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I'm married, so it matters not to me who finds me attractive other than my husband. The fact remains, I see more teens and 20-something's who are overweight from lack of exercise/overheating than I've ever seen before. I also see more older people who are taking care of their bodies more than before. IMO, a healthy/fit 30 or 40 year old will trump an unhealthy and overweight looking 20 year old every time. Again...my opinion.
I have more of a problem with what people consider "middle age." You would think "middle age" would be at, or close to, the midpoint of the lifespan. Sure lots of people live to 95-100 today, but not the majority. Most people in the US live to 75 or 80. The average for men is 75.6, and for women 80.8 (several websites). The average for all people in the US as of 2010 is 78.2. So why are people calling 48 or 50 "middle aged?"
I'm 43, and like it or not, and not matter how young I look or feel, I'm middle aged. Why can't people just deal with that? I'm fine with it. I'm guessing I'll probably die around age 86, since I never smoked, I'm relatively healthy, my parents are both living and healthy, and my grandmothers died at 77 and 93 respectively. So yes, 43 is "midde aged."
I love people who are 55 or 60 and still want to be called "middle aged." Please. If you sincerely think you are going to live to 110-120, then fine, you're "middle aged." But guess what, you're delusional. You might look great, you might feel like a spring chicken, but you sure aren't middle aged. If you don't want to be called old, older, aging, senior, mature, etc, you'd better think of a better term, because "middle aged" just doesn't exactly cut it. My Mom is 65 and she recently just said "....it was mostly middle aged people like me..." Mom, as much as I love having you around, you ain't going to live to 130. Deal with it. Accept it gracefully!
I think part of the problem is that the media makes it seem middle age equates to unattractiveness.
When it simply isn't true.
But the media makes it seem a crime to be a middle aged woman. Yet when I'm walking around I see middle aged woman getting lots of male attention.
While I don't think 30 is middle aged(maybe 35 to 60 is imo) its not quite a spring chicken.
I also think most people equate youth with fun.
As if being middle aged means you won't have fun anymore.
The average life span is like 76, so middle age should be somewhere around 38
Quote:
Originally Posted by TracySam
I have more of a problem with what people consider "middle age." You would think "middle age" would be at, or close to, the midpoint of the lifespan. Sure lots of people live to 95-100 today, but not the majority. Most people in the US live to 75 or 80. The average for men is 75.6, and for women 80.8 (several websites). The average for all people in the US as of 2010 is 78.2. So why are people calling 48 or 50 "middle aged?"
I'm 43, and like it or not, and not matter how young I look or feel, I'm middle aged. Why can't people just deal with that? I'm fine with it. I'm guessing I'll probably die around age 86, since I never smoked, I'm relatively healthy, my parents are both living and healthy, and my grandmothers died at 77 and 93 respectively. So yes, 43 is "midde aged."
Answering to the bolded - because there was a systemic change I felt (originally I mentioned only the clothing part of it). There was a change in everything - my perceptions, style, people in their 30s started seem young and indistinguishable from people in their 20s, peri reared its head.... that did not happen to me when I was in my 30s or 43 like you. It has been a quality change that made me REALLY feel I've entered another life stage. I am 48 now and this happened in the last year or 2. Before this shift, I steadily felt the same young person, esp. when I had kids at 39 and 41.
Interestingly, I am as strong as usual, because I have to be on a hobby farm, not much has changed in that regard, this is an internal change.
But different people may feel differently, esp. with grandkids at my age or earlier, so I wouldn't go just by arithmetic (lifespan divided by 2) , it's all individual.
If everyone went on about how 30 or 35 was young, sooo young, would you be stamping your foot and saying "Ugh! 30 isn't that young!"? No. Because this isn't about battling false perceptions, this is about your vanity.
How about instead of asking us to hold your hand and assure you you're not old, you grow up and act your age?
No actually I would just continue like I was in my teens and 20s and not think anything about it and keep hitting the real getting older age of 40 in the back of my mind like I have all of my life. I am worried that in 10 years people will have stopped viewing 30 as old and I will be 41 by then. Once again I missed out on being young. Yet all of these idiots in their teens and early 20s who are calling 30 old now will be able to continue to enjoy their youth. THIS IS WHY THIS NEEDS TO STOP AND STOP NOW!
I would consider the start of middle age to be in the mid 40s to mid 50s since more and more people are living to their 90s and 100s. 30 was middle age maybe 80 years ago.
EXACTLY!! Times change, it is just America is just so backwards in thinking for the most part. They don't seem to want to progress.
I have more of a problem with what people consider "middle age." You would think "middle age" would be at, or close to, the midpoint of the lifespan. Sure lots of people live to 95-100 today, but not the majority. Most people in the US live to 75 or 80. The average for men is 75.6, and for women 80.8 (several websites). The average for all people in the US as of 2010 is 78.2. So why are people calling 48 or 50 "middle aged?"
I'm 43, and like it or not, and not matter how young I look or feel, I'm middle aged. Why can't people just deal with that? I'm fine with it. I'm guessing I'll probably die around age 86, since I never smoked, I'm relatively healthy, my parents are both living and healthy, and my grandmothers died at 77 and 93 respectively. So yes, 43 is "midde aged."
I love people who are 55 or 60 and still want to be called "middle aged." Please. If you sincerely think you are going to live to 110-120, then fine, you're "middle aged." But guess what, you're delusional. You might look great, you might feel like a spring chicken, but you sure aren't middle aged. If you don't want to be called old, older, aging, senior, mature, etc, you'd better think of a better term, because "middle aged" just doesn't exactly cut it. My Mom is 65 and she recently just said "....it was mostly middle aged people like me..." Mom, as much as I love having you around, you ain't going to live to 130. Deal with it. Accept it gracefully!
Well maybe people will start living until then with new technologies coming along, but either way I don't expect to become immortal. We will all die someday. I just want to enjoy my youth while I still have it instead of feeling like it is being cheated way from me by backwards thinking.
No actually I would just continue like I was in my teens and 20s and not think anything about it and keep hitting the real getting older age of 40 in the back of my mind like I have all of my life. I am worried that in 10 years people will have stopped viewing 30 as old and I will be 41 by then. Once again I missed out on being young. Yet all of these idiots in their teens and early 20s who are calling 30 old now will be able to continue to enjoy their youth. THIS IS WHY THIS NEEDS TO STOP AND STOP NOW!
Wha? Your youth is not defined by how others perceive you.
I just want to enjoy my youth while I still have it instead of feeling like it is being cheated way from me by backwards thinking.
But this statement sums up what others here are saying--Why is there this idea that only "youth" is enjoyable? Why is admiitting you are middle aged "cheating" you somehow? Why is defining yourself as middle aged "backward thinking"?
Personally, I am glad to be my current age. I am enjoying life and my age. Sure, I can't eat everything I want and no have to worry about gaining weight like I did when I was 20. But I'm healthy and happy and centered in my life. I would not trade the wisdom, experience, knowledge, and perspective I have now for being 20 again. Eating a little more sensibly and having knees that make a little "crunching" noise isn't leaving me feeling "cheated" and it's a small trade-off for the self-awareness and confidence I have now.
Also, I prefer to fully embrace saying I'm middle aged, and hearing people say they can't believe I'm 43, rather than being some pitiful 43 year old who longs to be young and pretends she's young, with everyone saying behind her back how old she actually seems.
But this statement sums up what others here are saying--Why is there this idea that only "youth" is enjoyable? Why is admiitting you are middle aged "cheating" you somehow? Why is defining yourself as middle aged "backward thinking"?
Personally, I am glad to be my current age. I am enjoying life and my age. Sure, I can't eat everything I want and no have to worry about gaining weight like I did when I was 20. But I'm healthy and happy and centered in my life. I would not trade the wisdom, experience, knowledge, and perspective I have now for being 20 again. Eating a little more sensibly and having knees that make a little "crunching" noise isn't leaving me feeling "cheated" and it's a small trade-off for the self-awareness and confidence I have now.
Also, I prefer to fully embrace saying I'm middle aged, and hearing people say they can't believe I'm 43, rather than being some pitiful 43 year old who longs to be young and pretends she's young, with everyone saying behind her back how old she actually seems.
Ummm I am 31. You are actually 12 years older than me. I am glad that you have embraced your age and everything, but I am far way from 43 still.
My complaint is people still seeing 30 as old or middle age this day in age.
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