The Anti-Aging Paradox
Maybe it’s the looming end of the calendar year and the decade, maybe it’s my upcoming 26th birthday, maybe it’s all the targeted skincare ads - lately, I can’t stop thinking about the passage of time, and the concept of aging.
When I say I’m thinking about aging, I’m obviously also thinking about “anti-aging,” because the two go hand-in-hand in our current wellness climate. While our generation’s targeted ads might not be as overt as diet and beauty ads our mothers and grandmothers faced, the messaging we encounter is arguably more toxic because of its subliminality. The current mainstream wellness movement has largely ditched slogans like “weight-loss” and “anti-wrinkle” for platitudes about living your best life, and the ever-present idea of achieving a “healthy glow.”
About a year ago, the Body Politic book club read Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado, a collection of spooky short stories that incorporate sci-fi and horror elements to paint a dark picture of society’s views on women and their bodies. Machado writes of disappearing women who fade slowly into nothingness and women with limbs tied on by ribbons. Interestingly enough, it is Machado’s most realistic and least fantastical story that stuck with me the most - a tale of a woman who undergoes bariatric surgery after watching her sisters become thinner from the same procedure. At the end of the story, Machado skips forward years in the woman’s life to the day the woman dies at age 79. Just before the woman is seized by what seems to be a heart attack, she thinks, “this is where I learn if it’s all been worth it.” Since reading this line, I have not been able to get it out of my head.
As many have rightly pointed out, the current wellness culture’s emphasis on being as healthy as possible for as long as possible feels a bit like a capitalist scheme to increase our time on earth as productive workers. The longer we live, the longer we’re able to perform physical tasks, the longer we contribute to the economy. What’s weird is that no one talks about how this whole anti-aging saga ends (spoiler alert - you still die), or what anti-aging actually means or looks for a generation growing up on a planet that’s aging very rapidly. If you’re able to tune out the noise of celery juice tutorials, Reddit threads on skincare and debates over collagen smoothies; you might actually find yourself asking the same question as Machado’s character: is it all worth it? When will we know?
“The current wellness culture’s emphasis on being as healthy as possible for as long as possible feels a bit like a capitalist scheme to increase our time on earth as productive workers. The longer we live, the longer we’re able to perform physical tasks, the longer we contribute to the economy. What’s weird is that no one talks about how this whole anti-aging saga ends (spoiler alert - you still die), or what anti-aging actually means or looks for a generation growing up on a planet that’s aging very rapidly.”
Sonalee Rashtawar (on Instagram as @thefatsextherapist) has talked about how they like to think of their body as an heirloom. Sonalee writes, “my body is a family heirloom, passed down to me to survive famine and colonization, just as my ancestors dreamed. My body is supposed to look exactly like this, and I feel at peace with my body because it is a precious artifact to care for.” The concept of the body as an heirloom allows us to accept certain realities, rather than try to change, or “improve” them. It makes me wonder why the current wellness movement is so focused on creating and maintaining bodies that don’t look like they’ve been through any natural stages of life.
Shortly after my 25th birthday last year, I came across an Instagram post celebrating the anti-aging powers of Retinol. I like indulging in skincare products that make my skin feel soft or claim to prevent pimples, and I’ve heard of Retinol but don’t know much about it. I found myself googling at what age one should start using anti-aging skincare products. The internet had a million different answers, but many agreed 25 would be a good age to start. I didn’t want to think this way, but I found myself wondering, “if I don’t start now, will I regret it later?” I imagined myself on my deathbed, my last words, “if only I’d splurged on the Rescue Spa facial!”
It’s impossible to avoid “anti-aging” messaging (especially if you follow wellness influencers on social media) and it’s extremely hard to remain unaffected. We also can’t pretend society doesn’t see people differently based on the way they look, or the measures they appear to have taken to maintain their appearance.
I certainly don’t blame anyone for wanting to conform to those standards, but I also wonder about what collective action would be necessary to reverse this capitalist anti-aging fervor. Or, what personal internal work I might have to do to achieve that for myself - and whether that endeavor to do nothing in the face of aging is actually more laborious than just giving in and buying the Retinol.
I continue to hold out hope for a future wellness culture that prioritizes self-acceptance above self-improvement, and lived experiences over the abolition of fine-lines. In other words, I hope for a wellness movement that can age gracefully.
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Fiona Lowenstein (she/they) is the Founder and Events Director for Body Politic. They are a freelance writer, producer, and wellness practitioner based in NYC. Check out their work at fionalowenstein.com and follow them on Instagram at @fi_lowenstein for updates on their next yoga class, selfies, and dog content.
Erica Root is an artist, illustrator living and breathing art in Philadelphia, PA. She is a self-proclaimed art nerd (nearly as obsessed with Excel formulas as she is in art!). Check out her work on her Instagram @illustrate_this_life or on her website, ericaroot.com.
