# Do old men get jealous? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 20, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660 "2007-12-20T02:25:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/1 "2007-12-20T02:25:37Z")
The GQ part is, do old men punch out other old men in a jealous rage for messing with their old ladies? Not just get pissed, but resort to violence. Murder, even. I haven’t seen it. By old, I mean like 70 plus. The IMHO part is, if not, why not? Less hormonal activity? Wisdom? I’m 62, approaching that age (but single) and I’m wondering if I should get surgery or something. Or just stay single. But there are some real cuties out there. My questions are real, but maybe this is MPSIMS material. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/2 "2007-12-20T02:30:21Z")
I’m 33. If old men don’t get jealous well then I don’t want to get old (yet I do.) Jealousy can interfere with more fun than i can count, but it is still proof that one’s heart is beating and there is still something to strive for. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/3 "2007-12-20T03:03:30Z")
Yes. Look for articlres in nursing journals related to nursing home/residential care fights and murders. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/4 "2007-12-20T19:48:30Z")
[QUOTE=Shoshana] Yes. Look for articlres in nursing journals related to nursing home/residential care fights and murders. [/QUOTE] So I shall. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/5 "2007-12-20T20:47:40Z")
My Darling Marcie is ten years younger than I; she has a very youthful outlook, is full of life, full of fun, loves to dance and is a very attractive woman. Yes, I get jealous from time to time. But I’m not quite 70 so maybe it doesn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/6 "2007-12-20T22:54:14Z")
As you probably know, the older you are, the less likely you are to escalate _any_ dispute to a fistfight or beyond than when you were a young man. Seems perfectly reasonable that that should apply to disputes arising from jealousy. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/7 "2007-12-20T23:06:47Z")
Yes. I get Jello all the time. I like strawberry. Oh, you said jealous. Where’s my Geritol? What was the question again? Get off my lawn! ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/8 "2007-12-20T23:19:11Z")
As suggested by **Shoshana** I looked at some info about violence in nursing homes, etc, and found some reports. Studies have been done, and have been reported by JAMA, NPR, and others. By far most attacks have been due to dementia and/or psychosis, with little or no mention of jealousy. I’m now going to search for info in the older population at large (not confined and presumably healthier). I do know for sure that men in their 50s and 60s are not immune to jealous rage. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2007, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/9 "2007-12-20T23:24:44Z")
[QUOTE=Onomatopoeia] Yes. I get Jello all the time. I like strawberry. Oh, you said jealous. Where’s my Geritol? What was the question again? Get off my lawn! [/QUOTE] Oh yeah? Keep your ol’ egg sucking dog off _my_ lawn. And your Geritol is in a dark place you can no longer reach. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2007, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/10 "2007-12-21T02:05:54Z")
Where’d the ocean go? Where have you taken me?! ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2007, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/11 "2007-12-21T02:19:13Z")
[QUOTE=Phase42] Where’d the ocean go? Where have you taken me?! [/QUOTE] By Grabthar’s hammer, I shall lead you back! ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/12 "2007-12-22T17:57:02Z")
I did a lot of searching and reading, and it would seem that actual domestic violence due to real or supposed marital infidelity is quite rare. Some infidelity does happen, but it seems to be resolved in other ways. I learned a lot of other stuff, but not that actually relates to the OP. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/13 "2007-12-23T06:01:42Z")
I am 64 and never got jealous. I just do not feel I own people. If they go they go. There are replacements . ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/14 "2007-12-23T07:10:33Z")
I haven’t reached 60 yet. I live alone but have a steady relationship with a woman I have known since I was 20. We go out together and she stays at my place every week or two and we have a monogamous relationship. Last week we were talking and she mentioned that she had been out for a meal with a former lover. I was taken aback by my response which was basically no response at all. I didn’t feel threatened, therefore didn’t feel jealous, it was as if she had said she’d gone out with her sister for dinner. I don’t know when the change happened but it must be in the 6 years since my divorce, however it was nice not to piss away some energy on a useless emotion. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/15 "2007-12-23T08:52:18Z")
I’m just 66 and I don’t get jealous at all except I sometimes wish I was Eccles, my cat. Eat, sleep, eat, sleep and so on ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/16 "2007-12-23T09:02:05Z")
Lots of older Western men throwing punches over here over local bargirls and other assorted prostitutes, which is about the stupidest thing imaginable. I mean, it’s not like there isn’t enough supply to go around! ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/17 "2007-12-23T11:53:10Z")
[QUOTE=Phase42] Where’d the ocean go? Where have you taken me?! [/QUOTE] I’m sorry, I was distracted by eating this delicous (and useless!) infant. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/18 "2007-12-23T16:15:21Z")
[QUOTE=Tristan] I’m sorry, I was distracted by eating this delicous (and useless!) infant. [/QUOTE] And soft! ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/19 "2007-12-23T19:41:22Z")
[QUOTE=don’t ask] I don’t know when the change happened but it must be in the 6 years since my divorce, however it was nice not to piss away some energy on a useless **emotion**. [/QUOTE] See, that’s the thing with me. I don’t look at jealousy as an emotion. I think it’s more of a reactionary instinct, like fear. Some can just control it and some can’t. But if you’re human, then yes, you can get jealous. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660/20 "2007-12-23T19:48:27Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] See, that’s the thing with me. I don’t look at jealousy as an emotion. I think it’s more of a reactionary instinct, like fear. Some can just control it and some can’t. But if you’re human, then yes, you can get jealous. [/QUOTE] I don’t know. Does jealousy ever trigger the “flight” instinct? I only know of the “fight” result. Despair would likely makr one want to flee. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-old-men-get-jealous/430660.md?page=2)