How old is old?

[CyberCubed]

40 is still officially old. I mean it’s not “old old” like 50-60 is, but when you’re 40 you know your youth is over. At that age most women can’t even have kids anymore without health problems, so I think that says enough in itself. And most men are balding by that point and seeing their health decline.

Also by that age if you don’t have a good career and/or family it’ll be an uphill battle to get good in that area by then. There’s a reason why most 40 year olds who reenter the dating scene is because their marriage failed and got a divorce and they know dating at 40+ is rather difficult unless you want to become a step dad or step mom.

[AquaParade]

Hmm. Let's say...a few years older than me.

[Prowler]

I turned 30 last November. I feel younger now than I did a few years ago, oddly enough. Even though depression ages your brain faster. I guess it depends on the average age bracket of your social or professional circle. As someone who joined university a few years after finishing HS I was about 4 years older than my average classmate l. So by the end of my bachelors I was feeling rather old compared to all the 18-19 year olds who were on their 1st year of university.

I'd say you're not old before you're at least 50. 40 being the start of middle age.

When you stop being young? Depends how young we are
talking here. 25 seems to be the official consensus for you to stop being called a young adult. But 26-29 is still young and you're still considered a kid by people in their 30s and 40s.

35 seems to be generally considered to be the cut off for being generally considered young, with 36-39 being not old by any means but definitely no longer a kid.

So, what is old exactly? I'm gonna say the transition starts at 50 and by the time you're 60 it's pretty much official.

[mrmaczaps]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

It's pretty obvious:

70+: You can die at any time, you are official old

60+: You're old, but you have 10-15 years left if you're lucky

50+: You're middle age, your best years are behind you

40: This is the beginning of the end, you better make this decade count

30: Now it's become the new 20's, but you're an official adult


It's funny, back in "the old days," you were already expected to be married and have 2 kids by the age of 25. Nowadays in the "modern society" that's no longer the cultural norm. There's a reason why, "30 is the new 20" has become the new official norm.

Men in my family rarely make it to 65. A mix of life choices & genetics.

[sdp]

30 is old, you can tell a bunch of old people are voting here based on the results

[Prowler]

I guess a good rule of thumb would be...

...when you hear someone died, what age makes you say "wow he/she was so young!" or "he/she was still rather young!"? I'm sure no one was shocked about Stan Lee dying since he was so old. But if say someone like Satoru Iwata still died rather young at the age of 55.

30 old? The country with the lowest life ecpectancy rate in the world is the Central African Republic with a 53.3 life expectancy average. I guess 30 is ready middle aged and close to old there...

[CyberCubed]

When I was a teenager, 30+ year olds sounded like old people to me. I'm sure teenagers of today still think the same.

I'm pretty sure most of my High School teachers back in the day ranged from mid/late 30's...and they looked old to me back then.

[Coola Yagami]

Being a tad over 40, I still feel like a youngster. I kinda think old doesn't really feel old until stuff starts happening, like throwing your back out, needing to take heart medicine, losing your hair or having it all turn grey, needing a cane to walk, stuff like that.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by sdp

30 is old, you can tell a bunch of old people are voting here based on the results

I can never tell if you're actually an idiot or if it's just performance art.

Either way, I want to eat your skin.

[mrmaczaps]

Originally Posted by sdp

30 is old, you can tell a bunch of old people are voting here based on the results

Get the h3ll off my lawn!!

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

40 is still officially old.

Until you reach that number and feel no older than normal.

Don't get me wrong, it hurt a bit to hit that decade, more than it did hitting 30, and was hard to even say that number. But if you can get there with a good amount of your youth still intact, then it's not so bad.

[CyberCubed]

I'm in my mid-30's now and I feel exactly the same as I was when I was 18-20. I literally feel and act no different. Maybe a little less hair on my head but that's it.

I haven't really changed at all in over 15-20 years. People who know me since the early 2000's or even prior know I post exactly the same way now as I did 20 years ago. I haven't grown up at all in over two decades.

[Leo656]

I have more gray hair, and it's harder to keep weight off, but otherwise it's more or less the same. I hardly ever notice how much time has passed unless I stop and dwell on it.

[DarkFell]

I guess it it depends on your own POV as to what you think old is to you.

My parents are in their sixties, and yet they still act the same as they did in years past. Dad likes his motorcycles and my stepmom hates it when people drive too slow on the road. Both of them had their share of health issues, but they're still going.

My eighty-year old grandparents decided that they were old in a way - there were many times that I would find them asleep in their chairs while a soap opera was on TV. They would try to stay awake too, but they did have their health issues.

Even though she isn't my aunt from my family tree, I do consider Aunt Redding as family. She has health problems too for her senior age, but she's a good friend with a good ear and good advice. She acts young at heart over the phone whenever we talk.

One of my closest friends was a senior citizen. She would joke about her age. (In her own words, she was ancient.) Despite her health issues, she was young at heart and in mind and she absolutely adored her husband.

Like I mentioned above, it comes down to what you think old is, and how you let your point of view affect you.

[Prowler]

I think I've reached a point where I no longer care and am starting to avoid overthinking it. I mean, do you really want to spend your 20s and 30s worrying about "feeling old"? I'll start worrying when I get past 40 and closer to 50. I'm sick and tired of depressing myself with such thoughts. You only live once.

Besides, nowadays being 30+ isn't like it was 30 years ago anymore. My generation grew up gaming and watching Anime, cartoons, wrestling, etc. You can bet we'll still be enjoying those things when we're old.

Our parents generation simply didn't have access to so much entertainment variety. My folks basically read books and listened to 60s and 70s music. Which was what they did when they were young as well.

My grandparents generation? When they were kids they didn't even have TVs in my country yet! And they had to quit school after 4th grade or something to go work in order to support their families. That's how it was in the 1920s and 1930s.

[CyberCubed]

When I eventually turn 40 *shudders* I will always say, "I'm 32."

[newfan]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

When I eventually turn 40 *shudders* I will always say, "I'm 32."

We'll all know, cause you will likely make a thread about it

[frank_one]

You are old when...
- you start flirting with girls who could be your daughter
- you are too old to die young
- you start considering women your age too old for you
- you open threads like this

[Jester]

"Old" keeps getting older and older as I age. I used to think 60 was old, but my dad just turned 60 in July and I don't think he's THAT old....so the goal posts shift.

[CyberCubed]

Yeah, but most people still die around 80 or before, so even if people don't think of 50/60 as that old anymore...it still doesn't mean much if everyone just lives the same 20 years more.

Even these days you still hear so many people, like famous people, die around 72-75 years old, so even when you're in your 70's any year could be your last. On the other hand if everyone these days lived to at least 100, then yeah, it wouldn't be like that. Sadly there doesn't seem to be anything we can do to extend our lives to 100 naturally...some people just get lucky.