Why do we hate old things? And how does it relate to fashion?

Do you get offended when someone calls you old?

Be honest. Most of us do, right?

It's a simple question, but it reveals a lot about the ageism embedded in our culture and in ourselves. It got me thinking: Why do we equate age with something negative, and how does that influence our behavior, especially when it comes to fashion?

Why do we hate old things?

Lately, working on posts about clothing repair has made me think—a lot.

Repairing your clothes is an act of rebellion against mass consumption. But why do we even need to rebel in the first place? Sure, we need clothes to wear, but fashion is about more than just utility—it's about self-expression. And let's be real: the need for self-expression, or maybe just attention, is driving mass consumption.

So here's another question: Why do we hate old things? Is it because, deep down, we actually hate old people? (Yeah, I know I'm exaggerating—but am I?)

What is ageism, really, and how does it connect to our obsession with trends and "newness"? Is it natural to reject the old? Is this just how things are? Or does it come from something deeper, like family trauma, or even our genes—a resistance to what the older generation represents?

Maybe this is why we have the need to reinvent ourselves again and again, why we latch onto trends, trying to seem younger, newer, more appealing to the world.

I see it all the time online: new slang, new styles—it feels like a secret language that separates the younger generation from the older. It's almost like a silent rebellion against what came before. But there's more to it. Maybe it's also a defense mechanism, protecting younger people from manipulation by older generations. The internet is a space where younger people seek connection and community, but it's not always safe. New slang could be a shield, a way to protect themselves from being exploited or misunderstood by those who don't belong to their world.

Is this protection why we keep buying into fast fashion? Is it really the fault of older generations? Maybe it's their economic choices and habits that created a world where natural resources are depleted, and we're left feeling disconnected and frustrated.

At the end of the day, though, it seems like so much of the solution lies in one thing: fixing our intergenerational relationships. We have to heal that if we want to heal anything—even our overconsumption.

So maybe the first step to a better world (and a more sustainable wardrobe) is this: 

Fix your relationship with your family