“The War on Ageism” or How Ageism Is Reduced During Wartime

Abstract Objectives The study evaluated the perceptions of lay people in Israel concerning the presence of ageism during the Swards of Iron war. Methods An online survey was administered to 911 Israelis during the month of April 2024. Respondents provided responses to two open-ended questions concerning their general views on ageism during the war in general as well as their own personal experiences with ageism during the war. Results In total, 50% of the responses discussed a reduction or non-existence of ageism during the war in general, whereas 72% of the responses discussed such a reduction or non-existence of ageism based on their own personal experience during the war. This was attributed to: a) growing collaboration between young and old, b) younger people’s willingness to sacrifice their lives, and c) older persons’ contribution during the war. Discussion The findings are discussed in the context of the contact theory and the theory of successful aging. It is of note that a horrific situation such as the war and neo-liberal values that advocate for activity and contribution may have unexpected positive consequences in the form of reduced ageism.