The journey of Butler’s elaboration and promotion of the concept productive
ageing was simple and straightforward. First, he made out a case for a need to challenge
ageism, and other forms of discrimination and stereotypes of ageing and older
persons. Additionally, in earlier years, he pointed to a need for a politics of ageing.
For society and social actors to be politically effective in challenging stereotypes
of older persons, he proposed a movement that attained a number of thresholds: