Introduction
Aging is a natural biological process that is inherent in all living beings in the world. It is a development both at the physical and psychological levels, without which a living organism cannot exist. However, ways to slow down or even stop this process are gaining popularity today. This is formulated by plastic surgery, various drugs and pills, and the application of modern technologies. The purpose of the work is to analyze the attitude of American society to such concepts as youth and aging and consider these concepts from different points of view.
The Attitude of American Society to Aging
Today, one might notice that American society cherishes youth, despite the country’s aging population. It is noticeable that the population is afraid of aging and is trying to influence this process in every possible way (Sanderson & Scherbov, 2019). It is especially popular among business people and celebrities, and in some cases, the result is significant. Nowadays, it is challenging to say what the true age of celebrities is; however, it does not negate the fact that the aging process still occurs. This is in what way American society glorifies «youth», namely, trying to prolong its period using all possible methods.
One may highlight several points about what accounts for American society’s obsession with youth. Primarily, as has already been mentioned, it is especially popular among celebrities and people in business. In the case of, for example, a company employee, this can be explained from a pragmatic point of view. A bad-looking CEO gives the impression of unreliability and an outflow of investment or cooperation, as no one wants to risk large sums in the event of illness or death. Globally, one can say that even though this issue used to be popular among women, today, more and more men are rejuvenating (Sanderson & Scherbov, 2019). It can be articulated by increased digitalization and the development of social networks, that is, the desire of one to look good online.
Among the popular methods of prolonging «youth» are plastic surgery, medications, and specific drugs. Accordingly, the owners of companies providing such services profit from this; however, such operations can sometimes harm clients. Namely, they may be hurt by an unsuccessful operation or the negative effect of the drug on the human body. The age at which one begins to make attempts at rejuvenation ranges, in my opinion, on average, from 35 years. It seems to me that it is a turning point when the former mobility, energy, facial shape, and skin condition, and other factors go away.
Conclusion
To conclude, it is worth mentioning that neither my friends nor I are trying to rejuvenate or taking any drugs. Talking about how functionalists may explain the popularity of such products, one should be based on the principle of functionalism. Namely, the approach to society as a certain structure where everyone has his own function. In this regard, if a person needs such an opportunity, then there must be a function that satisfies this need. From the point of view of the conflict theorist, this is explained by inequality and the influence of certain groups of people. That is, the more one has resources, the more one has opportunities. Finally, from the interactionist’s perspective, it may be explained by the genetic factors of interaction between people. Namely, the desire to look better to attract the opposite sex and interact socially.
Reference
Sanderson, W. C., & Scherbov, S. (2019). Prospective longevity: A new vision of population aging. Harvard University Press.