City of the Aged vs City of all Ages
In this article I deconstruct the polar cultural myths
about aging and how these two influencing memes generate two contrasting
scenarios for the future of the city. One meme can be seen as a weight
resisting the preferred future whilst the other provides the attractive pull
towards the preferred image. Both are interlinked by the reality of an aging
global population – a demographic driver that is shaping the city of tomorrow.
This preferred image however is not inevitable; I argue that memetic change of
western society’s episteme of aging is fundamental to achieving the City of all
Ages.
