Why do people want to be old?

[Bakiryu]

It seems like now in America everyone and their mothers keep talking about how they can live longer and all that bladderdash. But i wonder, why do people want to be old? I mean, wrinkly skin, no fun, boring clothing, failing organs and such.

All I know is that if I ever turn 70 (if i ever last that long), I'm shooting myself in the head. Before I start forgetting things.

What about quality, not quantity?

[AimusSage]

no one wants to get old, but everyone wants to live long. People can't help but hope that somehow they won't get as old as the people around them, they just don't see it. I've seen people in homes for the elderly that I would have thought couldn't possibly be happy, yet they were, while others that would seemingly be happy weren't. So while quality and quantity are two interesting ways to describe life, a combination of both is preferable, what if you only reach the age of 30, but had a qualitatively rich life? It's not what I want.

You need to put it into perspective, to you it seems boring, horrible and seemingly impossible for the elderly to have a good life, but that simply is not true. They are fully capable of having fulfilling lives. There comes a point where people do begin to fall apart, and some people desperately cling onto life, but it's something of all ages, not just the elderly. The fear of dying sometimes does strange things with people.

As for me, I don't know if I want to grow old, or die (relatively) young, I don't like growing old, not so much the actual ageing, but rather the passing of time is what bothers me, because it cannot be controlled. I can't skip through time like some multidimensional being so I am stuck in a single point. The present. I can project myself into the future, and look into the past, but it has no effect at all on the present.

What you just did is project your own perceived future onto all the elderly people that have ailing bodies and/or failing minds. Instead of asking yourself questions about the future, or even looking at the past with regret, stick to the present, because that is the only place in time where things happen for us humans. That's not to say you can't plan ahead or have dreams and ambitions, just don't let them rule you by living in the future.

Well, now I must really start to follow my own advice :lol:

[RoCKiTcZa]

First one to answer (or was I?:p) Oh. No. :( The only thing I know is... I don't!:D

The only difference between us two is that when I turn seventy, I will definitely not stand in a corner with some gun pointed to my head, much less pulling the trigger; instead, I'll work twice as hard to stay young and never age a single year. Of course that isn't possible, but who can tell? Scientists have already discovered a way to preserve living cells, and maybe someday I'll help them develop more efficient ways to help living things stay youthful all the time. Being a student in a science high school, I don't find such an ambition very far away :)

And why do people want to be old? Who does? And what put that in your mind? :p Well, perhaps it has something to do with the wisdom-comes-with-age principle that most of us (are made to) believe in. Personally, I think it's crazy. People can be wise without having to be old and bent. And who said the only measure of wisdom is the number of wrinkles on your skin?

Of course, we all believe in different things and I'm not saying some are wrong while I am right. :p

[pussnboots]

It seems like now in America everyone and their mothers keep talking about how they can live longer and all that bladderdash. But i wonder, why do people want to be old? I mean, wrinkly skin, no fun, boring clothing, failing organs and such.

All I know is that if I ever turn 70 (if i ever last that long), I'm shooting myself in the head. Before I start forgetting things.

What about quality, not quantity?

Baki, you are too young to be thinking about this. Besides, who said that when you get old (70+) that life is boring, no fun, boring clothing, etc?
My mother who happens to be in her early 70's goes to the gym 5 days a week, travels all over the world, wears up to date clothing and is very healthy. She doesn't look like she's in her 70's. Yeah, she may have some wrinkly skin but the key is taking care of oneself.
My grandfather lived till he was 94 years old and he led a very active life until he passed. After his wife passed away at 84, he had himself a girlfriend. They would do all sorts of activities together.

[Pensive]

no one wants to get old...

Since I happen to be someone, actually I did, when I was five. :D I mean come on, all the respect the elders seemed to possess, and you could drive, spend money whatever way you wanted to, and act oh-so-independent. At least that's how it sounded that time. :p

Hmmmm and now...now I just want to be. Why would someone just want to be? That's a good question. Should those who do not possess eye-sight, legs, are dumb or all special kids stop living their lives? How boring it must be for them....why live? Now that's something to wonder about...maybe they just want to experience something rather than the life of non-existence which mostly believe to be nothing?

[Shalot]

Hopefully, if I ever make it to "old," I will be happy and content and I will have grandbabies to make cupcakes for and wrinkles and such will be the last thing on my mind. The things that are important to you now, may not be as important to you then. For example, I used to loathe elastic waisted pants in my early 20's and I swore I would NEVER wear them. Well, now I am thirty (one), and I have a job, and I have a pair of elastic waisted pants in my closet. Of course, when I wear them to work (that's what they are - work pants), I wear a jacket or sweater over the elastic part and of course I have the cute shoes, and no one can see that they are elastic waisted pants, but I know. I also know that I could wind up one day as that forty-something fifty-something lady with a pair of elastic waisted pants pulled up to her arm pits with a turtleneck tucked into them. She doesn't care, because she has her family and whatever else that fulfills her.

Me personally, when I'm old, (If I make it) I am going to get some SAS shoes and some elastic waisted pants and a little rascal to ride around in. I am going to put a flag on the back of it and I am going to the store in it to buy produce.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n25/Shalot_bucket/sas.jpg


http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n25/Shalot_bucket/rascalscooter.jpg

[pussnboots]

Go Shalot !!!

[papayahed]

Papaya, the later years:

http://ellasprella.blog.is/users/97/ellasprella/img/c_documents_and_settings_bjorn_my_documents_my_pic ture_2_myndir_elin_old_lady_stretching.jpg


http://www.scottybud.com/images/old%20people%20bird.jpg

I don't necessarily want to get old but given the alternative I'll take it.

[Trystan]

I vote for quality, not quantity. *sucks on cigarette* I don't think I'd shoot myself in the head, nor do I mind getting old, as long as I can enjoy my youth.

[Shalot]

Papaya, the later years:

http://ellasprella.blog.is/users/97/ellasprella/img/c_documents_and_settings_bjorn_my_documents_my_pic ture_2_myndir_elin_old_lady_stretching.jpg

:lol: this reminds me of that Molly Shannon bit on Saturday night live doing Sally O Mally. I wish I could find it on youtube. It's hilarious.



http://www.scottybud.com/images/old%20people%20bird.jpg


This is awesome.

[Nightshade]

Hey I know a 96 year ol lady who does yoga, pilates, bowls and I do believe she went on one of those sky dives when your hooked onto someone last year or is she 97 now ? :confused: I foret, shes hasnt been very well this year though which is sad but when ever she is able to she is up and about winning trophies or cycling around town or other things. She is just brilliant, and one of the most amazing people I know, in fact now that I think about it alot of the amazing people I know are old, and I mean really old.

And Baki you can get early onset Altzhemier's so age really isnt that much of a factor in it.
:nod:

[PeterL]

It seems like now in America everyone and their mothers keep talking about how they can live longer and all that bladderdash. But i wonder, why do people want to be old? I mean, wrinkly skin, no fun, boring clothing, failing organs and such.

All I know is that if I ever turn 70 (if i ever last that long), I'm shooting myself in the head. Before I start forgetting things.

What about quality, not quantity?

Not many people want to be old in the sense of debilitated by age related diseases, but great age is a side effect of staying alive, and the instinct toward survival is very strong. I have already written my obituary; I will die on October 12, 3008 as a result of injuries suffered in a tractor rolling over onto me on the 10th.

Memory loss is not is a normal side effect of aging. If you avoid the things that tend to cause memory loss, then you can expect to have an excellent memory far into old age.

BTW, middle age is from 20 to 90, so ending things at 70 would mean that you would miss a significant part of the middle years.

[kilted exile]

I want to be old so that I can shake my cane at any passing whippersnapper and complain about how when I was their age I had to work 27hrs a day down the pit

[Virgil]

I want to be old so that I can shake my cane at any passing whippersnapper and complain about how when I was their age I had to work 27hrs a day down the pit

:lol: Some might say I do that now, only without the cane. :D


Baki, at any age, life is what you make of it.

[PeterL]

I want to be old so that I can shake my cane at any passing whippersnapper and complain about how when I was their age I had to work 27hrs a day down the pit

Yes, canes are good.

[djy78usa]

I'm not in any hurry to get old, but I've already started making plans for my old age. I'm going to have an old-fashioned southern house with a big, wrap-around porch and a rocking chair. I'm going to sit out on the porch all day with a double barrel shotgun, a bottle of rot-gut whisky, and my pet cow (who will be cleverly named, Cow). When I'm not busy yelling at kids to get off my lawn, I will spend my time verbally abusing Cow and complaining about the weather and whichever political party is ruing the country... its going to be fantastic!

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk35/djy78usa/banjoman.gif

[sprinks]

I'm not sure if I want to get old... I certainly aren't really looking forward to the physical aspects of it.... But apart from that... I'm not really worried. I just want to last, yeah.

A few years ago a few of us had the same idea as you though, with the purposely ending life when we chose, before we got old. I don't have that same view now though... I could never do that.

[LadyWentworth]

I don't want to get old, but I know that if I am lucky, I will get old. If I am luckier, I will be in good health when that time comes. Besides, even though I am not fond of the fact of getting older, I will gladly take old age over the alternative. :)

[Lily Adams]

I can't believe I didn't post here earlier.

I want to be understood. That's why I want to be old.

But I don't necessarily want to lose my young body.

But if I was old I would have been young once anyway!

[wilbur lim]

Greetings.
Being old is none of my business.
But some unique scope may be my business.
For wherein being old,
Relaxing is inevitably the main daises,
Which means conceiving it as daises.

Daises give you the present of
Relax,spellbound and ecstatic,
By the smell of daises.

I,hither,conceive that
Old is such a time
Where we wait for our demise.
Wherein we perish into ashes.

[Big Al]

I want to live long enough to become immortal, and then die.

[wilbur lim]

Time passes rapidly and obviously,if I were to be old,wrinkled,inflamed...
Then life would be meaningless when you art old.


I want to live long enough to become immortal, and then die.
I want to be an immortal after I died.As eminent as Jesus.I will be the next Jesus,behold.

[InspireMe]

well hey, i wish i could be 19 forever. or at least until i'm ready to turn 20. which could be years from now! unfortunately.. it's only months away. time flies....

[ClaesGefvenberg]

I would prefer both quantity and quality, since I see no reason to believe that they are mutually exclusive. Honestly, why count years? There is a lot more to life than just ticking off years like something you want to be rid of on your way to some distant objective. Life should be lived, and experiences is what really counts.

When I reach 70, there will definitely be no gun to my head (at least not one held by me), and even if my health has deserted me by then I will still not go quietly. Quite the opposite, as a matter of fact: It is my intention to do a lot of kicking and screaming on the way out.

Just to put things in perspective I'll mention that a fiend of mine lost his 21 yo son to a brain tumour last week. That lad would have wanted much more time to live...

/Claes

[1n50mn14]

When I turn 50 (provided I've made it that long) I will congratulate myself on a long, fufilled life (I'm busy, 50 years at the pace I've been going at constitutes about 150 years of a normal life), let go of any vanity or inhibitions, and eat cake and smoke cigarettes all day long. ;)

[LadyW]

Hmmm... :idea:

I'll be the one who's forever baking and distributing sweets to all the kids living close by, effectively contributing to childhood obesity.

The rest of my time will be spent: watching daytime television, complaining about the British weather, complaining about how high the girls hems are, complaining about current politics, and throwing cats at people I dislike.

Oh, and because I'll be filthy rich (there's not gonna be anything legit about my earnings at that age :D) I'm going to inform all of my family they will get a share of my money when I'm gone. They'll get a shock when they find it's all going to Green Peace.

Then when I finally croak... I'll get stuffed, and request to be placed in the living room of a relatives house - preferabley in an upright position with an evil smile spread across my face. A reaction from the sensors will be triggered when anyone walks by, setting off the recording "Old grandma she ain't what she used to be, ain't what she used to be, aint what she used to be."

[Annamariah]

I have no intention to die young if I can avoid it. I hope I can live long and be in good health, though I must admit I am a bit afraid of getting Alzhaimer (it runs in the family). I just hope they'll find a cure to it before I get old.

I'm going to end up that bitter old spinster who terrorises the lives of her relatives and refuses to die simply because everyone wants to get rid of her :lol:

No, really I want to become the grandmother who sits in the rocking chair all day long knitting sweaters, woollen socks, hats and mittens for her grandchildren :p

[ClaesGefvenberg]

When I turn 50 (provided I've made it that long) I will congratulate myself on a long, fufilled life (I'm busy, 50 years at the pace I've been going at constitutes about 150 years of a normal life), Well, I'm 16 months away from 50... It seems to me that the clock has been on steroids for as long as I can remember: Time flies. Believe me, you will be there too in the blink of an eye, and I still have lots to do and achieve.


The rest of my time will be spent: watching daytime television, complaining about the British weather, complaining about how high the girls hems are, complaining about current politics, and throwing cats at people I dislike. What? Cats? :lol: That's a new one.


I have no intention to die young if I can avoid it.Given my current age, I suppose that would be impossible, but on the other hand I have no intention of dying old either... Just a lot older than i am now. :lol:

/Claes

[LadyW]

[QUOTE=ClaesGefvenberg;611698]What? Cats? :lol: That's a new one./QUOTE]

:D Introducing myself in 60 years time:

http://scienceblogs.com/zooillogix/simpsons_CrazyCatLady.gif

Or perhaps this transformation is not so far off haha.

[formality hater]

Why not try to experience every phase of life!
One should be content with what life offers.Every next second is a mystery and that makes life so exciting.:)

[Lily Adams]

Why not try to experience every phase of life!
One should be content with what life offers.Every next second is a mystery and that makes life so exciting.:)

Indeed; I wholly agree.

[Scheherazade]

Why do people want to be old?

Why not?

Retirement and not having to work, people telling you to take it easy all the time, discount (if not free) rates for anything you can think of, freedom to speak your mind at all times, priority seats on public transport, Zimmer frames, Mobility Scooters, ability to remove your teeth to clean them to your heart's content, permission to nap anywhere and anytime you choose...

Should I go on?

[ClaesGefvenberg]

Should I go on?That's what I'm talking about. What a great bust of positive thinking :thumbs_up Good on you Scher! :D

/Claes

[Virgil]

Why do people want to be old?

Why not?

Retirement and not having to work, people telling you to take it easy all the time, discount (if not free) rates for anything you can think of, freedom to speak your mind at all times, priority seats on public transport, Zimmer frames, Mobility Scooters, ability to remove your teeth to clean them to your heart's content, permission to nap anywhere and anytime you choose...

Should I go on?

Well...all in all I would still rather be 25. :D

[Oniw17]

I don't plan to get old.

[Scheherazade]

That's what I'm talking about. What a great bust of positive thinking :thumbs_up Good on you Scher! :D

/ClaesWell, it's better to make best of it, no? ;)
Well...all in all I would still rather be 25. :DHey, you will be like two or three 25 year-olds rolled in one; twice or three times better!!! :D

[clumsy angelle]

i will always like being young but i will also like the wisdom that comes with age. so for me, whether i like getting old or not does not really matter because i just take the one step at a time and appreciate that beauty that comes with the road of life;)

[aBIGsheep]

Why do people want to be old?

Why not?

Retirement and not having to work, people telling you to take it easy all the time, discount (if not free) rates for anything you can think of, freedom to speak your mind at all times, priority seats on public transport, Zimmer frames, Mobility Scooters, ability to remove your teeth to clean them to your heart's content, permission to nap anywhere and anytime you choose...

Should I go on?

I lol'd. Sounds like a toddler not a grand parent. I guess life comes to a full circle eventually.

I don't care how old you are. I know a ton of people my own age, 16,17,18 year olds, that are as stiff and rigid as a 43 year old CEOs and I know 34 year old's who laugh immaturely at penis jokes.
It's all in how you act.

[Equality72521]

Totally think that everything is based on what you do in your life. I think that growing old is something that I would rather experience with someone, i.e. a friend or husband, rather than grow old alone.

I want to experience all of life, but I don't want to be alone. So, honestly, for all I care you can shoot me now and I'll say it's population control. :p At least I'll have died with good company.

[kasie]

I don't plan to get old.

Nobody does - it just sort of creeps up on you while you're not looking. :D

[Equality72521]

Hmmm... :idea:

I'll be the one who's forever baking and distributing sweets to all the kids living close by, effectively contributing to childhood obesity.

The rest of my time will be spent: watching daytime television, complaining about the British weather, complaining about how high the girls hems are, complaining about current politics, and throwing cats at people I dislike.

Oh, and because I'll be filthy rich (there's not gonna be anything legit about my earnings at that age :D) I'm going to inform all of my family they will get a share of my money when I'm gone. They'll get a shock when they find it's all going to Green Peace.

Then when I finally croak... I'll get stuffed, and request to be placed in the living room of a relatives house - preferabley in an upright position with an evil smile spread across my face. A reaction from the sensors will be triggered when anyone walks by, setting off the recording "Old grandma she ain't what she used to be, ain't what she used to be, aint what she used to be."

hahahahahahahaha. oh man, you're a crack up. I totally love that plan. Too funny.

[dramasnot6]

For independence :D

[blazeofglory]

This is a funny question, but it interests me immensely, for few want to be old, and old age is something everyone distaste or abhor, but getting along with AGE is a great fun, and of course at age if you pass through memory lanes you will come across many funny things of your life.

In fact aging is to be unwanted, socially discriminated, but the beauty of it is really funny.

In fact this is really a matter of pride, and one goes with lots of stories behind to share. Or else you will never know the part of live you have lived.

[Mortis Anarchy]

Pssh...age is what you make of it. If you are 70 and still feel like 20, then good on yah! Some of the most energetic and interesting of people that I know are at least 50 years older than I am. I don't want to imagine myself being old, but there is no sense in worrying about it. My friend thinks that once you hit 30 you are old, but whenever I asked my mom if she could go back in time and be however old, she always says 30-35. As for myself, I'm just enjoying each day.

Besides, once I hit 50, I'm going to be one of those crazy old ladies. And I'll still dress bomb. :D

[wilbur lim]

Behold everyone,
doomsday is precisely on year 2012,December 12.We won't be old by that time.

[Jozanny]

I think how we age has a lot to do with where we've been. I have always wanted to be a writer, (check), but I haven't been a successful writer on my own terms. I won't define what those terms are, but at the end of my 45 year, I am still emerging, as opposed to there; my secondary goal was to become an English professor; never made it, though now I am not sure not teaching was such a bad thing, though I enjoy critical scholarship, and lack the resources (as well as feel intimidated by the professional class) to play, and my career in social services and advocacy is over, because I never imagined both that cerebral palsy would do X to me physically, and that society in turn would take away resources which had been there during my student days. I wanted to marry someone of similar educational background, and men in my life have been nothing short of grief, if not a nightmare. Those already potty trained and cultured have wives whom I don't want to be shot by, and I know of where I speak ;)

So I'm miserable. Long life? No thanks. I am hoping to achieve a few more things as an author, but once I do that, and have Widener University archive my work, I don't want to stick around to lose my mind and get aggressive with future caretakers. 65 to 68 years is enough for me, if that.

[blazeofglory]

I have indeed different versions of being old and I take it differently. It is really a matter of excitement and animation to age. Indeed in this long length of life you have to undergo vicissitudes or run of affairs. But you get into maturity, much more learned. You have more worries, agonies no doubt, but you have so many memories of joy and jubilation. Celebrate it. The best think you can do in age is you can keep yourself engaged and creative and letting no moments go unspent with nothing to do. Most get full of life on ageing. Indeed when you age you become physically less attractive, but intellectually or maturely you outsmart the rest. Outmaneuvering the rest you can step in newer domains of life. To live better and finer on ageing is to enable yourself to see the silver lining in floating clouds.

I will be more excited at ageing, as I will learn more, and of course if I can live actively I will have things in store for you, and I will be a reservoir for you to fill your cups of necessities. Do not fear it, and it is something not to despise but to take or accept it in joys

[Scheherazade]

The OP:

It seems like now in America everyone and their mothers keep talking about how they can live longer and all that bladderdash. But i wonder, why do people want to be old? I mean, wrinkly skin, no fun, boring clothing, failing organs and such.

All I know is that if I ever turn 70 (if i ever last that long), I'm shooting myself in the head. Before I start forgetting things.

What about quality, not quantity?

[OrphanPip]

I cry at every birthday, getting old sucks.

[Lulim]

It is not so much that people want to be older but that they want to get older, meaning, they want to live longer. That applies not to all people however, only to those who enjoy their lives -- imo.

[MystyrMystyry]

There are hidden benefits to getting old - you can largely do whatever you want if you choose to follow the path of wisdom, have money saved and stay out of trouble (I know sometimes trouble stalks you and you have no say in it, but that's rarer than getting hit by a bus, thogh no less shocking when it happens)

There's a saying that true happiness comes from within - even the most immobile will seek it because it's still preferable to the alternative.

When you're young you can be flippant about death because you think you're going to be young forever and have relatively no fear - but dumb overconfident kids still fall off bridges and trains and have fatal car accidents

If your a smart kid you become aware of your own physical limitations through other's experiences. Likewise if you're a smart oldie

Going bananas isn't inevitable, it's still as ever the minority.

But it's personal happiness that matters most, especially if you feel you've had a full life. Some of the happiest people I've met have been 'past it'

But as for going bananas - I've met a lot of young people who won't be coming back from those Elyssian Fields


B, you've just got to expand your experiences a little and learn fully what to expect - you're not the same person you were when you were 5, nor 10, nor 15. Look forward to the next change

[faithosaurus]

The only reason that I'd want to get older would be because I want to get my career started.

[Revolte]

I don't know, I'm gonna have a hell of a time when I'm old. I've got it all planned out, I'm going to get a cane and still sport the leather jacket I have now, so by then it should be pretty trashed, then of course I'm gonna get my hair died purple, assuming I'm balding that is, then I'm going to go walk around stores and try and flirt with the 19 year olds, and it's ok 'cause I'll be so old it will be cute!

[faithosaurus]

I don't know, I'm gonna have a hell of a time when I'm old. I've got it all planned out, I'm going to get a cane and still sport the leather jacket I have now, so by then it should be pretty trashed, then of course I'm gonna get my hair died purple, assuming I'm balding that is, then I'm going to go walk around stores and try and flirt with the 19 year olds, and it's ok 'cause I'll be so old it will be cute!

I love it.

[Nyu001]

I never wanted to be old. I never wanted to keep growing up in age, lol. I am like damn, I am getting older each year, I don't want to keep getting older. But it is inevitable, so concentrate in maintain yourself the better possible. :P

[MANICHAEAN]

Let me contribute an extract from an interview with the French writer & poet, Michel Houellebecq where he says; “I am persuaded that feminism is not at the root of political correctness. The actual source is much nastier and dares not speak its name, which is simply hatred for old people. The question of domination between men and women is relatively secondary—important but still secondary—which is that we are now trapped in a world of kids. Old kids. The disappearance of patrimonial transmission means that an old guy today is just a useless ruin. The thing we value most of all is youth, which means that life automatically becomes depressing, because life consists, on the whole, of getting old.”

Fortunately, I do not subscribe to those views, even though I suppose I am judged old at 67. Why? Perhaps I take refuge in that story about the American comedian, George Burns who at 96 once said words to the effect; “I know how to treat a woman. I invite her back to my mansion in Beverly Hills. The table is set for dinner, the champagne is on ice, candlelight suffuses its soft glow and the piano is being played softly in the background. So we talk and we laugh and we eat and we drink, enjoying each other’s company. Then I go to bed and leave her for the piano player!”

Here's looking at you kid.

M.

[Delta40]

I'm in my forties and enjoy life more than I ever did when I was younger. With all the worry and insecurities of youth and the bullcrap of child rearing, who the hell would sign up for that? Not me! If I woke up tomorrow with a baby, I'd put a gun to my own head...Now having a grandchild is an appealing idea. I can only assume my life education which has improved with age will continue to do so and I will get to appreciate more things in life - such as growing as a person, loving myself, giving to others - all in my own time, at my own pace and not to the beat of other people's drums. How nice to not be caught up in rush hour living any longer...

[Paulclem]

I'm happier in my forties than I was in my early twenties, and certainly as a teenager. Youth is overrated, but of course you don't know that until you are older and dissed all those aged thirty-pluses.

It seems to the young, and to me as a middle ager, that the aged are a different species. We intellectually know they are the us of the future, but i think it is difficult to accept that we will become a wrinkled, bent, incomprehensible, possibly blathering, subversive, sometimes abusive, complaining, kindly, stoic in the face of bodily adversity old person. So what do we do to different species? We treat them differently. We may be kindlier to them - some are. Quite often we are intolerant, overly abusive, dismissive and neglectful.

Yet all over the UK there are groups of older people getting on with their activities, old record clubs, tea dances, weekends away in Butlins, winter Spanish Holidays to escape the cold weather. Quite a few are enjoying their lot - if they can keep relatively fit. We just don't hear about all the fun they're having because this society is so youth obsessed.

When I get old, I'm not going to any old tea dance, but there may be 70's/ 80's music nights/ weekends and all the stuff I'll be able to do without too much jumping up and down on my already aching pins. And, of course, there'll be better technology. We may be able to inhabit sophisticated virtual worlds - World of Warcraft type things or Second Life - where we can pursue the things our bodies won't allow anymore.

With the improvements in medical tech, we'll have good joints etc. I know a bloke who's in his late seventies who was a competitive walker. He's had two hip replacements now, and is back to his morning training walk for the paper. Don't shoot yourself too soon is my advice.

[Emil Miller]

The worst thing about getting old is realising how stupid you were when you were young.

[faithosaurus]

The worst thing about getting old is realising how stupid you were when you were young.

Hah, I can see that. I'm only 17 and I'm already realizing how stupid I was a couple years back.

[Paulclem]

Hah, I can see that. I'm only 17 and I'm already realizing how stupid I was a couple years back.

Yes. It gets worse too - when you realise how stupid you've been and you should have known better. :D

[Delta40]

Yes but how much nicer to know you will get to an age where you can act stupid and people will tolerate it! what fun that will be!

[Scheherazade]

I was about to type a reply but realised that my views from two years ago have not changed much:
Why do people want to be old?

Why not?

Retirement and not having to work, people telling you to take it easy all the time, discount (if not free) rates for anything you can think of, freedom to speak your mind at all times, priority seats on public transport, Zimmer frames, Mobility Scooters, ability to remove your teeth to clean them to your heart's content, permission to nap anywhere and anytime you choose...

Should I go on?

(Love quoting myself! :hat:)

[Emil Miller]

Hah, I can see that. I'm only 17 and I'm already realizing how stupid I was a couple years back.

The worst is yet to come.

[Paulclem]

Have you seen this poem?

http://labyrinth_3.tripod.com/page59.html

:D

A fine sentiment.

[Emil Miller]

but i think it is difficult to accept that we will become a wrinkled, bent, incomprehensible, possibly blathering, subversive, sometimes abusive, complaining, old person.

Hey! Have you been spying on me?

Yet all over the UK there are groups of older people getting on with their activities, old record clubs, tea dances, weekends away in Butlins, winter Spanish Holidays to escape the cold weather.

Where's my revolver?

We may be able to inhabit sophisticated virtual worlds - where we can pursue the things our bodies won't allow anymore.

Yep, it's called viagra. .....

[Return Journey]

I don’t think I thought too much about getting old. I just did my stuff…..then one day I found this old guy staring back at me in the mirror!!
Once you get over the shock, if you can embrace it, there’s a lot of freedom in being older and past worrying about all the crap…..can you tell I’m there.

[Paulclem]

.....

:smilielol5:

I'd ask for a revolver too - but we can do other stuff.

[Emil Miller]

[QUOTE=Return Journey;991846]... there’s a lot of freedom in being older and past worrying about all the crap QUOTE]


This is very true because when we gets to 30 or so, we stop trying to be clever and start to get wise.

[LitNetIsGreat]

This is very true because when we gets to 30 or so, we stop trying to be clever and start to get wise.

Yes, this is so true Brian, genius in fact or very wise at least (which only goes to prove the point).

[Snowman37]

I plan to live over 100 years. I shall be the old, skinny fart who the neighborhood kids are terrified of. I won't be fragile, but I'll act it to get "assistance." lol

[Emil Miller]

I plan to live over 100 years. I shall be the old, skinny fart who the neighborhood kids are terrified of.

Will that make you the abominable Snowman?