Ageless 3484432 224668177 2008-07-09T21:59:01Z Lightbot 7178666 Units/dates/other {{articleissues|confusing=June 2008|essay-like=June 2008|original research=June 2008|unreferenced=June 2008}} '''Ageless''' is an adjective describing a person or thing whose [[aging|age]] cannot be defined, is nonexistent or does not change. It can also describe [[immortality]], most specifically [[eternal youth]]. ==Ageless people== Agelessness can be attributed to people whose physical characteristics do not match their age. The [[Castrati]] singers of the [[Renaissance]] aged differently than other men due to the lack of [[testosterone]] and other hormones, which took a toll on their appearance and stature. Specifically, [[Alessandro Moreschi]] (1858-1922) was described as having no facial hair and a young voice and appearance. ===Modern examples=== Agelessness is also something with which many [[Hollywood]] celebrities have been known to strive for, sometimes undergoing cosmetic surgery to attain it. [[Demi Moore]], [[Jamie Lee Curtis]], and [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] are particularly known for their efforts to appear 'forever young'. Television host [[Dick Clark (entertainer)|Dick Clark]] has been described as "America's Oldest Teenager." Many viewers have hardly perceived his having aged since the 1960s, despite being born in 1929. The appearance of [[Andy Milonakis]] is also ambiguous since he suffers from a hormone disorder, allowing him to perform the role of a young teenager in his shows. Actor [[Suzanne Somers]] attributes her youthful appearance to the use of [[bioidentical hormone replacement therapy]]. Her 2006 book ''Ageless'' continues the theme of her 2004 book ''The Sexy Years'' that restoring [[hormone]]s (especially [[sex steroid|sex hormone]]s) to youthful levels is the key to agelessness. ===Methods to achieve agelessness=== [[Cosmetics]] exist largely to aid in attempts to diminish the effects of age. This use sometimes creates conflicting age indicators (for example, red hair belonging to a wrinkled face), making age determination difficult. [[Botox]], [[silicone]] implants, [[tummy tuck]]s, [[facelift]]s, and [[nosejob]]s are examples of surgeries that attempt to remove the signs of age. Sooner or later, however, the effects of the passing years do start to show on the body as it endures wear and tear. Scientists across the world are also working on finding the [[senescence|reason of aging]] and have come out with various theories, but still have a long way to go before this phenomenon is fully understood and controlled. ==Mythology== Gods and goddesses were considered eternal in most ancient mythologies, and were endowed with [[eternal youth]]. In [[Greek mythology]], this was achieved by the gods eating [[ambrosia]]. ==Media and fiction== ===Comics and cartoons=== Agelessness is prominent in [[cartoon]]s, [[comic book]]s, [[comic strip]]s, and other illustrated media. Characters and situations are staged in an [[presentism (philosophy of time)|eternal present]] where change and causality are considered arbitrary and disposable. Ageless characters in comic books often appear as [[superhero]]es, deriving immortal or timeless properties from [[healing factor|accelerated or supernatural healing]], [[time travel]], [[interdimentional]] origin, and other fictional devices. In cartoons and comic strips, agelessness is used to preserve continuity in an [[episode|episodic format]]. ===Pulp literature=== Long-running series of [[pulp magazine|pulp novels]] can develop ageless characters. The main characters in [[The Hardy Boys]] have remained 17 and 18, and have been located approximately in the "present day" since 1926. The same can be said for [[Nancy Drew|The Nancy Drew series]]. Nancy has remained 18 years old for many decades (although she started out at the age of 16). [[James Bond]] is a realistic ageless character. Some of his ally characters, including [[M (James Bond)|M]], [[Q (James Bond)|Q]], [[Miss Moneypenny]], [[Bill Tanner]] and [[Felix Leiter]] also do not age throughout both the novel and film series, which began in 1953 and 1962 respectively. [[Ian Fleming]], the creator of Bond, tinkered with details of Bond's early life and changed dates to ensure Bond was always the appropriate age for his stories, a practice called [[retconning]]. ===Fantasy literature=== [[Tolkien]]'s [[Elf (Middle-earth)|Elves]] are an iconic example of creatures who are ageless. They are not subject to [[entropy]] and decay, unlike [[Edain|Men]] and the rest of the [[Middle-earth]]. Tolkien described his elves as young, yet with some 'wisdom' and experience in their eyes and behaviour; he also stated that Elves do change and age—not by growing old, but by changing other features in their appearance. The combination of youth and overwhelming maturity makes the age of an Elf undefinable and alien by mortal standards. The [[Aes Sedai]] of [[Robert Jordan]]'s [[The Wheel of Time|''Wheel of Time'']] series are described as ageless. A feature of their magical abilities extends life and makes their age difficult to place despite their white hair and physical frailty. ===Television soap operas=== [[Story arc]]s common in [[soap opera]]s, where characters and the relationships between them evolve over time, may ignore the increasing age of the actors. Soap opera characters may then discontinuously be reset to a greater age to match that of the actor, in a process fans of the genre call [[Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome]]. Characters may even seem to age backwards in instances where an actor is replaced with a younger one. ==See also== {{Wiktionary}} *[[Androgyny]] *[[Indefinite lifespan]] *[[Life extension]] *[[Neoteny]] *[[Pedomorphosis]] *[[Rejuvenation (aging)|Rejuvenation]] *[[Werner syndrome]] *[[Neverland]], a place in the ''[[Peter Pan]]'' mythos people can remain young forever ==References== *{{cite book | last = Somers | first = Suzanne | authorlink = Suzanne Somers | title = Ageless: The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones | publisher = [[Crown Publishing Group|Crown]] |date= 2006 | id = ISBN 0-307-23724-9 }} *{{cite book | last = Somers | first = Suzanne | authorlink = Suzanne Somers | title = The Sexy Years: Discover the Hormone Connection - The Secret to Fabulous Sex, Great Health, and Vitality, for Women and Men | publisher = [[Crown Publishing Group|Crown]] |date= 2004 | id = ISBN 0-609-60721-9 }} [[Category:Human appearance]] [[Category:aging]]