Does Age Matter?

[Tamara224]

In these forums?

Does a poster's age effect the way you read their posts? Do you give more or less credit to a person based on their age?

 

[Inkachu]

Absolutely.

Are there exceptions? Yes.

 

[SmileAndAHandshake]

Age does not matter for me. I never take it into account. It never impacts negatively or positively how I read someone's response, with perhaps a very few exceptions.

 

[ceh85]

Not really, I look more at what the person is saying. Sometimes I can tell roughly how old someone is from how they post though.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

Yeah. Often the content of people's post correlates directly with their life experience. Like if it's a 40-something bashing video games or a new way of thought I'm gonna take it less seriously as people get a lot more stubborn as they get older.

 

[mina]

not really, unless someone is bashing others for their age- then i look at how i read their post and usually think they are insecure. If it's a good post it's a good post regardless of age. If it's a dumb post , it's a dumb post regardless of age.

 

[Niels]

I pay more attention to content of a post than to the age of the poster.

 

[Wren]

It depends on the person, but I think like Ishida...only in the opposite way. A person's posts are influenced by life experience and if they are lacking life experience, it often shows. I can often tell if someone is young (under 25) by what they post...sometimes in a way that makes me shake my head and think "I used to think like that too when I was younger" or "you'll understand when you get older." The 2nd thought is kind of condescending, so I wouldn't say/type that to a poster, but I do think it. Some young posters are naive due to lack of experience, which is perfectly normal. And I feel I connect better, oftentimes, with older posters.

However, I don't assume that because someone is younger that they are naive or are not to be taken seriously. Its just obvious sometimes how connected their age is to their posts. There are some young people who regularly post here, though, who generally come across as mature and their age doesn't really mean anything to me.

 

[BarelyBreathing]

In short: No.

There are a few people here who are not much different in age than I am, yet their posts would have been me 10-15 years ago. There are others who are much younger than I am or much older than I am, and their posts are right on target with mine--regardless of their age or mine. I notice age if it is listed in a person's postbit, but I also notice avatars, locations, denominations, etc. None of it means nothing to me about how they post.

So, no, age doesn't matter in how I read or respond to their posts. It is only one tiny factor of a great man that influences who a person is and where they are at in life. It can help explain some things, but it is not what determines things in an overall sense.

Personally, I wouldn't care if everyone hid their age.

 

[jpcedotal]

Gosh y'all are so politically correct.

 

[Tamara224]

It depends on the person, but I think like Ishida...only in the opposite way. A person's posts are influenced by life experience and if they are lacking life experience, it often shows. I can often tell if someone is young (under 25) by what they post...sometimes in a way that makes me shake my head and think "I used to think like that too when I was younger" or "you'll understand when you get older." The 2nd thought is kind of condescending, so I wouldn't say/type that to a poster, but I do think it. Some young posters are naive due to lack of experience, which is perfectly normal. And I feel I connect better, oftentimes, with older posters.

However, I don't assume that because someone is younger that they are naive or are not to be taken seriously. Its just obvious sometimes how connected their age is to their posts. There are some young people who regularly post here, though, who generally come across as mature and their age doesn't really mean anything to me.

That's pretty much my opinion on it.

Sometimes I'll read a post and I'll be like then I'll notice the age of the poster and I'm like "oh, ok, that explains it."

Also, sometimes I'll read a post and think "wow! That's really wise" and then I notice the age and am surprised because the person is a lot younger than I would have guessed.

And.... sometimes I'm surprised that an immature (IMO) post was posted by someone who is older than me.

 

[Apollo Celestio]

It depends on the person, but I think like Ishida...only in the opposite way. A person's posts are influenced by life experience and if they are lacking life experience, it often shows. I can often tell if someone is young (under 25) by what they post...sometimes in a way that makes me shake my head and think "I used to think like that too when I was younger" or "you'll understand when you get older." The 2nd thought is kind of condescending, so I wouldn't say/type that to a poster, but I do think it. Some young posters are naive due to lack of experience, which is perfectly normal. And I feel I connect better, oftentimes, with older posters.

However, I don't assume that because someone is younger that they are naive or are not to be taken seriously. Its just obvious sometimes how connected their age is to their posts. There are some young people who regularly post here, though, who generally come across as mature and their age doesn't really mean anything to me.

I meant it both ways, like if you have a 20 year old about to kill themselves because they broke up with their GF I'd want to dragon kick them. (with logic!)

 

[Beauty4Ashes]

No. I care about what is being said. I'm not going to discriminate against someone by making value judgements based upon their age. I may judge them by what they post though

 

[Blackguard_]

Gosh y'all are so politically correct.

I'd expect a Southerner in his mid 30's to say that.


Age does effect how I see a poster sometimes, but I find myself regarding a posters location as more important more often. e.g. an attitude on various political/social issues having a lot more/less support in their region.

 

[alfrodull]

Depends on the post. If it's a theological, political, or other sort of ideological conversation, I don't even bother to look. If the person is asking for advice, however, their age can be relevant.

 

[toastface_grillah]

No.

I look more at what the poster's saying in that thread, and what they've said before in other threads. Sometimes age really is just a number.

 

[jpcedotal]

I'd expect an Easterner in his mid 30's to say that.

AGe does effect how I see a poster sometimes, but I find myself regarding a posters location as just as important sometimes. e.g. different attitudes on various political social issues having a lot more/less support in their region.

Exactly...we get so caught up in "individual" concept, we dismiss and even label things like age and race and location and social background and religion and upbringing as prejudices.

But sociology is a pretty legit social science.

And like brinny said...there are exceptions....but starting with this box isn't a bad place to form angles, then let the individual break out of it or close it.

This whole starting with the individual...is not only dumb, but dangerous.

 

[Wren]

Aee does effect how I see a poster sometimes, but I find myself regarding a posters location as more important more often. e.g. an attitude on various political/social issues having a lot more/less support in their region.

That's a good point. I tend to take in the whole picture...age is just part of that picture. Your location, religion/denomination, and political status also influence posts and how I respond to them.

 

[Stravinsk]

Sometimes it explains a few things, especially with regards to experience or lack of it. Depends on the subject matter, too. Country of residence, political leanings and other things often weigh in when I read a person's posts - again, depends on the subject matter.

Overall it doesn't play a huge part when I read someone's posts.

 

[Inkachu]

It depends on the person, but I think like Ishida...only in the opposite way. A person's posts are influenced by life experience and if they are lacking life experience, it often shows. I can often tell if someone is young (under 25) by what they post...sometimes in a way that makes me shake my head and think "I used to think like that too when I was younger" or "you'll understand when you get older." The 2nd thought is kind of condescending, so I wouldn't say/type that to a poster, but I do think it. Some young posters are naive due to lack of experience, which is perfectly normal. And I feel I connect better, oftentimes, with older posters.

However, I don't assume that because someone is younger that they are naive or are not to be taken seriously. Its just obvious sometimes how connected their age is to their posts. There are some young people who regularly post here, though, who generally come across as mature and their age doesn't really mean anything to me.

That's pretty much my opinion on it.

Sometimes I'll read a post and I'll be like then I'll notice the age of the poster and I'm like "oh, ok, that explains it."

Also, sometimes I'll read a post and think "wow! That's really wise" and then I notice the age and am surprised because the person is a lot younger than I would have guessed.

And.... sometimes I'm surprised that an immature (IMO) post was posted by someone who is older than me.

These. Two of the wisest ladies around, and that's not a coincidence