Stories of age and aging

Abstract

Studies of aging have often involved only those considered to be old. In this study, individual volunteers and groups from a midwestern, urban environment, representing a wide range of chronological ages, participated in storytelling circles organized around a theme of aging. Their narratives suggest that the polysemic term Aging is often understood in terms of a concept of chronological Age as this relates to life experience. People understand themselves as different from one another through interpretations of their own experiences that are referenced in terms of chronological age. This perspective appears to be shared by persons of all ages suggesting that reminiscence, often characterized as distinct to old age, is an aspect of age throughout life. This analysis is historically situated in ideologies of progress within the United States and utilizes a dialogical orientation to storytelling and social memory. Aspects of individual and collective performance are discussed.