‘Mappies’ - over 50 and fun loving people

LONDON - The word “mappie” stands for mature, affluent, pioneering people, and describes a growing social group of active, fun-loving 50- and 60- somethings.

Far from suffering from the empty nest syndrome, mappies are keen to embrace new projects when their children leave home.

They are au fait with the latest technology, love travelling to far-flung places and are happy to splash out on some of life’s luxuries.

In Sweden, where the term originated, mappies have their own magazine which defines them as older people “who have time and money and want to spend them,” reports the Telegraph.

Amelia Adamo, editor of M magazine, said: “We are many, we are curious, we want to influence and feel part of everything that happens. First we were hippies, then yuppies, and now mappies.”

According to M, turning 60 is the new 40. Role models include Mick Jagger, who shows no sign of slowing down despite turning 67 last year.

If the “yuppie” (Young Urban Professional) was the phenomenon of the 1980s and the “dinky” (Double Income, No Kids Yet) emerged in the 1990s, the “mappie” is set to be a dominant force over the next decade.

Anastasia de Waal, deputy director of the thinktank Civitas, said: “Not that long ago, people in their 50s and 60s would have been thinking of slowing down. That’s not the case any more.”

“One reason is that people are living a lot longer and in more robust health. We no longer think of our 40s as being middle age.”

“You might talk about a new life cycle - turning 30 now is the equivalent to turning 18 or 21 a few decades ago, because it’s when semi-adult life begins.”

“People are getting married later, having children later. So when you get to your 50s and and 60s, that’s the new middle age,” de Waal said.