？Por qué los viejos? Reflexiones desde una etnografía de la vejez

this paper explores the ways in which different human groups or social sectors create diverse images, representations, and ideas about "old people". from an ethnographic perspective, the article discussed three topics: cultural diversity in notions of old and aging; the interrelation between the symbolic construction of these notions and the personal experience of aging; and finally, ideas related to the ethnography of aging. an ethnographic approach to "old age" should combine biological and sociocultural ideas about age. accordingly, the analysis may be compounded by a two-dimensional approach: the way in which every society or social group culturally characterizes the collective "old people", and the way in which the subjects experience the psychophysical and social changes typical of old age. finally, working with aging people should include a discussion of the researcher？s perspective. thus, in searching the most suitable answers to the problem of aging, the subject of age takes us from traditional societies to the actual scenario of our own society.