# Ways You've Felt Old Recently **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 2, 2023, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436 "2023-07-02T05:00:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/102 "2023-07-12T14:12:41Z")
Yeah, that’s what I said then too (20 years ago). The angel of death has a reply for ya. You won’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/103 "2023-07-12T14:55:12Z")
This is what I don’t get. \<_scratches head_\> I know what a telegram is although I’ve never gotten or sent one. I know what a candlestick phone is. I know what party lines are (and panty lines, too, for that matter – not the same thing BTW). I know that early model cars were started with a crank handle at the front of the radiator. I know about door-to-door milk delivery although I’ve never experienced that. Is it just immediate history (their parents’/grandparents’ generation) that they don’t know? Or do they not know about World Wars I and II, the Great Depression, the Middle Ages, the Roman Empire? I’ll give a speculative answer and say that my step-grandson, born in 1989, believes that ALL history began on Sept 11, 2011. ALL history. **Nothing** that happened before that date matters or is worth knowing about. 🙄 Sorry, this is a bit of a hijack. I probably should take my ranting and puzzlement elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/104 "2023-07-12T15:25:48Z")
Our kids have no idea what our parent’s lives were like so we routinely told them our parent’s stories as if it happened to us. So at one point they believed we used to get dishes at the movie theater, the iceman used to come to bring big blocks of ice to our house, and there was always a pressurized bottle of seltzer in the kitchen. We reinforced this belief with documentaries performed by the Three Stooges. Eventually they became less gullible, and Grandma who couldn’t even figure out how Knock-Knock jokes worked spilt the beans on a lot of it. Something from my own lifetime though, when my kids would ask “Where are my shoes?” or “Where is my jacket?” I would respond “I don’t know. What am I, Kreskin?”. Eventually curiosity led them to ask what that meant, and the younger one who lost his things most often actually spent as much as 3 minutes investigating this on the internet. He adopted the phrase himself and impressed and amused his boss at work one day with a “What am I, Kreskin?” response to the astonishment of the other workers who had no clue what that meant. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/105 "2023-07-12T15:38:36Z")
There is a lack of interest in the past on the part of the young, more marked than in other times, I agree. But isn’t it at least partly a result of our present sociological moment, when the world seems to be (more factually, _is_) accelerating ever more rapidly toward irrecoverable disaster on multiple fronts, when technology is outdated by the time you learn how to use it, when social anomie is rising to unprecedented levels? Why would the past be of interest except vague curiosity, when such is our present, the only world the young have ever known? I feel very lucky to be old. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/106 "2023-07-12T15:43:20Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > Why would the past be of interest except vague curiosity, when such is our present, the only world the young have ever known? I suspect much of the aversion to learning history among the young whippersnappers these days has to do with their cultivation of a limited attention span. Information and entertainment for them consists of a few seconds of action on whatever social media app or game they have their face buried in all day. Then a quick swipe or click and it’s on to the next attention grabbing stunt. It’s going to be hard to comprehend long story arcs that lead up to significant historical events - that’s gonna take some time and effort. Why bother expending the energy on stuffy old history when there are so many cat videos to watch instead? ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/107 "2023-07-12T16:13:09Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Why bother expending the energy on stuffy old history when there are so many cat videos to watch instead? I feel the same way, really. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/108 "2023-07-12T16:33:02Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > I feel the same way, really. I feel the same way, too (not to mention baby Corgi videos)-- the trouble is all that historical shit is **already in my head!** Maybe when dementia arrives all of that will go away and then I can focus on kittens and Corgi butts. [https://www.reddit.com/r/corgibutts/](https://www.reddit.com/r/corgibutts/) ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/109 "2023-07-12T17:34:12Z")
My FB feed seems to believe I am most interested in watching people falling off their horses, rescue of dogs in dire circumstances, this guy who plays the piano in public places in France, and sheep shearing. Not exactly wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/110 "2023-07-12T20:59:13Z")
ThelmaLou, have you ever watched videos of dachshunds digging? When only their butts are still out of the whole and wiggling back and forth? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/111 "2023-07-12T21:29:51Z")
Hmmm…looks like I’m in for a treat… 🐕 ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/112 "2023-07-12T22:10:00Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > ThelmaLou, have you ever watched videos of dachshunds digging? When only their butts are still out of the whole and wiggling back and forth? Hey, I’ve seen that in real life! There’s an empty field next to kennels at the end of our block. The owners allow dog walkers. Back when we had three dachshunds, we used to take them there, and the digging was _intense_. It was also there that a fire engine went by, and one of the dogs adjusted her howl until it perfectly matched the pitch of the siren. That was neat. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/113 "2023-07-13T01:40:56Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > I’d love to see a Boomer try to start a Model T Ford without expert assistance. Ahem, this Generation-Jones Boomer can do so. 😁 > [@Ulfreida](#): > > Why would the past be of interest except vague curiosity, when such is our present, the only world the young have ever known? > > I feel very lucky to be old. I think you’ve nailed it for me. I am utterly fascinated and appalled at how young people absolutely brush off the history of how things came to be the way they are. I understand that they can’t relate. I don’t understand why they aren’t curious to know. I, too, feel very lucky to be old. And still curious. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/114 "2023-07-13T04:30:10Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > You could celebrate your fiftieth the day before the world goes into lockdown. “Celebrated” my fiftieth just 2 days after the WHO declared COVID-19 as a pandemic? Been meeting up with friends who I’ve known since kindergarten. Lots of discussion about the effects of peri-menopause, such as sleeplessness, searching for words and temperature fluctuations which are not related to the weather. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/115 "2023-07-13T05:09:37Z")
Having a medical device (Borg implant) adjusted and actually understanding the doctors words and believing it is a good thing. And…being happy about it. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/116 "2023-07-13T05:13:09Z")
If you have a Borg implant, you will be assimilated into liking it. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/117 "2023-07-13T05:33:33Z")
Resistance is futile. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/118 "2023-07-13T10:43:38Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > I don’t understand why they aren’t curious to know. I do. First of all, education is no longer even trying to be comprehensive, it is focused upon forming trained worker-slaves. Second, if you live in a dystopia with little hope of improvement, what difference does the past make? Third, only intelligent people with leisure time are curious about things with no apparent relevance to their daily struggle, and people are no more intelligent on average than they ever were, which is to say not anything like as much as intelligent educated people imagine. Leisure time now is often spent trying to escape awareness of the present as completely as possible. Hence the adoration of fantasy and sci fi these days. 60 years ago, both were a niche interest at best. Nothing makes you as aware of the present like knowledge of how different the past was. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/119 "2023-07-13T10:52:31Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I’ll give a speculative answer and say that my step-grandson, born in 1989, believes that ALL history began on Sept 11, 2011. ALL history. **Nothing** that happened before that date matters or is worth knowing about. 🙄 > [@Ulfreida](#): > > There is a lack of interest in the past on the part of the young, more marked than in other times, I agree. > [@snowthx](#): > > I suspect much of the aversion to learning history among the young whippersnappers these days has to do with their cultivation of a limited attention span. Wow, I didn’t know we were going to get a live demonstration of the topic! ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2023, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/120 "2023-07-13T12:36:20Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Resistance is futile. Hey - as long as you _think_ you’ve got free will, you’re good. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2023, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436/121 "2023-07-14T02:01:54Z")
> [@velomont](#): > > I love Black Sabbath and Alice in Chains But these are old bands and are no different than your parents listening to bands that had their debut 30 years before. Huge ones, certainly, with long careers and with broader age appeal, but still old bands. It’s just music doesn’t have as wide an age rift in the post-60s decades (reasons have been discussed many times). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-youve-felt-old-recently/986436.md?page=7)