The Newest Social Epidemic ==> Older Women ROCK!

In his bestselling book, The Tipping Point, Malcom Gladwell answers two questions, "Why is it that some ideas start epidemics and others don't? And what can we do to deliberately start and control positive epidemics of our own?" Gladwell identifies three laws whereby an idea can go viral:

The Law of the Few

The first of Gladwell’s laws is that it only takes a few key motivated players to create a social epidemic. Margaret Meade echoes this sentiment, “Never depend on any government or institution to solve any major problem; all social change comes from the passion of individuals.” History gives us many examples of the Law of the Few in action; one of the most well-known was a tired black woman who refused to give up her seat at the back of the bus -- a simple action that spawned the entire Civil Rights Movement and changed the face of a nation. 

The designer of ThunderHawk Creations is a 53-year-old woman who has experienced firsthand a society that values men as they age, but devalues women as they age; Tamara is motivated and driven to help women recognize their value, command respect, and in so doing, live more joyous and fulfilled lives. Tamara’s choice of vehicle for this message is a style of jewelry:  "Women are no longer dainty and demure and our jewelry should no longer be dainty and demure, either. Women are no longer to be "seen and not heard", the fragile object --and delicate arm candy-- of men. Aging Women are a force to be reckoned with and our wisdom and contribution will no longer be denied." The bold statement necklaces designed by ThunderHawk Creations represent this stand and become each woman’s own personal banner of pride -- her statement to the world of her continued value, as well as her quiet, yet irrefutable, demand for respect.

The Stickiness Factor

“The second principle of social epidemics is the stickiness factor; it is the impact that something has, its ability to stick, to grab your attention, to stay on your mind.” As mentioned in a previous post, as Boomer women age, we are becoming increasingly intolerant of being devalued in proportion to our age. 

The Power of Context

“Gladwell's third principal is the power of context, the notion that epidemics are sensitive to the context, or the time and place, in which they occur.” Collectively, aging women are becoming more and more aware of their value; we are beginning to refuse to “sit at the back of the bus”.

Thus, the time is right; the collective is ready; a Renaissance of the Older Women is imminent.

An Anti-Anti-Aging Message to Women

ThunderHawk Creations is part of the multi-billion dollar beauty and anti-aging industry, but with a new message for the growing demographic of beleaguered women trying to indefinitely suspend time’s ravages. And the message to these desperate women is this: You are beautiful the way you are. Hold your head up with pride in the face of youth and vitality – you are proven, you have survived. The young are beautiful in a pristine way – like untempered steel-- but they have yet to demonstrate their strength and endurance. Each line on your face speaks to another ordeal, disappointment, or trauma that you have endured and survived, but there are lines there, too, for the exquisite joys and belly-aching laughter. Your character, your strength, your LIFE is showing on your face – be proud of it. ThunderHawk Creations represents a new attitude for older women when face-to-face with youth and beauty: You are beautiful just as you are. Celebrate the life that is etched on your face, and wear with pride the badges of courage, endurance, strength, and joy that the lines represent.

Corporations Capitalize on the Fears of Aging Women

In The Mildlife Woman: A Call to Authenticity, author Janny Adkins writes:

New businesses are sprouting up every day to capitalize on the fears of the midlife women {emphasis added}.  Vitamins, minerals, clothes that hide bulges, hair color, weight loss, make-up, herbal formulas, spas, retreats, the list goes on and on.  Many of these products…do provide results, but many companies are marketing to women to capitalize on their fear of aging.

At some level women recognize that our fear of aging is being cultivated by an compassionless corporate mentality for the benefit of the “bottom line”– and slowly, we are beginning to seethe inside about it. Around the world, in many cultures both ancient and current, aging women enjoy increased respect and prestige. As the swell of Boomer women age, we are becoming more and more intolerant of being valued by the smoothness of our skin. The time is right, the collective is ready; a Renaissance of the Older Woman is imminent.

Mature Women as "Vital Beautiful Powerful Trustees of Our Society"

Janny Adkins, author of The Mildlife Woman: A Call to Authenticity, said it best:

"Society and therefore, women have viewed this period of a woman’s life as a potential downward spiral of fading productivity, usefulness, influence, power, and beauty. Physical beauty is often defined as youthfulness, slenderness, naivete, and innocence.   Our society is prejudiced against aging in general, and doubles that prejudice toward the idea that a middle-aged or mature woman is a vital, beautiful, powerful trustee of our society." 

This blog will consist of thoughts, mullings, considerations --and where appropriate, cited quotations-- on the Aging Woman. To put it briefly, my position is one of Anti-Anti-Aging.  Despite a society that tends to value a woman by the smoothness of her skin, I --and an ever-growing contingent of other women (and men)-- are beginning to question this... more, to challenge it.