What age do you start to feel old?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the subjective experience of aging and the point at which individuals begin to feel "old." Participants share personal reflections on their feelings about youth, aging, and the desire to return to earlier stages of life. The conversation touches on various ages at which participants felt a shift in their perception of youthfulness and vitality.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that they began feeling old at a young age, with one stating it was at 20, while another felt it at 52.
  • Several contributors express a desire to return to childhood or teenage years, citing nostalgia for youth and the simplicity of those times.
  • One participant reflects on the physiological changes that come with aging, noting that recovery from injuries becomes more difficult with age.
  • Another participant argues that the idea of being old at 20 is silly, asserting that significant accomplishments often begin in one's 20s.
  • Some participants emphasize the importance of living in the present and not dwelling on past regrets, suggesting that enjoyment of life can improve with age.
  • A few participants mention specific experiences, such as not being carded for alcohol, as markers of feeling old.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion features a range of opinions on when one starts to feel old, with no clear consensus. Participants express differing views on the significance of age and the value of youth, leading to a variety of personal reflections and experiences.

Contextual Notes

Participants' reflections are influenced by personal experiences and may not account for broader societal or psychological factors related to aging. The discussion includes a mix of humorous and serious tones regarding the aging process.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in personal reflections on aging, nostalgia for youth, and the subjective experience of growing older may find this discussion relevant.

  • #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.
 
Last edited:
  • #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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