At what point are you old?

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08-25-11 | 01:10 PM

#76

rkokish

Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2006

Posts: 79

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From: Colorado Rockies

Quote:

Originally Posted by DnvrFox

I am totally missing your point. Yes, of course there is a number involved. Are you trying to say it is the same number for all of us? If so, you are denying genetics. The obituaries are full of folks for whom "old age" was 62. Others, genetically, aren't even close at 62. So, who determines that number? You? I sure hope not. Me - YES, I (and only I) get to determine my "old age" number. Hey, I'm not there yet. It may take a few years - oh, say 20, before I determine "my number" is up.

There are some who dwell on that number, and some that don't. I am not a dweller. I am a doer. How about you? Doer or dweller?

So, what is your point? We should all sit around and dwell on the fact (or not) that we are now in "old age" because we reached a "number." Not I. You are welcome to do that. Me, I will continue thinking I am young. It is MUCH more fun.

Yes, I suppose the number is pretty much the same for all of us and no, it's not worth arguing about exactly what that number is.

My point is not about the number, but about the way many posts define the term. There seems to be a reluctance to say "I am old." Why? Like every other period of life, "old:" has its upsides and its downside. Our culture tends to over-value the upside of youth and under-value the upside of old age. This is not a good thing and the posts I'm referring to seem to reflect and reinforce that negative attitude by suggesting that for humans the measure of "old" is somehow different than for everything else on the planet. Therefore, "I'm not old till I say I am."

I'm certainly not suggesting we should dwell on being old. I'm suggesting we embrace rather than deny old age, however we choose to live it. I'm suggesting we change the culture.

08-25-11 | 03:34 PM

#77

gcottay

Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 3,770

Likes: 2

From: Green Valley AZ

Bikes: Trice Q; Volae Century; TT 3.4

Old Age Sticks

old age sticks
up Keep
Off
signs)&

youth yanks them
down(old
age
cries No

Tres)&(pas)
youth laughs
(sing
old age

scolds Forbid
den Stop
Must
n't Don't

&)youth goes
right on
gr
owing old

-- ee cummings

08-25-11 | 04:20 PM

#78

DnvrFox

Banned.

Joined: Aug 2001

Posts: 20,915

Likes: 12

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkokish

Yes, I suppose the number is pretty much the same for all of us and no, it's not worth arguing about exactly what that number is.

"Old" is SO MUCH MORE than a number. When someone describes another person as "He is SO old," they mean a whole lot more than a number - they mean an attitude, a posture, a measure of invigoration, strength and a whole lot of other characteristics. It is not a complimentary term, IMHO.

So, I guess we will simply have to disagree here, as we see "old" entirely differently.

Last edited by DnvrFox; 08-25-11 at 05:47 PM.

08-25-11 | 05:09 PM

#79

Bionicycle

No I'm Not a Pirate!

Joined: Aug 2007

Posts: 694

Likes: 1

From: The middle of somewhere in Indiana

Quote:

Originally Posted by DnvrFox

"Old is SO MUCH MORE than a number. When someone describes another person as "He is SO old," they mean a whole lot more than a number - they mean an attitude, a posture, a measure of invigoration, strength and a whole lot of other characteristics. It is not a complimentary term, IMHO.

So, I guess we will simply have to disagree here, as we see "old" entirely differently.

(Hypothetical) A person swims the English channel at the age of 30 years. Wow that's impressive... The same person swims the English channel at 80 years. Wow, that's really amazing and almost unheard of... What's the difference? 50 years... How did we judge there to be a difference? 50 years were added to the persons life. It says nothing of his overall condition compared to then and now; could be he was in better condition at 80 then 30... You may be in the best condition of your life, but people first judge you by the number of years you have been alive before comparing conditioning. It's just the way it is... Likely if you are 20 years older than someone else, they view you as OLD.