Something that's really bugging me (yes, it's age-related)....

WannaWitness

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(Edited to keep things simple... hopefully!)

There is something I've been wanting to ask, and it's been eating away at me for quite a while. I posted this here as I figure that it is only natural for one in their 40s to ponder on such things from time to time, increasing with every year in the decade that passes. But now that I have given this more thought, it strikes me as amusing the way our minds tend to run at times.

The question is:

Why is it that 55 (and sometimes a little bit younger) are considered by some to be a "senior" and "old", yet when one dies at that age (and a little older) it's considered "young"? I welcome thoughts from different perspectives on this so that when I get a chance I can examine them and weigh them in an effort to put it all together and understand this from all sides and see it from a balanced perspective.

NOTE TO MODERATORS: If this post is not suitable for this section of the forums, please feel free to move it to where it would be a better fit.

Thanks. :)
 
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WannaWitness

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As someone in their late 50's, my advice to you would be to just embrace it. You can't stop the aging, and you can't control how other groups or individuals categorize you.

That's what I'm aiming to do. It's been said that "age is just a number", and I'm inclined to agree with that right now. Thanks for the input.

What I may do is edit my post so as to cut to my main question. Because it's actually kind of funny the way some people tend to think at times (yes, including myself).
 
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Sarah G

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I am 46 and find myself frequently put into the ''old'' category at work. I realise that I am old to the 17 year old interns and probably anyone under 35. What gets my goat a bit is the 65 years plus group (work is a mixture of paid staff, interns, volunteers) acting like I'm their age :scratch: I find them to be very competitive like they want to constantly prove that they're just as fit and active as I am (or more so). Honestly, it gets on my nerves! I have chronic pain so I don't feel inclined to compete with either the teenagers or the pensioners. I am thinking lately that pride and envy are the main motivators in society these days so that kind of explains it for me.

I'm not sure about your question. I think under 65 is young to die these days (here in central Europe). Preventative medicine should make dying before that unnecessary?

I consider 65+ to be ''senior'' because that's the retirement age.

I just find ageing to be so weird. I have really grey hair so that makes people assume I am older than I actually am. This weird process of not being old and not being young seems to me to be a lot like the early years of puberty (12,13,14...even 15) being neither child nor adult just somewhere in between, trying to understand all the changes going on.

Actually in the Netherlands when a man turns 50 he becomes ''Abraham'' and a woman ''Sarah'' which shows that 50 certainly was considered old in the past. I don't think people like the Sarah and Abraham thing so much nowadays :smile:
 
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WannaWitness

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I am 46 and find myself frequently put into the ''old'' category at work. I realise that I am old to the 17 year old interns and probably anyone under 35. What gets my goat a bit is the 65 years plus group (work is a mixture of paid staff, interns, volunteers) acting like I'm their age :scratch: I find them to be very competitive like they want to constantly prove that they're just as fit and active as I am (or more so). Honestly, it gets on my nerves! I have chronic pain so I don't feel inclined to compete with either the teenagers or the pensioners. I am thinking lately that pride and envy are the main motivators in society these days so that kind of explains it for me.

I'm not sure about your question. I think under 65 is young to die these days (here in central Europe). Preventative medicine should make dying before that unnecessary?

I consider 65+ to be ''senior'' because that's the retirement age.

I just find ageing to be so weird. I have really grey hair so that makes people assume I am older than I actually am. This weird process of not being old and not being young seems to me to be a lot like the early years of puberty (12,13,14...even 15) being neither child nor adult just somewhere in between, trying to understand all the changes going on.

Actually in the Netherlands when a man turns 50 he becomes ''Abraham'' and a woman ''Sarah'' which shows that 50 certainly was considered old in the past. I don't think people like the Sarah and Abraham thing so much nowadays :smile:

That's good input. Thank you for sharing. :)
 
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*LILAC

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Why is it that 55 (and sometimes a little bit younger) are considered by some to be a "senior" and "old", yet when one dies at that age (and a little older) it's considered "young"? I welcome thoughts from different perspectives on this so that when I get a chance I can examine them and weigh them in an effort to put it all together and understand this from all sides and see it from a balanced perspective.

I've wondered this, too. Society is so weird when it comes to aging. My mother sometimes thinks she's as young as her daughters and can do everything we can do, only better one minute and then in the next minute, she's "getting up there in her age"... Old people are so confusing! ^_^
 
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2PhiloVoid

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(Edited to keep things simple... hopefully!)

There is something I've been wanting to ask, and it's been eating away at me for quite a while. I posted this here as I figure that it is only natural for one in their 40s to ponder on such things from time to time, increasing with every year in the decade that passes. But now that I have given this more thought, it strikes me as amusing the way our minds tend to run at times.

The question is:

Why is it that 55 (and sometimes a little bit younger) are considered by some to be a "senior" and "old", yet when one dies at that age (and a little older) it's considered "young"? I welcome thoughts from different perspectives on this so that when I get a chance I can examine them and weigh them in an effort to put it all together and understand this from all sides and see it from a balanced perspective.

NOTE TO MODERATORS: If this post is not suitable for this section of the forums, please feel free to move it to where it would be a better fit.

Thanks. :)

I have no specific idea on this other than I think it's typical for younger generations to see themselves as being "more progressive" than the previous generations. I think, too, that this pattern is especially heightened in recent years due to the ideological and political polarizing shifts that have been permeating public thought over the last several decades. So, if I tell someone who is 25 that I just hit 50, bells sound and red flags can go up in that younger person's mind. Of course, there's also the fact that it doesn't help that an organization like AARP starts the ball rolling in its marketing tactics by targeting folks who are 50 and up ... :rolleyes:

2PhiloVoid
 
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WannaWitness

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Yes, I see what you all are saying. It does make sense to me that a lot of it is all about marketing.

Another thing that's crossed my mind about this whole thing is power of suggestion, I suppose, and probably one of the reasons we "middle-agers" are lumped in with people who are truly considered "elderly" (like 70 or so), sometimes even by those who are elderly themselves. Acting like we are part of "their generation" when we're not, and we are young enough to be their sons and daughters! Ask me about the Vietnam War, and I can't tell you a thing about it other than what I would read in history books, which does not have the same effect as someone who really lived and experienced that generation. Heck, I was barely alive when it ended. Me, I was in diapers at the time and learning to form sentences! And that's why lumping generation Xers (and even latter-year Boomers) in with true senior citizens is completely absurd to me.

Thanks again, everyone! :)
 
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mama2one

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Why is it that 55 (and sometimes a little bit younger) are considered by some to be a "senior" and "old", yet when one dies at that age (and a little older) it's considered "young"?

don't consider 55 as old at all
there are some retirees in my neighborhood
the ones in 60's still very active
only the ones in 80's slowing down

so guess I see 70 plus as older
 
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ProGoddess

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This is such an interesting question you have there.

In my scope of work, I look after many seniors. In the eyes of the world, they are called "elderly." In fact I don't really like the term being used. My oldest patient was 102. If I compared it with Moses, this person was young since Moses passed on at 120 years old. If I compared it with Adam... hmm... I don't think I want to go into it as Adam lived a long, long, old age which does not even exist in our world now. :doh:haha

If one lives till 60, he/she is only at the middle age. I wouldn't think this person is old since I have seen someone else who lived past 100 years of age. I guess it is also connected to our culture, life style and geographical area that we live in. In some countries, people of certain race may have a shorter life span, while others may live longer. In China, it is often seen farmers of 60s, 70s or 80s who are still actively working in their farm. In India, due to the high prevalent rate of people getting diabetes, either genetics or life style (such as diet), people may live a shorter live than others. Generally, if one would read some research on such matters, it may be found that people living in the city may live a shorter live than those who are living in the rural area. It is quite obvious that the life style of both side of people does play an important role of how long we live.

Though having said that, I strongly believe in Psalms 91:16 which the Lord says, "With Long Life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation."

So, one need not be troubled about life, as long as we live for the glory of God. How long do you wanna live? Tell the Lord about it! :)
 
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