The importantce of "age" to you?

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Okay, so, this is one I've been thinking about alot recently, for reasons I'll not go into at this exact moment because it'd give me a headache and just confuse everyone. Or generate a bunch of giggles.

People have this tendancy to take a person's age and, well, add TONS of importance to it. Its this big number that means... everything. You're judged so much on it, really. Maybe someone thinks you're "too old for something", which in many cases, you dont actually have to be at all old for. I remember getting hit with that one as a kid a few times, ugh. Or maybe they think that, if you're at a certain age or past, you WILL have certain knowledge or experience... a very strange assumption if you ask me. And the reverse of that happens too: if you're BELOW a certain age, of COURSE you dont understand such and such.

But it's not just used in judgement of others.... alot of people seem to readily apply it to themselves. Taking something they genuinely like, and dropping it because "I'm too old to be doing this particular thing", even if it's something harmless that you like. Or they'll dress a certain way because that's what the age group does. All of this, because of what really boils down to a number.

That number's importance though, I find, can get called into question. Most people that meet me, will look at me, and they havent the foggiest damn clue how old I am. Apparently, I appear much younger, to most, than I actually am. But they'll still take the ASSUMED number, and use it in these ways. Are they taking it too seriously, getting too much from it in general, that they're doing that? What's the point?


I dunno. This one just bugs me. The more I think about it, and the more I see it in some cases (depends on the situation), the more it bothers me recently, so I'm just wondering if anyone here has any particular perspectives on it.

I've always looked younger than my age--until recently. Since I look older now, I tend to be treated with more respect than previously. I get aggravated, though, when people think I need help with things.

The hive mind only operates within the parameters of hierarchal structures.

I think that age matters a lot, but only to the individual. For example, every year I feel far more wise/experienced than the previous year. Though, I feel there are many people older than I am that are ignorant bigots and maybe never passed the maturity level in thinking that I did a few years back.

So you can't really compare two people based on age IMO.

_________________
Unapologetically, Norny.
-chronically drunk

The bit about age what bugs me the most is about Christmas. I've been working two Christmas days running, and I can't say it's very enjoyable at my workplace on Christmas day, because there always seems to be a miserable atmosphere. This year, my contracted day falls on Christmas day AGAIN, and I really don't want to work another Christmas day. When I tell some people how I feel, they just say, ''oh, what is Christmas day anyway? It's OK if you have small children, or you're a little child yourself, but really, it's just another day.''

So apparently once you hit somewhere in your teens, you're ''too old'' for Christmas, and so shouldn't have to worry about what you're doing on Christmas day any more. But then when someone says ''oh, I'm spending Christmas day on my own'', people are all like, ''aww, you're going to be on your own on Christmas day? Aww, that's not good, you don't want to spend it on your own...'' But I thought Christmas day was just another day once you're an adult?

People just can't make their minds up. I feel that Christmas day is a special day whatever age you are. I grew up having wonderful Christmases that were always so exciting as a kid, and not only the memories are still with me, but also that sort of feeling you get on Christmas eve. I see little children in public who look excited and believe in Santa, and I can sort of feel their excitement, which brings back the Christmas spirit to me. Also it's hard to ignore all the Christmas commercials on the TV and all the Christmas stuff in the shops and so on.

So no, Christmas day does not become another day once you're older. It's what you make of it. In my book, Christmas day will always be Christmas day.

It exists even in this forum, the different age group sections. Age holds no boundaries on me when it comes to friendship. I also intend to roughly dress the same way as I am now for most of my life if not all, unless I need to clean up more for some occasion. I'm also not a helpless adolescent either, I know how to take care of myself such as cooking all my own food and handling all my own errands. I try to live like an ageless individual for the most part. Age does come a lot more into to play in my mind though when it comes to relationships though. Right now I think the only age groups I could date would be anywhere from 3 to 4 years younger to 2 to 3 years older, most 25 year old women aren't going to date a 21 year old man. Any younger and you run into legal problems. That is the reality of it.

I see it both ways these days. Age didn't mean much to me for a long time, but I found that it pays to bear in mind that it can be a useful predictor of some characteristics of a person. Though it's never a foregone conclusion that the general characteristics of age can be rightly assumed, in any particular case. To do that would be as silly as thinking that all men are obsessed with football. The only way you can tell if a person has a particular trait is to look at the person.

I'm rather against this idea that older people cease to be able to learn. I think the ability to learn depends more on the desire to learn.

I hate my age. I am almost 27 now and I don't feel like it at all. I feel I am stuck in my late teens(or rather - I am growing up much slower than I am supposed to). I look like that and act like that. I am not an "adult" yet, not to mention "someone getting close to their 30s". People my age are supposed to have a job, live on their own and have a partner or at least have kissed someone in their lifetime. Neither of it applies to me.

Untill people know my age they act helpful and nice towards me. I feel quite comfortable with them because they don't expect from me what I cannot do and they patiently answer my questions. They seem to think I am still young so it's OK for me to be unexperienced and need guidance even in "basic" social situations.

Then suddenly a question about my age comes. Usually it just slips with the question "How old are you?" but sometimes they ask my mom "How old is your kid?" or ask me "What school you attend to. Are you still in middle school? Or you are already a highschooler?" or "Are you legal age yet? When is your 18th birthday?". Then once they hear I am 26 and graduated college already they suddenly seem to lose their ability to speak and all they can say for next a few minutes is "For real?", "What is the year of your birth?" with long times of awkward silence in between. I hate it.

And people who know about my age already tend to patronize me: "You are an adult, act like one.", "You are not a baby.", "My 15 year old kid can do it and you can't?", "When are you getting married? Clock is ticking, you know? You can't be picky anymore.", "Stop being lazy, get a job. You can't depend on your parents forever. Aren't you feeling awkward?", "If you don't start working soon you won't have enough work years to get retirement once you get old."
As if it was my choice to be immature!

I'm 16, and older people always assume I know nothing of politics or history..... but certain subjects in politics and history are actually my SPECIAL INTERESTS. for example, warfare and weaponry. I also like to learn about cool inventions from all over the world.

Age is a nightmare to me.
But ONLY because of societal expectations.

I have once read a metaphor of autism as "eternal childhood", and to some extent I believe that to be true.
I feel as though I haven't completed a developmental milestone at a young age which created a snowball-effect that has since then prevented me from developing properly.
But my passport says I'm an adult. Per social law I'm told I should behave like one.
But I know I can't, because I haven't been able to develop the tools necessary to be one.

In my heart, I'm still a kid.

I just went 62 the other day, but I certainly don´t feel that way, - more like 36 - and my health numbers says 42, - so I´ve decided, that I am as old as I function.
Societal expectations regarding age and behavior was made by him below on an angry day!