How Old is "Old"?

[texxasco]

How Old is Old? At what age are you when most people view you as being "old"?

1. 30-39
   
2. 40-49
   
3. 50-59
   
4. 60-69
   
5. 70+
   

[feelgood]

20

Why? I suppose it has dawn on me that I'm finally growing up and the pains of growing up is starting to dawn upon me

[texxasco]

Originally Posted by feelgood

20

Why? I suppose it has dawn on me that I'm finally growing up and the pains of growing up is starting to dawn upon me

Just curiosity.......... I remember when my Dad turned 40, I was a teenager then. We all thought he was "old". He got the usual "over the hill" coffee cup, etc gag gifts. Now I will be turning 41 this fall, and it's funny how I don't feel very old most of the time. But then, I'm 40 now. I was just curious as to how other's feel.... That's all.

[kramus]

I figure that 60 is a good target to call it old - before that is late middle age, and after that age starts killing people off. Besides, 60 is 150% of our "natural" ie sans modern health care age. In the good old days - read neolithic and older, we tended to die when we were in our late 30's/early 40's. We had fulfilled our biological imperitive by then, and imparted our wisdom and strength to the next generation. Any age after that was gravy. The modern era - read anti-biotics and sterilized surgical/anesthetic options coupled with true dentistry and an awareness of general health and nutrition - allows us to impart our wisdom and strength to the generations following our children by keeping us viable and vital beyond the 40-45 year limit.

Of course, I will be 48 next month, a grandfather of a sweet little girl, and prefer the tag middle-aged over old - but that's just me

[maleficent]

Originally Posted by kramus

Of course, I will be 48 next month, a grandfather of a sweet little girl, and prefer the tag middle-aged over old - but that's just me

When you are as cute as you are, gramps, no one would ever mistake you for old....

At 40, some days I feel very old... At TFP I feel very old, when I figure I am around the same age as some of y'alls parents. When I look at all I have not accomplished in my life becasue I've been too busy living my life, I don't feel old enough...

I'd go with 60 as being old... though my father, at 72, looks 20 years younger than he is (except for that whole hair loss thing, which he's not had since he was 30), survived three bouts of cancer, he walks every day, is an incorrigible flirt, still can't hold his liquor, tried retirement 10 years ago, and decided he was happier working and can and does run circles around the associates in his firm half his age... For him 72 is not old.

My mother at the same age, can barely walk from one end of the house to another without pain, has been living with artrithis for 20 years and a host of other medical problems... my mother -- 72 is ancient.

[feelgood]

Originally Posted by texxasco

Just curiosity.......... I remember when my Dad turned 40, I was a teenager then. We all thought he was "old". He got the usual "over the hill" coffee cup, etc gag gifts. Now I will be turning 41 this fall, and it's funny how I don't feel very old most of the time. But then, I'm 40 now. I was just curious as to how other's feel.... That's all.

I suppose I feel little more old than others due to what's going on with my life right now. I got enough shit going on for me, working 25 hours every week while going to university full time, managing homework, personal life.

I guess once I start my "real" life in the work force where I don't have to work my ass for 60/70 hours every week as I do right now, then I won't be feeling as old as I am right now.

[texxasco]

Originally Posted by kramus

I figure that 60 is a good target to call it old - before that is late middle age, and after that age starts killing people off. Besides, 60 is 150% of our "natural" ie sans modern health care age. In the good old days - read neolithic and older, we tended to die when we were in our late 30's/early 40's. We had fulfilled our biological imperitive by then, and imparted our wisdom and strength to the next generation. Any age after that was gravy. The modern era - read anti-biotics and sterilized surgical/anesthetic options coupled with true dentistry and an awareness of general health and nutrition - allows us to impart our wisdom and strength to the generations following our children by keeping us viable and vital beyond the 40-45 year limit.

Of course, I will be 48 next month, a grandfather of a sweet little girl, and prefer the tag middle-aged over old - but that's just me

Right on target..... I was thinking about 60 myself. I work in Corrections, and am a transfer officer. I used to work cellblocks and dorms, until I got smart and got into the transportation dept. I am in good shape now, fairly muscular, and at 200lbs have enough mass to kick some #!#@$! when I need to. But, uses of force are a rarity these days, since getting off the unit and onto our buses and vans. Still though I wonder if I am going to be able to go at it with a convict if need be at say 55, if need be. I am not one of those aggressive officers you hear about abusing prisoners, but I don't take any shit either. Resorting to force is always the last resort, but unfortunately not an uncommon occurance these days with the inmates getting meaner, and younger, and with less to lose.
My last use of force was about 6 months ago when I had to take a mean little 19 year old shit to the floor. I had to fight him, "place him on the ground", and then restrain him because a newbie officer on my wing froze up. I got banged up a little, but no real injury.. (I threatened to whoop the kid I was working with if he ever froze up like that again - he quit not long after). Afterwards I felt like I got my ass whooped, and was sore in places I hadn't been sore in a long time. I just wonder who'll win 15 years from now..

[The Magic]

Originally Posted by feelgood

I suppose I feel little more old than others due to what's going on with my life right now. I got enough shit going on for me, working 25 hours every week while going to university full time, managing homework, personal life.

I'd call that responsibility, not old age.

Anyway, to answer this question it really has to be defined what "old" is? We're assigning it to some age value, but why?

Personally, I will call myself old when I stop working, exercising, learning new things, and decide that I rather just sit down, relax, and sort of watch life go by. The way I see being old isn't just an age, but an attitude where one feels like they've sort of "been there, done that" and stops growing mentally, physically, or emotionally.

Probably about 60+

[eribrav]

I guess once I start my "real" life in the work force where I don't have to work my ass for 60/70 hours every week as I do right now, then I won't be feeling as old as I am right now.[/QUOTE]




If you only knew........

I suppose my reaction to that statement either marks you as a youngin or me as an old man

[texxasco]

I guess once I start my "real" life in the work force where I don't have to work my ass for 60/70 hours every week as I do right now, then I won't be feeling as old as I am right now.[/QUOTE]


It's gonna get a whole lot worse before it gets better.......

[thatoneguy]

I went with over 60, I feel like 30-50's is more of a "middle age" area of life, and after that I feel like people are "old" I guess.

Not that you can't FEEL old, I know I've had a frew moments where that's happened to me and I'm only 23!

[Johnny Pyro]

"Age is a frame of mind, not a number."

[Siege]

Originally Posted by Johnny Pyro

"Age is a frame of mind, not a number."

Yup! Old is a mind set. I know seniors in their 70's who are more energetic than a lot of the teens I know. Of course, i'm one of the younger members of the board, so I guess my opinion on this is a little biased.

[Sweetpea]

Well, i worked for several years with the seniors, most of whom were in their late 80's and early 90's, one gentlemen who was over 100!! And they had allot of spit and vinegar as they would say So, i think over 70 is getting there... but not "old" until about 85 or so and they can't function on their own too well anymore.

so i guess to me, getting "old" is when you can no longer function without someone helping you all the time.

And just to throw it in there... i've known allot of people in their 90's who were more passionate about life and everything it has to offer than most individuals in their 20's i know!



Sweetpea

[MooseMan3000]

Anyone who's more than eight or nine years older than me is "old." What can I say, I'm an immature little kid.

[kramus]

Originally Posted by sweetpea

Well, i worked for several years with the seniors, most of whom were in their late 80's and early 90's, one gentlemen who was over 100!! And they had allot of spit and vinegar as they would say So, i think over 70 is getting there... but not "old" until about 85 or so and they can't function on their own too well anymore.

so i guess to me, getting "old" is when you can no longer function without someone helping you all the time.

And just to throw it in there... i've known allot of people in their 90's who were more passionate about life and everything it has to offer than most individuals in their 20's i know!



Sweetpea

I don't have a word on the tip of my tongue for the stage past middle-aged vigour other than old. Unfortunately old is often a 2-part stage, with the latter stage - "aged" being the debilitating stage of dependance.

I don't think we can completely clear the 60-69 age range from being termed old (my exes family has had several deaths from age-related causes while in their 60's, as did my own uncle), but aged definitely is a later period than that.

[sol1301982]

Originally Posted by MooseMan3000

Anyone who's more than eight or nine years older than me is "old." What can I say, I'm an immature little kid.

Ditto. It was that way when I was 5 and it'll be that way when I'm eighty-five.

[filtherton]

I feel old every time i go into a gas station and see one of those "Your birthday must be before _______ to buy tobacco products".

[Rodney]

Old is when you can't stand on your own two feet and walk out the door and see the world whenever you want to, on your own terms. Or when you can, but don't bother anymore. Some people are not "old" at 85, while others get there at 50.

[bad jane]

i don't think there is such an age. i used to, but talk to some "old" people and ask them--it's generally about 20 years older than the person you ask lol

for me, i don't consider someone "old" till they hit their 80's or so. this is about the time when people seem to attend more funerals than birthdays for their friends. high school reunions are small enough to be held in someone's living room instead of the conference center. most of the friends still alive are widowed instead of divorced. basically, death is really a part of your life.

though i do remember when 30 was old (funny that...the closer you get to an age, the younger it seems!)

[Nisses]

all you people about the mindset need to shush

it's how old you are when most other people would think you to be old.

Just accept that you're aging dammit, no shame in it

[texxasco]

Originally Posted by Nisses

all you people about the mindset need to shush

it's how old you are when most other people would think you to be old.

Just accept that you're aging dammit, no shame in it

SSSSSHHHHHHHHHH!

[texxasco]

Originally Posted by Johnny Pyro

"Age is a frame of mind, not a number."

To a point Johnny Pyro... They say you are as old as you feel. But, I think a person is also "old" when they can no longer do the things they used to do as well, or at all. I don't mean to say that when you reach that point a person should crawl in a hole and die, but rather accepting that they are old is the right thing to do. I think it goes along with knowing your limitations. It's interesting to see how opinions vary on this subject though. I can remember when I thought 40 was "old"...and now I can still run with those half my age or more, and do it every day... physically and mentally, for now.

[Gilda]

This is how I generally think of general descriptors of people's ages:

Baby: Birth to about 2
Early childhood: 2-5
Child: 5-12
Teen: 13-19
Young Adult: 20-39
Middle Aged: 40-59
Elderly: 60 +

These are of course approximations in the childhood/adolescent years. Sissy is 19, but I think of her more as an adult than an teen, though she is indisputably a teenager.

I like this system, as it divides adulthood into three roughly equal sized divisions, with an equivilent number for childhood, and a transitional period in between them. I use "teen" instead of adolescent, as adolescent is quite vague, while "teen" has a concrete meaning that everyone agrees on.

I also don't think in terms of value judgements of any kind. A 60-year-old is in my classification system old, but that doesn't imply a lessened ability to do things, or that I would expect certain behaviors from an old person. Young, middle-aged, and old are to me, nothing more than neutral descriptors, much like a number. I know my mom had a difficult time when she turned 40, and I've never been able to figure out why. Once you're past your last big milestone birthday, 21, birthdays are of little importance other than as a personal holiday. Middle-aged or elderly doesn't mean less able, worn down, or anything but that your numerical age has reached a certain point.

Gilda

[ryfo]

For me it changes as I do, I remember when I was 15, I had this thought that by the time I was 35 I could die cos by then I would have done everything there was to do. Now that I am 40, I think that 80+ is the ideal time to leave this earth, but as for an old age 65 seems ok. Im with Gilda with that just because youre 'old' doesn't mean 'worn out' or 'useless'

[Leo]

Ditto to ryfo. What we consider 'old' definitely changes with age. I thought my oldest sister was old when she turned 20 and I was 15. Now I'm 40 I think 70 is old and 20 looks, well, a whole lot younger to me than it did when I was 15.

[raeanna74]

You are only as old as you act/feel. In a lot of ways that is true. I have seen some really crotchety 'old' people at only 40something. The ones who are negative cranks and 'can't' do anything because they're too old. Or the women who are chronic smokers who's voices sound like men's and their faces are so wrinkled they could be mistaken for a prune. Those are the ones I'd consider old.
On the otherhand there's people like my grandpa. I don't think he'll ever really look old too me. He is 87 yrs old, plays golf 3 days a week during summer, walks a mile daily, has coffee with the 'guys' each morning, and has traveled to Alaska, Georgia, Oregon, and Maryland in the past four years. Several times by motor home - not always flying. He does TaeChi once a week during summer and three times a week during winter. He's known to be out playing golf in the snow - as he did last spring. He has some wrinkles but his vitality and energy blind you from seeing the wrinkles even. He is more active, ablebodied, and joyful about life than so many middle-aged folks I know. That is how I want to age.

As for how old I feel personally? I am feeling in better health and more excited about life than I did when I was 25. I am facing some major changes in my life though with my tubal tomarrow. That subject is making me feel old in a different way but not necessarily a bad way. I'm still figuring this one out.