# Are you old? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 23, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561 "2012-09-23T02:26:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/1 "2012-09-23T02:26:22Z")
Do you consider yourself old and if so what age are you? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/2 "2012-09-23T02:28:22Z")
No. I am 44. I think old starts about 60. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/3 "2012-09-23T02:34:27Z")
No. I am 24 (well, 25 in 2 weeks, but still). If I thought of myself as old at this age, it would make me a crazypants. ---
**Author:** ![core\_dump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@core\_dump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/core_dump)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/4 "2012-09-23T02:41:33Z")
old = my\_age + 20 - my\_age%10 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/5 "2012-09-23T03:19:19Z")
I’m 55 and don’t consider myself old. Maybe when I’m 70. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/6 "2012-09-23T03:32:35Z")
Yes, because of my social circles (mostly school- and work-based). I’m 38, with just a handful of friends, family, and acquaintances my age or older. The majority are 15-20 years younger than me. No, because I apparently look over a decade younger than my age (not trying to start one of those “People tell me I look younger than I really am!” sneak-brag threads). My last few girlfriends all assumed I was in my early/mid-20s when we began going out, which always led to a really awkward first date, and later on, really awkward meetings of parents who were technically of my generation. I exercise regularly and stay fit, my lifestyle is more equivalent to my younger friends – just finished my undergrad degrees, no house, no wife, no children, and still trying to figure out what to do with my life. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/7 "2012-09-23T03:59:43Z")
Yes. I’m 62, and I certainly don’t feel young. That’s fine by me. To quote Paul Simon: “I’m older than I once was, and younger than I’ll be. That’s not unusual.” ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/8 "2012-09-23T08:00:44Z")
Yes, 42. But that’s probably because my situation is such that I spend most of each day with people younger than myself (lately, a lot of that time with someone over 40 years younger!). ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/9 "2012-09-23T08:32:20Z")
No. In fact I think I’m about 30 in my head… (I’m almost 49. It’s only a question of time before I feel younger than my children actually _are_ :smack: :D) I recently saw a T-shirt that made me go “WANT!!”: _“Growing old is mandatory. Growing up is optional.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/10 "2012-09-23T13:00:32Z")
At 61, it doesn’t really matter how I feel in my head; the mirror and my body tell me I’m old. There is nothing wrong with being old; it’s the natural progression of life. I may not like it, but it’s either death or old age for all of us. ---
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/11 "2012-09-23T13:49:39Z")
Am old enough to know better but young enough not to care ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/12 "2012-09-23T14:23:21Z")
I consider myself old at 28, but maybe it’s because many of my friends are a few years younger than I am. Or because I have gray hairs. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/13 "2012-09-23T14:29:03Z")
No. I don’t have an old attitude. I can keep going much longer than my kids can handle when we are out and about. (maybe they are just lazy) I can handle working out till exhaustion most days. I can still … perform at a moments notice. But the aches and pains I feel in my feet, knees, back and neck make me worried for the future. This body has taken a pounding in 45 years. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/14 "2012-09-23T15:11:18Z")
At 55 I’m not old yet but I’m getting close. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/15 "2012-09-23T15:44:16Z")
No and I’m 56-60. My only age-related concern is knowing how many amazing places I won’t have time to see, how many blue highways I’ll never get to drive. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/16 "2012-09-23T15:44:20Z")
At 65 I am starting to feel my age but may be in denial. I still stay in a state of unreasonably high motivation. Still have sex at least 4 times a week and very often multiple times each day although might be shooting blanks. Have been a smoker my entire life and never worked out beyond just hard physical work and hiking. I keep waiting for the hammer to drop because of my lifestyle. My spelling has gotten horrific, vocabulary was never great but has gotten much worse. I see old comming pretty soon. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/17 "2012-09-23T15:50:04Z")
I’m 58, and physically, I’m old. I can’t do things as easily as I used to, and my eyes are failing year by year. I’m not as strong, and I don’t have the stamina I had 30 years ago. Mentally, I’m mature, but not old. I haven’t given up, but in some ways, I can be all “Get off my lawn!!” I don’t pine for the so-called good-old-days, but I do think society is less “classy” for want of a better word. Common courtesy and decency no longer seem to be the rule. Things that polite people didn’t discuss in mixed company are now all over message boards or youtube. Some things really are TMI as far as I’m concerned. I do my best to avoid such things. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/18 "2012-09-23T16:32:55Z")
I’m amazed that anybody my age (27) considers themselves to be old; that is only “old” to a child (I have also been told that I look 18 or so). If anybody picks “yes” for 13-25, they are either lying or have [progeria](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progeria) (very rapid aging; you are lucky to survive to 13, much less 25). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/19 "2012-09-23T16:47:06Z")
There’s no denying the years (65), and on some days I feel older than on others, particularly when the arthritic thumbs flare up. But delivering Meals on Wheels has exposed us to folks who are 25-30 years our senior and who still have inquiring minds and active lives. It puts a perspective on things. ---
**Author:** ![Gaz\_Glitter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gaz\_Glitter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaz_Glitter)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561/20 "2012-09-23T17:11:39Z")
Personally I think anyone aged 5 or more is “old” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-old/635561.md?page=2)