2025 February 25 What did you just say about me?

You can see the original Facebook LIVE post here.

Hi, this is Jim Cranston from 7EveryMinute and 7EveryMinute.com, the podcast and website about reimagining your life. Thanks for joining me today to talk about ageism and attitude. If you like what you hear, please leave a like, subscribe, tell your friends, or send me a message.

Tonight, I want to talk about self-confidence, observing yourself, and ageism. I actually had a completely different topic planned—something related to empathy and goal-setting—but right before finalizing my notes, I came across a comment in a Facebook group for web design. Someone had posted a vent about their frustration, saying that even though their website was beautiful and well-designed, anyone over 55 kept having trouble signing up and logging in, no matter how much they explained it. They asked, "What can I possibly do?"

I had to step away for a moment and adjust my attitude before responding. But what really struck me wasn’t just the comment itself—it was the underlying message behind it. What I wanted to say was, "So, everyone 54 and younger has no trouble at all? And every single person 55 and older struggles?" That’s just not possible. Clearly, some people over 55 are navigating the site just fine. But instead of recognizing that, the person made a sweeping generalization based entirely on age.

Not only does that kind of thinking alienate a significant portion of their users, but it also ignores potential issues that younger users might be having. Maybe some of them are also struggling but are finding workarounds, or maybe they’re just giving up and dropping off without saying anything. But because they’re younger, the assumption is that any problem must be on the older users’ end.

In short, you're manipulating the data and conclusions to fit your bias. We know that never works well. But it goes even deeper. I pointed out that if someone is feeling frustrated, chances are the people they’re trying to help can sense it. When that frustration is obvious, it only makes things worse.

It exacerbates the problem, makes the whole situation more difficult, and just isn’t a good way to approach things. Maybe a little patience, empathy, and understanding could go a long way in making the process smoother for everyone. And that brings me to something I really wanted to talk about tonight—because I’ve been on the receiving end of plenty of eye rolls and sighs myself. Most of the time, it’s because of something as simple as vision issues.

For example, I can’t wear progressive lenses—the bifocal replacements—which means that even everyday tasks take me a little longer. Something as basic as checking out at the store becomes an ordeal, which, of course, annoys everyone in line behind me. And the immediate assumption? That I must be confused by some newfangled touchscreen or that I don’t know how to use a stylus.

But the reality? The checkout screen is often poorly designed, completely worn out, or so dim I can barely read it. Or maybe the printed receipt is too faint to see. What people don’t realize is that these things aren’t foreign to me—I actually designed them as part of my job. I probably know more about their inner workings than they do. I’ve spent my career dealing with complex systems.

Yet, the assumption isn’t that the system is flawed—it’s that I must be slow or confused. Or worse, that I must be old. And I bet you’ve experienced that too. It’s exhausting.

The real damage isn’t just someone else’s bad attitude or personal prejudices. It’s that their words can start to creep into your own mind, making you wonder if what they’re implying might actually be true. We’ve talked about this before, but it bears repeating—because it’s becoming more and more prevalent in society.

And it’s not just happening in Facebook groups or online discussions. I was actually shocked when I saw it in The Wall Street Journal. In the editorial section on Wednesday, February 19th, there was a piece about Jamie Dimon—who, for the moment, I’ve blanked on which bank he runs. But the writer, Matthew Hennessey, felt the need to include this line.

"Recording a Zoom call or a Google meeting is a piece of cake. Even a Baby Boomer can do it."

Really, Mr. Hennessey? Has the standard of writing at The Wall Street Journal fallen so far that you think it’s acceptable—or even humorous—to dismiss an entire generation? A generation that likely makes up a large percentage of your readership? A letter to the editor is already in the works.

This kind of normalization is exactly what makes ageist comments so damaging. It was especially ironic considering that, just a couple of weeks earlier, on February 5th, the Journal quoted Dr. Becca Levy—someone we’ve talked about before—who highlighted the enormous societal cost of ageism: a staggering 63 billion dollars every year. Maybe Mr. Hennessey should take the time to read other sections of his own newspaper.

So, let’s go over what you can do when you encounter this kind of discrimination, prejudice, and bias—because yes, that’s exactly what it is. First and foremost, don’t immediately assume, It must be me. Many people are quick to blame others—or external factors—for their own poor performance.

In the case of that webpage issue, I suggested that the author check for readability and color selection—because that can be a major problem for many users. But a lot of people don’t even take the time to do a basic review of their own work. Instead, they immediately shift the blame elsewhere.

And of course, age is an easy target. It’s one of the last socially acceptable biases in most countries. So don’t automatically assume it’s you. Many of us have been conditioned to doubt ourselves whenever we struggle with something—just because of our age.

Here’s a perfect example. I recently rented two cars, both of which had great radios—HD radio, in fact. And let me just say, yay for HD radio! It’s free, it supports local communities—too bad it’s disappearing. Honestly, I suspect that was orchestrated by paid radio services, but that’s a whole other discussion.

Anyway, these cars had high-quality radios with great sound systems. But the user interface? Absolutely terrible. In fact, on a five-day trip, I didn’t even bother using the radio in one of the cars because the controls were so frustrating. And I love listening to local Spanish and alternative stations! But no matter how good the sound system was, the design was so bad that it was practically unusable.

Now, I suspect that many of my listeners, if they were in the same situation, would have blamed themselves. They might have thought, I must not understand technology, or Maybe I’m just not good with new systems. But the reality? You’re fine. The problem isn’t you—it’s that the manufacturer did a completely amateur job with the software.

And that brings me to the next point. When you see ageism, you should immediately challenge it—even if only in your own head. When I read what Mr. Hennessey wrote in The Wall Street Journal, I was absolutely flabbergasted.

The Wall Street Journal has strong coverage of health and wellness, often publishing stories that support older individuals and their lifestyles. So when I read that comment, I was genuinely confused. I even went back and reread the paragraph, thinking maybe I had misinterpreted the context. But no—it was exactly what I thought it was. Just a tasteless, ignorant, ageist remark that somehow made it past the page editor as well.

Now, did it personally affect me? No, because I recognized it for what it was—nonsense. But if I had internalized it, even a little, it would have been just another small, negative influence chipping away at my self-confidence. And that’s exactly the danger of these comments.

So, finally—don’t be afraid to speak out. I’ve called out salespeople for their language. I’ve corrected peers when they’ve made thoughtless remarks. You shouldn’t feel ashamed to shine a light on blatant ageism. Even if it doesn’t bother you, I guarantee it’s affecting someone else. And the sooner it’s called out, the sooner we can put a stop to it.

So here’s a quick reminder: don’t let society pigeonhole you because of your age. Be aware of it. Stay aware of it. When you see it, call it out—even if just to yourself—so you can address it and shut it down. And don’t be afraid to say something to someone else.

You are exactly who you’re supposed to be. You have your own strengths, your own talents. No one is perfect, so don’t let yourself be influenced by people passing judgment—especially when that judgment is based on their prejudices, not reality.

The truth is, there’s plenty of evidence showing that most of what we assume about aging is completely false. So be confident in yourself. Be proud of the skills and wisdom you’ve gained over the years. And don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself.

That’s it for tonight! Your homework? Stay on the lookout for ageist remarks and ageism in action. But don’t just ignore it—because, let’s be honest, your brain doesn’t really ignore it. Instead, recognize it for what it is and remind yourself why it’s wrong and baseless. And if you’re up for it, call it out—maybe even with a smile. Because prejudices hate being made visible. Once they are, they sound just as foolish as they really are.

Before we wrap up, I just want to take a moment to remind you—there are a lot of places around the world dealing with war, unrest, and disasters. If you’re looking for ways to help, I encourage you to check out UKR7.com. It’s a great resource with links to directly support the people of Ukraine, who are facing an incredibly difficult situation.

Now, we try to avoid politics when possible, but I also encourage anyone who has doubts about the information they’re hearing to seek out real sources. There’s a lot of misinformation out there—numbers being thrown around that are off by a factor of ten. Just for the record: No, the U.S. has not given Ukraine $500 billion—nothing even close to that. And the kind of pressure being put on them right now is, frankly, not appropriate.

If you’re looking for another great organization to support, consider World Central Kitchen. They’re always among the first on the ground in disaster zones, making sure people have food and essentials when they need them most. It’s an incredible group doing critical work.

But even if international aid isn’t your thing, there are plenty of ways to help locally. There are organizations right in your own community doing good work every day, and they can always use support. And it’s not just about money—your time, your skills, even just spreading the word can make a difference.

And remember, making a difference doesn’t always have to be about money or big commitments. It can be volunteering, lending a hand, or simply offering a kind word. If you’re not in a position to donate or help directly, there’s still something incredibly powerful you can do—just smile at someone.

It’s such a small thing, but it can have a huge impact. Maybe that person just heard an ageist remark, maybe they’re feeling down on themselves, questioning their worth. And then you come along, smile, say “Hey, how’s it going?” or just “Good morning.” And suddenly, they realize—wait, maybe it’s not me. Maybe I do matter.

You have an incredible ability to change the world around you, just by choosing kindness. And when you take the focus off yourself, when you look outward, it shifts your whole perspective. It builds empathy, it deepens your understanding of others, and it makes your world richer, too.

So, once again, if you’re looking for ways to help, check out UKR7.com, World Central Kitchen, or any local organizations in your community. And most importantly—just be kind.

As always, thank you for stopping by. If you found something useful or interesting, please share it, subscribe, and hit that like button. And if there’s something you’d like to hear more about, drop me a comment—I’d love to know.

Have a fantastic week. Remember to live the life you’ve dreamed of—because that’s the path to true contentment. Love and encouragement to everyone. I’ll see you next time on 7EveryMinute and 7EveryMinute.com. Thank you!