... youth, and deifies trim, fit and extremely youthful models at every opportunity because that is what sells movies, shows, and magazines. Older persons in sit-coms are generally portrayed as foolish dolts, the butt of jokes and witty barbs tossed about by teenage geniuses who run circles around their poor, idiotic elders. The media generally does not present aging persons in a kind light, and Americans are immersed in media. The multi-billion-dollar industries of diet products, fitness centers, tapes, books, and equipment, all guaranteed to make us look younger, flourish unabated. The medical community can barely keep pace with tummy tucks, facelifts, hair implants, and Botox injections. There is nothing wrong with being fit and looking youthful. However, ours is a society that dreams of and longs for the eternal fountain of youth, a magic pill to keep looking and feeling 30 and that will cure us of the curse ...

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