# What means "young'? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 23, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-means-young/497409 "2009-05-23T18:36:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-means-young/497409/41 "2009-05-26T00:07:40Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > You start getting reconciled to being old when your heart/spirit says “Go for it,” and your body says, “Just a damn minute, now.” Then I say “Okay, let’s have a Guinness and a cheeseburger instead”. Spirit happy, body happy. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-means-young/497409/42 "2009-05-26T00:10:54Z")
Though the body ages, and atrophies, and sags, and aches and pains; through that comes, in the best life lived: Wisdom. At it’s best, that is keeping all good human hopes alive, tempered with good experience; surviving despite the shits and arrows thrown. Sam Clemens has certainly been a good guide to me, echoing through a good century. Why does Young have to be any sort of guide in life? Yep, it certainly sells well, as that’s when desires are high. Hell, I loved my youth, in the 80’s, and wouldn’t deny any young person that; go on and discover yourself, get it on and see life. But, the Young Thang is what our culture seems to feed off, without then telling people how to mature into older human beings. It seems that we always want to Be Young, and that’s not a normal progression, and not a healthy one to teach any sort of culture to younger people. Anyone here who is astute to teaching younger people conscientiously as elders ? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-means-young/497409/43 "2009-05-26T00:23:48Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I never said being 50 (or whatever) in and of itself is wrong- but if someone looks or feels better than some “average” or “idea” of 50, I don’t think it’s disingenuous to say they feel young. > > However- I actually agree with your basic point- that getting older is not a bad thing and too much emphasis on keeping youth is ultimately harmful. But, I think it’s the wrong argument to challenge the wording (“don’t say you feel young for 50- you’re 50, that’s your age, you’re 50 years old”) than challenging the idea that underlies the phraseology. It’s the implied or spoken “but” that annoys me. It says something my vocabulary isn’t up to describing. “I’m 50, but I don’t feel that old”, is the same as “I’m 50, but I feel younger”. UGH!: [This](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naml53FlcmI). ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-means-young/497409/44 "2009-05-26T00:27:40Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > My main gripe is companies that promise youth for buying their products, and assure us that growing old is a bad thing and a social ill. I love how people think that advertisers tell people what to think. They don’t. People naturally have an aversion to getting old. Why? Because while it beats the alternative, getting older sucks. Windows of opportunity become closed to you. Your health and physical appearance deteriorates. So advertisers play on those fears to sell products that people think will enhance or extend their youthfullness. But it seems like your issue is that people use the term “youth” to indicate something other than mere chronological age. Also, I hate when people say stuff like “Grandma is 90 years young.” Dude, she’s old as shit. There’s no “young” about it. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-means-young/497409/45 "2009-05-26T00:34:35Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I love how people think that advertisers tell people what to think. > > They don’t. > > People naturally have an aversion to getting old. Why? Because while it beats the alternative, getting older sucks. Windows of opportunity become closed to you. Your health and physical appearance deteriorates. So advertisers play on those fears to sell products that people think will enhance or extend their youthfullness. > > But it seems like your issue is that people use the term “youth” to indicate something other than mere chronological age. > Also, I hate when people say stuff like “Grandma is 90 years young.” Dude, she’s old as shit. There’s no “young” about it. Well, yes they do. Here’s an improvement: [But still somewhat exploitive](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vilUhBhNnQc&feature=related). ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-means-young/497409/46 "2009-05-26T12:51:33Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I love how people think that advertisers tell people what to think. > > They don’t. > > People naturally have an aversion to getting old. Why? Because while it beats the alternative, getting older sucks. Windows of opportunity become closed to you. Your health and physical appearance deteriorates. So advertisers play on those fears to sell products that people think will enhance or extend their youthfullness. > > But it seems like your issue is that people use the term “youth” to indicate something other than mere chronological age. > Also, I hate when people say stuff like “Grandma is 90 years young.” Dude, she’s old as shit. There’s no “young” about it. It’s tomorrow and I’m _still_ surprised that you say that “They Don’t”. You really need to watch more tv. You’re losing touch with reality, I fear. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-means-young/497409/47 "2009-05-26T15:17:00Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > It would seem so, but I asked. Most were talking about lipstick and hair, that kind of thing. Not about health. The worst thing about smoking, I guess, is that it causes wrinkles. :rolleyes: > Is not dyed, permed, and treated hair considered “healthy”? Juh? I’ve never heard anyone use it this way. Or maybe that’s what they’ve always secretly meant and I’ve been misinterpreting all this time? Never asked. When I say it at least, I actually mean take better care of oneself. Typically I’m referencing a woman who is haggard or is aging poorly, presumably due to poor lifestyle choices. Make up doesn’t make you look more youthful; it makes you look like you’ve spent more time putting on make up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-means-young/497409.md?page=2)