’t fit the negative stereotypes often associated with those over 60: resistant to change, counting down the days to retirement, digitally challenged, physically and cognitively less able.
A bit differently
But after interviewing Aagje Swinnen, professor of Aging Studies, I see things a bit differently. Age discrimination is deeply ingrained in our society, she explained to me (see pages 6-7). It thrives in a world where youth is seen as the norm and successful ageing means not ageing at all. Few people are aware of this, even at Maastricht University, says Swinnen; we’ve internalised it. To challenge this, a playful campaign was launched in which students and staff wear T-shirts bearing stereotypes that don’t match their age. For example, someone in their fifties might wear a shirt that says, “I’m young and innovative” while a young tutor might wear one saying, “I am old and blocking your promotion”. The goal is to spark conversations in tutorials or during coffee breaks, with the aim of contributing to a more age-friendly university.
Feel free to be yourself
Some time ago, we invited a retiring researcher for a farewell interview. He’s known to our editorial team as an interesting thinker with a broad and critical view of the university and society. But he declined, as he felt he wouldn’t be able to speak openly. Any criticism, he believed, would almost certainly be seen as the ramblings of a grumpy old man who had failed to keep up with the times. At his faculty, he no longer felt free to be himself.
Tech-savvy colleagues
I consider myself lucky that the culture here at Observant, in our team of both younger and older colleagues, is very different. I must admit, though, that I do fit some of the stereotypes about older people. I often rely on my younger, tech-savvy colleagues to help me when I run into issues with my computer or mobile phone. They’ll look at the screen, click a few buttons, and there you go – problem solved. Thank you, boys and girls.