International Handbook of Population Aging (Hardcover)
by Peter Uhlenberg (Editor) 2009 Springer: New York.
International Handbook of Population Aging
Series: International Handbooks of Population , Handbook 1
Uhlenberg, Peter (Ed.)
2009, XII, 772 p., Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-4020-8355-6
Online version available
About this book
* Offers comprehensive coverage of population aging issues
* Features coverage that is international in scope
* Includes contributors who are outstanding researchers from multiple disciplinary backgrounds
* Presents state-of-the-art reviews of major topics with attention to much-needed research
The International Handbook of Population Aging is the first comprehensive volume to examine research on a wide array of the profound implications of population aging. Global population aging is one of the most important issues facing human societies in the early twenty-first century. Population projections show that the proportion of the world’s population over age 60 will double between 2000 and 2050, and that about one-third of the people living in developed countries will be over age 60 in 2050. Already there are countries in Europe and Asia where the number of people over age 60 exceed the number of children, and by 2050 some of these countries will have twice as many old people as children. As noted by the 2002 UN World Assembly on Ageing Report, this global trend in population aging is unprecedented in human history, is pervasive across societies, is enduring (there is no going back to younger populations), and has profound implications for human beings.
“An essential reference work.”
Glen H. Elder, Jr., Research Professor, Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
“An absolutely essential reading. The rich fare this volume offers has no match or even close competitor in the professional literature.”
Paul Demeny, Distinguished Scholar, Population Council Editor, Population and Development Review
“Exemplary in regard to the range of countries it covers and in focusing on many questions.” Karl Ulrich Mayer, Stanley B. Resor Professor of Sociology, Yale University
“An impressive volume, showing the ageing populations around the globe through the lens of some of the best demographic observers.”
Martin Kohli, Professor of Sociology, Department of Social and Political Sciences, European University Institute
This is the first handbook to appear in the International Handbooks of Population series, edited by Dudley Poston Jr., Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA. Future handbooks in this series will focus on Mortality, Poverty Populations, Migration, Race and Ethnic Demography and more.
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Whither Stewardship in Our Lifetime? - A Rogue Scholarship on Aging – Analysis and Critique of:
Men to Boys: The Making of Modern Immaturity
Gary Cross; New York: Columbia University Press; September, 2008; Cloth, 328 pages; ISBN: 978-0-231-14430-8
Provocative Quote:
“Living for today, disdainful of pretense and formality, ever open to new thrills and experiences, but also mocking convention in celebrations of amoral violent fantasy, crude vulgarity, and unrestrained appetite, the boy-man makes a fetish of the “cool.” He turns maturity into a joke, a pitiful loss to be avoided at almost all costs. Men spend billions to retain the bodies and hair of their youth, going well beyond the rationale of “good health,” ordinary vanity, or even the practical requirements of being competitive in the sex market. Narcissism, traditionally seen as a feminine trait, is now associated with perpetuating male youth” (Cross – p. 5).
I am convinced that the fine balance between “pursuit of happiness” and “pursuit of the commonwealth” is at stake in the here – and the now. There is allure of “me-ism” and the attraction of fascism – polar and magnetic forces to create mitosis in our social fabric: THE INDIVIDUAL or the STATE. And in between, there is care, social causes, networking, partnering, quid pro quo, reciprocal altruism, social contract, commonwealth, and so on and so on – but what concerns me the most for the THREE domains of infrastructure in any social/nation/country/group is that there needs to be a flow of STEWARDSHIP across all three.
1. Environment (natural capital)
2. Social (social capital)
3. Economic (financial capital)
STEWARDSHIP. I cannot think of any other term to strike the hammer upon the forge to create and sustain that which we need – and want – the most of…the attitude and the action to care for the three dimensions above. In each case, there is the danger of manipulation, fraud, and exploitation (see # 3 – Economic mess in Wall Street and other markets), but we (I) assume that the balance and the justice will prevail, but not without vigilance from the many. I have spent the better part of my life concerned about stewardship for the “land” (Aldo Leopold’s “land ethic”) and have incrementally realized all three domains are interconnected, especially the social capital dimension. And an AGING SOCIETY will not be able to thrive or survive without a healthy foundation with in and from all three.
So time to look closer at the social capital issue (and stewardship).
I wanted to be cute and smart-ass and title this book review “No Country for Old Men” but then I remembered that Megan McArdle wrote an article for The Atlantic titled, No Country for Young Men, to capture the premise and argument that, “the Baby Boomers’ retirement will change the texture of society in ways we’ve scarcely begun to contemplate….A dispatch from America’s coming silver age.”
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200801/aging-boomers
So, I backed off. Enough spin-offs from the Coen Brothers movie and the Cormac McCarthy book.
But the article by McArdle and the book by Cross offer an interesting juxtaposition with the cohorts aging “full-speed ahead.” On hand one we have the proposal that the “country” will be all about “old men and women” (the LOONNGG BOOM) at the expense of other younger generations due to economic and social challenges. On the other hand, we have Cross worried (with good reason) that the aging cohorts (especially men) have no desire – nor will – nor skills – to even embrace a country for “oldness” (maturity) at all.
I smell Trouble with a capital “T”. A potential “perfect storm” of aging “boy-men” who can barely keep their basement rooms at EPA minimum standards, will then flip over into the “retirement’ brackets – and do what? – Sit in clannish-mannish groups at the senior center rec rooms still going with video games waiting for the “pseudo-moms” to fix them lunch and dinner, while everyone else wonders what these ‘free-loaders’ will eventually become – which may be “nothing” – at least how it is spelled out by the conventions of society. Who knows ?
I have been amazed – that in all my years in gerontology (25+) that this concern “im-maturity” suddenly appears to be a contemporary issue, when in fact Carl Jung made note of this psychological concern back in 1933 when he warned of the prospect of “eternal adolescence” based on observations of his clients.
But, I believe what we have is the amplification of a “clinical” concern (for a few) in Jung’s time, to a full-blown social-demographic that has greater implications due to sheer numbers. It’s OK to have a few rebels and non-conformists (or maybe a good number of them) in our midst (like a rogue scholar of sorts?) – but when the “eternal adolescent” becomes the norm and the “conventional” in a society where maturity and wisdom are critically needed – for the long view and for the long haul – instead of meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeism – we may face the prospect of “no country at all.”
Rogue proposal:
- Require and mandate stewardship as the requisite ETHIC in K-12 school systems, parent education, and civic discourse. If you fear the mandate – please exit to the island north of Greenland now known as: Adam-Ayn-Smith-Rand where you can live out your years with the invisible hand massaging your Atlas shoulders. I bid you luck and may the tragedy of the commons bite you on the ass.
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Other reviews for book by Cross:
“Gary Cross is one of the most original scholars in the field of American cultural history, and Men to Boys is the most complete survey of images of adult masculinity on television and in the films, magazines, and popular literature of the twentieth century. It is hard to imagine a more comprehensive cultural treatment of the subject. A blend of solid historical research, personal history, and challenging argument, this book addresses a contemporary issue with flair. Essentially about the fragility of male adulthood and how ‘becoming a man’ has been fraught with difficulties in every generation, Men to Boys provides a convincing narrative of how recent generations changed in a dialectical manner, producing the ‘boy-man’ of today.” — Howard P. Chudacoff, Brown University, and author of Children at Play: An American History
“A master historian explores a sea change that has taken place in the conception of manhood over the past three-quarters of a century. Men to Boys is a serious work of scholarship combining a wealth of historical knowledge with compelling cultural critique. Gary Cross’s book contains the best, most succinct summaries that I have read of the history of video games, thrill rides at amusement parks, and representations of masculinity in film and advertising. His discussion of the psychological effects of video game violence is a tour de force, moving well beyond the simplistic and sterile debate about whether such games provoke aggressive and cruel behavior. Original and thought provoking, Men to Boys is a model of ‘contemporary’ cultural history.” — Steven Mintz, Columbia University, and author of Huck’s Raft: A History of American Childhood
“With a novelist’s eye for the absurdity of contemporary culture, Gary Cross brilliantly traces how postwar American culture turned a profit from encouraging grown men to remain perpetual boys. Not afraid to put his own life into the story, Cross traces an accelerating rebellion by men against growing up and growing old since the 1940s. He clearly lays out an argument about how contemporary men have become Peter Pans and Adam Sandler characters as they have lost their role as the main family provider. ” — Elizabeth Pleck, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
About the Author
Gary Cross is professor of history at Pennsylvania State University. He is the author of a number of books on the history of American popular culture, including The Playful Crowd: Pleasure Places in the Twentieth Century; The Cute and the Cool: Wondrous Innocence and Modern American Children’s Culture; An All-Consuming Century: Why Commercialism Won in Modern America; and Kids’ Stuff: Toys and the Changing Worlds of American Childhood.
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Boca Knights (fiction)
by Steven M. Forman Forge Books, February 2009 ISBN: 978-0-7653-1987-6
Other reviews to consider:
Book Summary (from Amazon.com)
In a debut novel sure to both excite passions and elicit laughter, a different kind of hero emerges in that most unlikely criminal hotbed: Boca Raton.
Eddie Perlmutter is capable of fighting with fearless frenzy, but only does so to defend the defenseless. Eddie’s career as a much-honored Boston cop has come to an end. At sixty, he’s still energetic and virile, but decades of harsh New England winters and collaring the pug-uglies of Boston’s underworld have taken their toll—especially on his knees. So what does a lonely, retired cop with arthritic knees do? Head to sunny Florida, of course.
Country-club politics and early-bird specials are a far cry from the street toughs, scuffles, and arrests of his former life. But some things never change. Instead of enjoying a relaxed, laid-back retirement, Eddie quickly discovers the darker side of Boca Raton’s endless sun and palm trees, where hate crimes, counterfeiting, and worse lurk beneath the deceptively calm surface of cushy retirement communities.
With his no-nonsense crime-fighting skills and roll-with-the punches attitude, Eddie hits Boca Raton like of a Nor’easter from Hell, fast, fresh, and unstoppable. A compulsively readable comic thriller with an egalitarian message that will inspire readers of all ages, Boca Knights will have readers in stitches and keep them on the edge of their seats.
SunSentinel.com
Businessman Steven M. Forman’s foray into fiction strikes a balance between an homage to life in the Sunshine State and light cop caper.
While crime – and crime fighting – play a significant role in this debut, Boca Knights is more a story of a man embarking on a new life amid the vagaries of South Florida. Forman shows an affinity for satisfying storytelling and self-deprecating humor.
A tough Boston cop, Eddie Perlmutter’s career was highlighted by several honors and the respect of his force. But Perlmutter knows there is a streak of violence in him that he sometimes can barely control – a trait he inherited from his Russian grandfather who grew up hard and never backed down. Both men bonded through their sense of honor, hatred of injustice and concern for those who could not defend themselves. Although a non-practicing Jew, he knows the destructive force of religious intolerance.
At age 60 and suffering from arthritis, Eddie retires to Boca Raton. But “life in paradise” and his job as security for an upscale golf course doesn’t really suit Eddie. “Country-club politics,” endless talks about early bird specials and the pampered “Boca Bullies” and “Boca Babes” don’t mesh with his “street-brawler personality.”
Eddie is retired, but “as an ex-cop I looked for crime everywhere,” including those who flinch from the breakfast buffet. But he finds real crime when he stumbles on a counterfeiting ring that doubles as an ecstasy lab that just happens to be run by the Russian mafia. Branded a “Boca Knight” by the local media, Eddie reinvents himself as a private detective. While trying to find out who killed a country club leader, Eddie becomes a target of the Aryan Army.
A brutal family history in Russia and the presence of skinheads imbue Boca Knights with a much-needed darker shading. Eddie’s habit of talking to his penis is just downright silly.
But overall, Forman maintains a pleasant story with a good sense of humor that moves to a happy ending that’s also a bit sappy.
Others:
“Boca Knights goes down faster than a frosty double mojito on a hot tropical night.”
–Lincoln Child, New York Times bestselling author of Deep Storm
“Steve Forman strafes the south Florida scene with Boca Knights, an outrageously funny mystery novel with a raft of offbeat characters and prose that moves trippingly off the pen. His main man, Eddie Perlmutter, is a character for the ages. Carl Hiaasen, watch your back.”
–Douglas Preston, New York Times bestselling author of Blasphemy
“Steve Forman’s fun, funky twist of the private eye novel is entertaining and takes dead aim on Boca Raton with devastating results.”
–James O. Born, author of Burn Zone
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How To Live: A Search for Wisdom from Older People
by Henry Alford, Jan. 2009. - Grand Central Publishing; ISBN-13: 9780446196031
For more information please go to:
http://www.bookpage.com/0901bp/nonfiction/behind_book_how_to_live.html
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42550714
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The Rogue Scholarship on Aging Review:
“Heartfelt and sincere…But I am not sure this book contains the breadth and depth of “wisdom” that we might associate with the work of others such as Joan Erikson (with Erik Erikson), Robert J. Sternberg or George Vaillant. This narrative is primarily anecdotal, based on qualitative report and via case studies as it tries to capture the essence of “wisdom” through phenomenological lens. The writing is engaging but the reader (you) may wish to see this book as a supplement, as a companion piece to the more substantive works such as Vaillant’s (see “Aging Well”). Overall, the reviews are generally supportive, but yet mixed. I will give credit to Alford for this: anytime you can weave in some T.S. Eliot quotes from Four Quartets into your book, you have already elevated the wisdom quotient. – Scott D. Wright
Publisher Comments:
From Barnes & Noble
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/How-to-Live/Henry-Alford/e/9780446196031
If the rich are different from us, as Ernest Hemingway said, because they have more money, the elderly are different from us (and more wise) because they have more experience. Frequent New Yorker contributor Henry Alford decided to ferret out that wisdom and the result is a delightful, indeed often hilarious excursion into the minds and crowded apartments of pre–baby boomers. His subject choice is, to say the least, eclectic, spanning the universe from literary pundit Harold Bloom to an unknown retired schoolteacher who survived Hurricane Katrina with only her pluck intact. Alford’s interviews with Phyllis Diller, Edward Albee, Sylvia Miles, and Ram Dass are both memorable and uplifting, but Alford is no relentless optimist: He peppers the offerings with a sobering story about his own mother’s marital difficulties. Wisdom with an unexpected punch.
From Popmatters (by P.B. Samuelson)
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/64558-how-to-live-by-henry-alford/
Perhaps the most important example of a wise person found between the covers of this book, from Socrates to Harold Bloom, is his mother. However contradictory, her words and actions ring the most true. She loves her ex-husband but cannot suffer through his relapse. She wants him to have hope, but refuses to ever let him back into her life. Contradictions like these are at the heart of elderly wisdom.
Of the five traits that comprise wisdom, Alford found that the one most commonly shared between his subjects is a certain “nonattachment” to the eccentricities of life. As frightening as it may sound, with old age comes distance and ambivalence—a wisdom best typified by the actions of his mother, who both begins and concludes this narrative. Not one to pull any punches, Alford writes “in the end, it appears we’re alone with our demons”.
From Associate Press story (by M.L. Johnson) – excerpts
“Book on elderly wisdom offers few real insights” - The results are somewhat more lackluster than Alford had probably hoped. With Bloom and Dass, Alford engages in rambling conversations about wisdom and enlightenment that seem to have no real end or conclusion. Alford supplements these conversations with observations gleaned from reading about wisdom and aging, but that leaves his book feeling much like a doctoral dissertation. This is not light reading.
Marcus Aurelius
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