As tensions mount around the globe, moments of laughter provide some much-needed balance to a news cycle that is currently awash with fear and negativity.
Media coverage around the COVID-19 pandemic has put the welfare of older people at the forefront of people’s minds, but in a positive twist, it appears that this interest is breaking down other social barriers.
Seniors, who over the last 30 years have been basically shunned from mainstream media attention, are suddenly being thrust into the online spotlight and gaining massive amounts of attention on social media.
Although established older social media starlets like baddiewinkle and iris.apfel have managed to amass millions of followers on platforms like Instagram, popular seniors on social media have been few and far between – until now.
In a time where people continually use online platforms to voice concerns, the carefree attitudes and unfiltered opinions of elderly people have cut through the hysteria like a hot knife.
The brutally honest opinions of Australian/Italian grandmother, Nonna Paola, are well known to some Australians, but a recent video of her trip to an Aldi supermarket has gained attention worldwide.
The short clip featuring a visibly fed-up Nonna who, unable to find groceries, managed to simply and effectively sum up the opinions of many who have shared her experience over the last few weeks
“We’ve been here to Aldi but we can’t find nothing here,” the grandmother says to the camera.
“The world, it’s f$%ked.”
The lack of available items at the grocery store has been a hot topic of conversation, but the foul-mouthed rant of an elderly woman from the UK was so epic that it almost feels as though she was venting for all of us.
In this video, a well dressed elderly woman holding a cup of tea unleashes a verbal tirade that sits in stark contrast to the warm and wholesome looking visual that we see on the screen.
While some seniors have gained popularity airing their frustrations about the current situation, others have found fame for their nonchalant attitudes regarding the concerns of the masses.
Current issues facing Italy’s elderly population are sad and well-known, but this has not been a deterrent for some older Italians who have decided to fight fear with fun.
Footage of Italian seniors playing instruments from their balconies alongside the younger generation has warmed hearts across the globe, and a video of a jovial Italian grandmother offering coronavirus tips has been viewed by millions.
Newer forms of social media like TikTok are well known for being predominantly used by children and teenagers who perform choreographed dance routines, but in recent times there has been an influx of newer faces.
Seniors are now pairing up with younger and more tech-savvy family members to star in dancing and singing videos that are quickly becoming viral sensations.
While there are few positives that can be drawn from a situation that has already taken so many lives, seeing the welfare of elderly people become a prominent social issue is refreshing.
The value that is placed on elderly people by younger generations is extremely important, and social media is one of the best available tools for bridging the communication gap between young and old.
Photo credit – iStock – SoIStock
