In an episode of “The X-Files,” Fox Mulder and Dana Scully square off against a monster that uses words as spells over people. Mulder could not convince a jury that words could kill. Some scientists, however, believe words can wound and kill. The monsters are people who too often say “I’m old” or “You’re old.”

In 1969, gerontologist Dr. Robert N. Butler coined the term ageism, regarding it as a “disease” that leads to discrimination and prejudice against one age group by another.  He found widespread discrimination among older people then that still lingers today.

Age is the butt end of a lot of jokes and a poorly understood concept in the U.S.  College students, for instance, too often seem to believe “old people” cannot attend school. Many quit because they believe they are too old to attend college, even though there are no rules on age.

It is understandable. Americans have for centuries created a dysfunctional and mythological stereotype about aging.  Body dissatisfaction lends itself to the sociological theory known as stereotype embodiment. Stereotypes can be learned at a young age and become internalized. This means, unfortunately, that almost everyone has a precursor for believing anything.

An origin story proceeds every reaction. Drawing from prevailing culture, a stereotype can operate unconsciously, gain salience from self relevance and be internalized across a life span. People repeat or mimic detrimental stereotypical behaviors that target an individual’s age, including their own. Mimicking is a powerful social force that influences perception. Stereotypes about time and age in American society can be harsh, but they should not be. 

During an interview on Dutch TV the host asked music superstar Prince if he really believed in not counting the years or his birthdays.

“I don’t celebrate birthdays,” Prince answered. “So that stops me from counting days, which stops me from counting time, which allows me to still look the same as I did 10 years ago.”

Prince was on to something. Neuroscience theorists generally agree humans have two types of time: cognitive and physical. One is the neurological age of a person and the other is the body.  Most people think time is clocks, calendars and birthdays. Scientifically, clocks are good for keeping schedules and logistics, but biologically clocks are irrelevant.

The clock we rely on worldwide runs on the Prime Meridian, a spot on a map established in 1884. The Greenwich line was drawn at the International Meridian Conference held in Washington D.C. to be the starting line where all time begins to tick. Move left or right on the globe and one creates a different time zone.

This kind of time is an artificial construct. Humans created clocks and chartable time. There is nothing cellular, wet or alive about that.

Prince did not worry about getting old and stayed young. He did not buy into the American stereotype of aging and did not age as fast as others. Age truly is just a number. And, to use another cliché that happens to be true, we are as young as we feel.