Changing Demographics

Image caption: https://www.pexels.com/@pixabay

When reading a go-to brainless magazine recently, I had a disconcerting realization:

I’d aged out of it.

Women past a certain life stage shouldn’t wear particular skirt lengths. I’ve long since angled for my first job promotion. I don’t care to get advice from starlets—and I don’t believe they have much wisdom of relevance to me. And even as a single, never married, child-free woman, I don’t really care to hear a magazine’s hypothesis on what men notice about me first or the weird things men do when away from their girlfriends. (On that latter point, many of us can well guess. Regardless, why should I care?)

I remember an era when certain magazines seemed too old for me. They covered marital problems, gave child-rearing guidance, and talked about philanthropic priorities and asset management. Although some of these topics still don’t apply or appeal, magazines covering them hit a little closer to home.

Today, I can think of a longer list of publications that trend too young for me—rather than the other way around.

I’ve known for a long time that demographics matter when targeting messages. (Thanks, FrogDog!) Yet this is the first time I’ve noticed my own perspectives and interests shifting as I’ve gotten more, ahem, experienced in life. I can recall a time when I cared about what the younger-set magazines discuss—although I can’t muster interest now.

Viewing the evolution in my own thinking and perspective? Fascinating. I’ll chalk it up to another benefit of getting older.

How have your perspectives changed as you’ve added life experience?