THE FACIAL YOGA PRACTICE AS A DUAL ASPECT OF AGEISM

Year 2023, Volume: 7 Issue: 4, 113 - 132, 29.12.2023

Burcu Kömürcü

Abstract

In the twentieth century, medical and technological advancements led to a transformation in the demographic structure, resulting in increased life expectancy. Consequently, the elderly population also increased, leading to the emergence of social and economic problems. Issues such as the decrease in the workforce and inadequate economic resources have been brought to the fore, resulting in the development of prejudices and attitudes towards the elderly people. Such prejudices and attitudes have contributed to age discrimination, which has evolved from an outlook that views older individuals as an economic burden to an aesthetic concern whereby the standards of staying youthful and attractive are normalised. In other words, the scope of old age has expanded from being an economic burden to an aesthetic concern. With youth and beauty becoming universal standards, old age has become a category that needs to be erased. The beauty industry has transformed old age into a category that requires elimination, employing various techniques such as aesthetic treatments, surgical interventions, and skincare products to eradicate obvious signs of ageing. Today, a variety of alternative techniques that both conform to and challenge universal standards have emerged in the face of this sectoral expansion. One such alternative method that has gained a great deal of popularity in the last few years, especially on social media, is facial yoga. Facial yoga is a method to be practised daily to prevent sagging skin, without the need for surgical interventions or luxurious skincare items. The practice demands discipline and patience, and it appears to have surpassed the requirements of beauty standards owing to its affordability. However, while trying to erase the obvious signs of old ageing and reinforce the desire to stay young, it also becomes a part of the beauty standards that it has distanced itself from.

Keywords

elderliness, ageism, facial yoga

YAŞÇILIĞIN İKİLİ GÖRÜNÜMÜ OLARAK YÜZ YOGASI PRATİĞİ

Abstract

Yirminci yüzyılda tıbbın ve teknolojinin ilerlemesiyle demografik yapıda dönüşüm yaşanmış ve beklenen yaşam süresi artmıştır. Beklenen yaşam süresi arttıkça yaşlı nüfus da artmıştır. Bu demografik dönüşümün sonucunda sosyal ve ekonomik sorunlar açığa çıkmıştır. İş gücünün azalması ve ekonomik kaynakların yetersiz kalması gibi endişeler gündeme gelmiş ve yaşlı bireylere yönelik önyargı ve tutumlar geliştirilmiştir. Bu önyargı ve tutumlar, yaş ayrımcılığına yol açmıştır. Günümüzde yaş ayrımcılığı; yaşlı bireyleri ekonomik yük olarak gören bakış açısından genç ve güzel kalma kriterlerinin standartlaştığı estetik kaygıya dönüşmüştür. Diğer bir deyişle yaşlılık, ekonomik yükten estetik kaygılara doğru yelpaze genişletmiştir. Gençlik ve güzellik evrensel standartlara dönüştükçe; yaşlılık, izleri silinmesi gereken bir kategoriye dönüşmüştür. Güzellik sektörü, yaşlılığın belirgin izlerinden kurtulmaya yönelik estetik, cerrahi müdahale, bakım ürünleri gibi sayısız teknikle çözüm arayışına girerken yaşlılığı, izlerinin silinmesi gereken bir kategoriye dönüştürmüştür. Günümüzde bu sektörel büyümenin karşısında, evrensel standartların hem bir parçası hem de karşıtı olan alternatif teknikler geliştirilmiştir. Son yıllarda, özellikle sosyal medyada popüler hale gelen yüz yogası pratiği bu alternatif tekniklerin en göze çarpanlarındandır. Yüz yogası, cildin sarkmasını önlemek için kişinin her gün düzenli şekilde uygulaması gereken; disiplin ve sabır isteyen; cerrahi müdahale, pahalı cilt bakım ürünlerine ihtiyaç duymadan sıfır maliyetle yapılabilen bir tekniktir. Yüz yogası, maliyetsiz oluşundan ötürü güzellik standartlarının “olmazsa olmaz” şartlarını aşmış gözükmektedir. Ancak yaşlılığın belirgin izlerini silmeye ve genç kalma arzusunu pekiştirmeye çalışırken aynı zamanda mesafe aldığı güzellik standartlarının bir parçasına da dönüşmektedir.

Keywords

yaşlılık, yaşçılık, yüz yogası

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