OSHER 355 - Living Consciously in an Ageist Culture

People over 50 typically experience systemic and personal ageism every day. Whereas personal ageism involves the behaviors of people interacting directly with each other, systemic ageism involves cultural, political, and institutional factors that also harm or otherwise disadvantage older people. The purpose of this class is to provide students with a learning community in which we can study ageism together and discuss practical individual and collective responses to our aging process. We will engage in dialogue with each other about our personal perspectives and experiences, empowering ourselves to write our own stories about the final chapters of our lives. Drawing inspiration from a diversity of world wisdom traditions, together we will reimagine our role in our own families and communities.