What age do you start to feel old?

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The discussion revolves around the perception of aging and the nostalgia for youth. Participants express varying ages at which they began to feel "old," with some citing 20 as a significant turning point, while others feel youthful well into their 30s and beyond. Many participants lament the loss of their teenage years and childhood, wishing for the ability to revisit those times, often with the knowledge they have gained. Physical changes and the slower recovery from injuries in later years are common themes, highlighting the contrast between youthful vitality and the realities of aging. There is a general consensus that while youth is often romanticized, many find value in the experiences and insights gained with age. The conversation also touches on the idea that maturity is overrated and that the rebellious spirit can persist regardless of age. Ultimately, the dialogue emphasizes the importance of living in the present and making the most of one's current stage of life, rather than dwelling on the past.
  • #31
When my father died.
 
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  • #32
When I started getting called ma'am.
 
  • #33
When I began learning calculus and I saw my classmates were chasing after girls.
 
  • #34
Evo said:
I didn't start enjoying life until I was 32.w I would never want to go back to being a child or a teenager unless I could retain all of the knowledge I have now.

But wouldn't you find it easier to gain more knowledge as a child or teenager than as an adult
 
  • #35
Benzoate said:
But wouldn't you find it easier to gain more knowledge as a child or teenager than as an adult
Not at all. From available resources, I have much more access to information now, as for retaining information, I am as sharp as when I was younger, plus I have more knowledge to build on, so I am able to do more with new knowledge.
 
  • #36
Benzoate said:
But wouldn't you find it easier to gain more knowledge as a child or teenager than as an adult
No, not necessarily. With age comes experience and assuming one is reasonably intelligent, one gains insight with experience.

Mental development is much like muscle development, both develop with use. One starts with minimal knowledge or strength, and through use (mental or physical exercise) the mind or muscles develop. If one stops using either, there is a tendency to lose some of that development.

It would have been nice 25 years ago to have had the insight and knowledge which I now have. But insight and knowledge come with age.

My grandfather was mentally keen at 103, and only deteriorated in his last year with recurrent illnesses.
 
  • #37
Evo said:
Not at all. From available resources, I have much more access to information now, as for retaining information, I am as sharp as when I was younger, plus I have more knowledge to build on, so I am able to do more with new knowledge.
And she can read minds, too. :smile: :biggrin:

Actually we just had the same insight.
 
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  • #38
Benzoate said:
But wouldn't you find it easier to gain more knowledge as a child or teenager than as an adult

Why?

One of the keys to success for a lot of jobs is knowing how to learn what you need when you need it, on your own. If don't keep up to date, you wind up being obsolete and expendable.
 
  • #39
we all get old, but many of us teach younger people, who continue our work after we die. this is eternity for us. hang in there, and have faith that the new generation will carry on.
 
  • #40
Evo said:
Not at all. From available resources, I have much more access to information now, as for retaining information, I am as sharp as when I was younger, plus I have more knowledge to build on, so I am able to do more with new knowledge.

Women's mental capacity tend to decrease allot less than that of men with age.
 
  • #41
Evo said:
Not at all. From available resources, I have much more access to information now, as for retaining information, I am as sharp as when I was younger, plus I have more knowledge to build on, so I am able to do more with new knowledge.

With age I got much better at research, but there's nothing like extreme youth for picking up certain kinds of skills really rapidly. I'm thinking of kids exposed to foreign languages who pick them up like sponges while their parents lag far behind, and similar things.
 
  • #42
When the young ladies wave at you and your wife looks at you and says "you're old enough to be their father..." That's when I started to feel old, not to mention when I walk across the house in the morning and everyone can hear my knees and ankles popping. That and when the young kids at work come to me and say "you have been around here for quite a while, I'm sure you've thought about a solution to this problem or can tell us where to start...".
 

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