Lighter as We Go: Virtues, Character Strengths, and Aging

313 Pages·2014·1.676 MB·English

by  Mindy Greenstein, Jimmie Holland

Lighter as We Go

Lighter as We Go
Virtues, Character Strengths, and
Aging
Mindy Greenstein
Jimmie Holland
1
1
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© Mindy Greenstein and Jimmie Holland 2015
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Greenstein, Mindy.
Lighter as we go : virtues, character strengths, and aging / Mindy Greenstein,
Jimmie Holland.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978–0–19–936095–6 (hardback)
1. Aging—Social aspects. 2. Aging—Psychological aspects. 3. Well-being—
Age factors. 4. Middle age—Psychological aspects. 5. Middle age—Social aspects.
6. Older people—Psychology. I. Holland, Jimmie. II. Title.
HQ1061.G717 2014
305.260973—dc23
2014007924
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
Mindy Greenstein: For Rob, Max, and Isaac. Always.
Jimmie Holland: For my grandchildren with love, Jennifer, Madeline,
Delia, Andy, Elizabeth, Jimmy, Daniel, Owen, and Lilly, and in
memory of Gabriel.

Older adults constitute the only increasing natural resource in the entire world.
—Linda Fried
Dean, Columbia School of Public Health

Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction xiii
Part I: Character, Character Strength, and Continuity Over Time 1
1. The Oak Tree and the U-Bend: Age, Well-Being, and the
Experience of Me’ness 3
2. A Look at the Grownup Years: Early, Middle, and
Later Adulthood 15
3. Character Strengths and Virtues 26
4. Older Age in the Olden Days: A Brief History of Aging in the
Western World 37
Part II: The Virtues 65
5. The Virtue of Transcendence: Beyond the Self 67
6. The Underappreciated Virtue of Humor: You Can’t Spell Joy
Without the Oy 87
7. The Virtues of Humanity and Social Justice: Do Unto Others 103
8. The Virtue of Courage: If I Only Had the Nerve 125
9. The Virtue of Wisdom: Knowing What We Don’t Know 143
10. The Virtue of Temperance: Moderation in All Things (Almost) 162
11. The Virtue of Passing on to the Next Generation: The Bridge
Between Past and Future 199