I've heard it said before that ageism is the only -ism that everyone ends up experiencing.

You're 30, and I'm 32, which means that in a decade we'll both be in a federally protected class. I don't think there would be federal protections if ageism wasn't a huge problem for 40+ people. In another decade, we'll both be in our 50s, where ageism is definitely a problem.

I think all younger people, myself included, have a responsibility to fight ageism now so we don't get bitten by it ourselves later.