# Is it common for you to repeat yourself a lot as you grow older? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 21, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660 "2011-11-21T17:25:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/1 "2011-11-21T17:25:08Z")
A lot of the older people I know repeat the same stuff a lot, the same anecdotes, the same jokes, the same comments on stuff. Is this just the people I know or do we all tend to repeat ourselves with more frequency as we age? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/2 "2011-11-21T17:33:51Z")
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/3 "2011-11-21T17:50:25Z")
I try never to repeat myself to the same person. But a good story is a good story, and over the years I’ve kept the ones that seem to entertain the most. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/4 "2011-11-21T17:50:49Z")
The longer you’ve known someone, the more often you will hear them tell their favorite anecdotes. It drives my wife crazy, but usually the people I am telling them to have never heard them before, and appreciate the story… ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/5 "2011-11-21T17:56:19Z")
It’s common. I think it starts about the time you’re afraid to take the car over the speed limit. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/6 "2011-11-21T20:07:00Z")
Let’s move this over to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/7 "2011-11-21T20:07:31Z")
Let’s move this over to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/8 "2011-11-21T20:07:43Z")
Let’s move this over to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/9 "2011-11-21T20:11:19Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Let’s move this over to IMHO. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator That story gets crazier every time you tell it. ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/10 "2011-11-21T20:40:53Z")
I have noticed this more in older individuals, but it’s not always an age thing. I suspect that repeating stories is a comfort and a way of reinforcing the wisdom of prior decisions. I make an effort not to tell the same story to somebody who has heard it. I might repeat myself, but I preface the discussion by saying that I am repeating so they don’t assume dementia is the reason. Some facts bear repeating. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/11 "2011-11-21T21:12:00Z")
My 78 y/o mom loves to tell the same old stories over and over-I’ll pretty much humor her for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/12 "2011-11-22T00:16:35Z")
Guilty as charged! I’m afraid I do it all the time. Mainly it is a matter of not remembering who I have told it to before and sometimes I preface it with, “Stop me if you’ve heard this before.” ---
**Author:** ![SkyBlueKayak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@SkyBlueKayak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkyBlueKayak)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/13 "2011-11-22T00:59:39Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > My 78 y/o mom loves to tell the same old stories over and over-I’ll pretty much humor her for the most part. my 77 y/o mom does the same and I humor her as well. I am concerned that the reason she repeats the SAME stories to me over and over is because she simply wants to talk and has no new material. I wish she would get out a little more and have some new experiences to chat about. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/14 "2011-11-22T01:20:19Z")
Exactly **SBK**. She has a suitor who occasionally comes into town to meet up with her (my dad died 11 years ago), but very few close friends, even tho meeting her you are instantly aware of just how extraverted she is. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/15 "2011-11-22T01:47:02Z")
I’ve solved the problem. I have my three-year-old talk to grandmother, and they repeat themselves forever. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/16 "2011-11-22T03:31:07Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Let’s move this over to IMHO. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator And it’s really serious when they repeat themselves with exactly the same words each time. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/17 "2011-11-22T03:32:55Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > . . . sometimes I preface it with, “Stop me if you’ve heard this before.” I tried that, and they stopped me before the first word. I really need new material. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/18 "2011-11-22T03:48:47Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Let’s move this over to IMHO. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/19 "2011-11-22T03:52:05Z")
It happens. I tell my family I can’t wait to get senile because I’ll be perfectly happy. If there’s a problem, it’ll be somebody else’s. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660/20 "2011-11-22T04:25:05Z")
You know you’re senile when you have that flash that says ‘what? I already told that story… to people who are dead now.’ And then you realise that the people you just told that story to are also dead, because you’re remembering telling that story to them, and that’s the story you’re telling, to other people, who are not dead. So you’re telling the story of telling stories to dead people and then they’re dead. True story. Told to me by Grandad. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-common-for-you-to-repeat-yourself-a-lot-as-you-grow-older/603660.md?page=2)