If perception truly is everything, then to age in Amerika is a psychological disaster.

Amerika is a youth obsessed country;  a capitalistic consumer oriented country. All the power of capitalism goes into (via advertising, etc.) creating and maintaining this youth obsession.

Take women as an example. If you are female in Amerika, you must always look 25. You must be slim, long-haired, sexually alluring, preferably blond and dress youthfully. Even if you are 60.

This goes a long way toward answering the question why so many women who are 40+ are so fat, unhappy, depressed and ******. Simply put, there is no reasonable way for most of them to meet cultural expectations.

Either they let themselves go (fatties abound in the US) or they resort to grotesqueness to measure up (extreme diet and exercise, plastic surgery, etc.)

They can't win so depression and self-loathing abound.

Most mature women have known that horrible moment when a young, attractive man looks right through them. They have become culturally invisible: they are shocked and hurt.

Men suffer from all this too, but not as much. Younger women will sometimes actually see value in an older man. Rarely, but sometimes, so cultural invisibility comes later for men.

Mid-life money, Corvettes and condos only delay the inevitable. The same moment will arrive and so will the hurt and shock.

This is not as simple as all men are pigs or all women are *******.

If we know that the perception that we don't exist is created by the capitalist media and advertisers, why do we do we buy into it?

Every age has its beauty. Why not accept it and be how old you are? Be who you are. Forget those impossible perfections. Stop trying to be Barbie and Ken. Be real.

It is difficult but possible. I have seen it.

In France you see lovely older women dressed alluringly (but not like 20-year-olds) who are slim, can run in high heels over wet cobblestones and exude sexuality. You often see them with handsome younger men, who are clearly entranced. Why there and not here?

Maybe it's the champagne or maybe it's just sanity.

mce

I lived a life throughout this land, and with time, wisdom have I earned
I'll try my best, this is my pledge, to share with you what I have learned
with a growing strength and new found wisdom, surely I've become  brighter
out of somewhere then came this burning desire, to be this new type of fighter

Not with  muscle or aggression, this is not an obsession, I would ever aspire
but with pen and paper and the truth to shape her, to this could I ever admire
discovering this power close at hand, knowing that it would finally afford
an opportunity for me to persist, because the pen is mightier than the sword

You, my adversary, might steal my money or cause me some shame
but know for sure, the words of my heart you would succeed only to inflame
mustering the will with all my strength, to oppose you when you conspire
but in the end the truth will be known, and the truth alone all will acquire

I have nurtured this dream since I was little, to find a way to bind
to make my words and thoughts come alive, and of a singular kind
so just plant this one thought in your mind, and never ever let it go
only with paper, pen and writing again, can you ever expect to grow

Reflect her,
if you dare,
over the translucent image
of summer rain.

Hold her
long after her coffee is gone
and the walls are reminiscing
about the days of her scent.

Hold her,
if you dare,
after the rain is gone
and someone else's face
is staring at your obsession.

I won't blame you.