aging isn’t ugly, but they want us to believe it is

the panic of growing older

Getting older is supposed to be natural, but lately it feels like a crime.

Everywhere you look - on Instagram, in movies, even in commercials - youth is celebrated like it’s the only currency that matters. Smooth skin. Shiny hair. Tight bodies. Meanwhile, the very thing we all move toward - aging - is treated like a failure, a flaw, something to fix.

We don’t even notice how deep it runs. Actresses over 30 “age out” of roles. Influencers rush to Botox at 23. Anti-aging creams promise miracles in glossy jars. And when someone dares to look their age? They’re suddenly “brave” for showing wrinkles, like existing past a certain point is rebellion.

"We do not fear growing old, we fear growing invisible."

But here’s the thing - the fear of aging isn’t just personal. It’s been built into us, marketed to us, sold to us again and again. In the rest of this essay, I’ll explore how media has shaped this fear, the pressures we face starting younger than ever, and why aging can actually be a gift if we stop letting the world define it for us.

"Youth has become our culture’s currency — and aging, its unforgivable debt."