Outline and assess postmodernist explanation of age inequality (40 marks) Age explanations have changed over the years and various sociological theories have different explanation on age inequality. In this essay I’m going to analyse various explanation on age inequality by weberians, Marxist, functionalists and postmodernist. Postmodernist are the only theory which is applicable to today’s world. Postmodernists believe that age inequalities have been blurred due to various explanations. Jane Pilcher states that modernity and industrialisation are responsible for the low status of both young and old within society, as they have both been excluded from the workplace. The boundaries are becoming now blurred however, people are not acting in the way that they are expected to. Stages in the life course can no longer be clearly identified. Medical advances have lead to Ivf leads to older pregnancies, cosmetic surgery allows people to look younger for longer period of time, and children dress almost identical to adults. Various of phrases have even be developed to describe the blurring of age groups such as mutton dressed as lamb to describe the older ages dressing more younger. People now have choice in how age will affect their life. Pilcher however acknowledges that age inequality does still exist although she states that it is becoming less rigid. This belief can be supported by another postmodernist such as Featherstone and Hepworth as they go on to suggests that the changes are even more profound than she states. Featherstone and Hepworth argue that children and adults are becoming more alike as it is impossible to segregate children from the adult world in a media saturated society. Middle aged people are more likely to try to maintain the looks, activities and pursuits of their youth and are rejecting chronological age restraints. According to this