Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.DnvrFox
10-04-04, 06:21 AM
One more poll posted here with categories such as:
Under 18
18 - 24
25 - 34
35 - 44
45 - 54
55 - 64
Over 65
Almost all polls use the same format. Most with even closer age ranges for those between 18 and 65, for example, every 5 years.
Which means:
A 3 year-old's answer has the same value in the poll as a 17 year-old
A 66 year-old's answer has the same value as a 80 or 85 year-old.
Yet, a 54 year-old's answer has a different value than a 55 year-olds, etc.
Now, most poll software allows one to evenly distribute ages as one desires, and avoid this issue.
I believe that using age ranges such as the above (under 18; over 65)
1. Is a form of subtle discrimination against both younger and older folks.
2. Loses potentially valuable information. It is important for society to know, for example, that a 90 yo person is regularly riding a bicycle (or participating in whatever activity). With the age ranges described, the pollster would never know this rather significant fact.
3. Implies that responses from those over 65 are not very important, nor even desired.
I think it is also interesting that folks in ages over 50 seem to think it is sort of "cute" to be called "geezer" and "old fart" and whatever by other folks, and they seem to take pride in it. Like it is some sort of "Badge of Honor."
To me, it is demeaning. It represents a societal mindset about old, bumbling, foolish folks.
Now, this is not the end of the world, and this issue is not equal to the issue of world peace or nuclear proliferation. But it still rubs me the wrong way!
How about you?
(Standing by to avoid the brickbats and miscellaneous stones and sticks)! :D
Under 18
18 - 24
25 - 34
35 - 44
45 - 54
55 - 64
Over 65
Almost all polls use the same format. Most with even closer age ranges for those between 18 and 65, for example, every 5 years.
Which means:
A 3 year-old's answer has the same value in the poll as a 17 year-old
A 66 year-old's answer has the same value as a 80 or 85 year-old.
Yet, a 54 year-old's answer has a different value than a 55 year-olds, etc.
Now, most poll software allows one to evenly distribute ages as one desires, and avoid this issue.
I believe that using age ranges such as the above (under 18; over 65)
1. Is a form of subtle discrimination against both younger and older folks.
2. Loses potentially valuable information. It is important for society to know, for example, that a 90 yo person is regularly riding a bicycle (or participating in whatever activity). With the age ranges described, the pollster would never know this rather significant fact.
3. Implies that responses from those over 65 are not very important, nor even desired.
I think it is also interesting that folks in ages over 50 seem to think it is sort of "cute" to be called "geezer" and "old fart" and whatever by other folks, and they seem to take pride in it. Like it is some sort of "Badge of Honor."
To me, it is demeaning. It represents a societal mindset about old, bumbling, foolish folks.
Now, this is not the end of the world, and this issue is not equal to the issue of world peace or nuclear proliferation. But it still rubs me the wrong way!
How about you?
(Standing by to avoid the brickbats and miscellaneous stones and sticks)! :D