The article “Death and the Mid-Life Crisis” is selected to support the argument that the midlife crisis exists. This article discusses a decline in productivity among artists during the Middle Ages. The author suggests that the midlife phase is when adults grapple with the reality of mortality and the number of remaining productive years for one. While people go through significant changes, they often encounter a midlife crisis due to factors like the realization of mortality and the loss of youth, which significantly lead to emotional turmoil in people (Jaques, 2018). However, these factors are not guaranteed phenomena for everyone during middle age, but this period is still associated with a strong desire for change and emotional challenges.
The article “It’s NOT a Midlife Crisis It’s an Opportunity: How to be Forty-or Fifty-Something Without Going Off the Rails” is chosen to refute the argument that there is such a thing as a midlife crisis. It suggests that middle age can be an opportunity for self-discovery, growth, and a positive change in oneself, and one should not view it as a crisis. The article challenges the notion of the existence of a midlife crisis and encourages the target audience of its readers to embrace this phase of their life so that they can explore new paths for self-growth rather than “going off the rails” or feeling trapped (Marshall, 2017). So, instead of viewing midlife as a crisis, the author encourages readers to reframe their midlife in order to make the most of their forties and beyond.
In my opinion, whether or not the midlife phase ends up in a crisis, the phase allows an individual to fine-tune themselves as they navigate the path to their future life and years ahead. The period of midlife can be a challenging time for some of the adults, but it also offers an opportunity for self-discovery and growth. To me, it is the transitioning phase of self-confidence and identity that can occur in middle-aged individuals, which often leads to positive or negative shifts in perspectives, such as the desire to live more fully or mood irregularities in people.
References
Jaques, E. (2018). Death and the mid-life crisis. In Is It Too Late? (pp. 1–26). Routledge.
Marshall, A. G. (2017). It’s NOT a Midlife Crisis It’s an Opportunity: How to be Forty-or Fifty-Something Without Going Off the Rails. Health Communications, Inc.
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