• No products in the basket.
cart chevron-down close-disc
:
  • Arts & Culture
  • Issue 39

Grow Up

In praise of aging. Words by Debika Ray. Artwork by Katrien De Blauwer.

Canadian psychologist Elliott Jaques coined the phrase “midlife crisis” 55 years ago, which means the term itself is poised for a wobble of its own. It’s certainly the case that midlife crises today are more a subject of ridicule than serious psychological enquiry—they are an all-singing, all-dancing popular culture trope.  

As in films such as Sideways, Lost in Translation and American Beauty, when we visualize a midlife crisis, we see a middle-aged man confronting his swiftly vanishing youth, the looming inevitability of death and his perceived lack of achievements by making drastic changes to his life. He often responds by attempting to change the course of past decisions and striving to reclaim his youth—perhaps by quitting a serious job to pursue a dream, buying a flashy car and fashionable

K39_Product_Cover_Thumb

This story is from Kinfolk Issue Thirty-Nine

Buy Now

This story appears in a print issue of Kinfolk. You’re welcome to read this story for free or subscribe to enjoy unlimited access.

Subscribe

Kinfolk.com uses cookies to personalize and deliver appropriate content, analyze website traffic and display advertising. Visit our cookie policy to learn more. By clicking "Accept" you agree to our terms and may continue to use Kinfolk.com.