In his book, “Lost in the Middle” Paul David Tripp does an excellent job of identifying cultural messages and analyzing how theses messages, when accepted and applied dramatically impact our thinking and our way of living.

For instance, Dr. Tripp lists seven elements of physical obsession that dominates Western culture. The first is “The youthification of Western culture”. He notes that if you are over 45 years of age, you won’t see yourself very often on prime-time television (oh there may be that occasional midlife or senior character… but seldom are they seen and even more seldom seen as playing a significant role). I put this statement to the test and started to list many of the most popular sitcoms of our time, like Siefield or Friends, etc. I seems Dr. Tripp is right there is a propensity to create shows around the lives of younger people.

Why is that significant? And how does programming designed to primarily depict the lives of young, vibrant, upwardly mobile, individuals affect the way we think and live?

Well first, the ideas that dominate popular media are a reflection of the ideals, values and perspectives of our surrounding culture. Otherwise they would not resonate with so many viewers. In other words, we are not just watching the programs but we are really in a significant way designing them by the way we think and live.

What messages then are we providing and promoting in the example of prime-time programming?

That not many people really live beyond 45 years of age – that life after that point is not very significant. When your physical attractiveness and mobility begin to wane your impact on the others is trivial.

This message however is the complete opposite of what we find in the Bible. Within the pages of Scripture many did not even begin their ministries until midlife or beyond and the elderly were typically highly esteemed. The Bible looks at youth and aging in the exact opposite way from our culture.

Dr. Tripp notes, “The tendency of our modern Western culture ot despise aging and to worship youthfulness is one subtle indicator of how far it has moved away from a biblical perspective on life”