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Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
8,852 posts, read 10,455,696 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JBPisgah
Some adults turn into this. ^^ They've internalized the stale assumption that because adulthood can be serious, fun is only for kids. It's not just that fun is something you are forced to outgrow by the weight of adult responsibilities. It's that fun is something adults should look down on in other adults. The "fun is appropriate for kids only" crowd. And, of course, no place manufactures these Daleks like corporations. These are the kind of people who don't want me to like Pinkie Pie!!
Agreed, that attitude often seems to go with the sorta folks who generally don't handle "change" well, and tend more towards "either/or", "black & white" thinking. IMHO, it's also the difference between aging with grace, and ending up bitter while toting a heap of "baggage".
“To everything there is a time and a season for every
purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time
to sow and a time to reap. A time to laugh and a time to cry. A
time to mourn and a time to dance.” – Ecclesiastes
The same percentage of young people are as straight-laced and unimaginative as older people.
It doesn't appear that way because most young people find it a social imperative to emulate their creative, off-beat peers. As they get older, they embrace their dullness.
The 10% (or so) of truly imaginative and creative young people become the 10% of older adults who possess these traits.
And even then, as one becomes older, one realizes that outward, superficial expression of their creative mindset is not as important as it was in their youth, so they spend less time on cultivating the appearance of being a creative person, and actually just create.
Plus a 40 year-old scene kid or punk rocker just looks stupid.
It really depends on the adults. And as someone else said, the milieu. In Corporate America, I can imagine how the atmosphere would tend to be dull. With the exception of the tech corporations, where creativity is fostered. If you hang out with creative types, you'll discover a different world. And creative types can be anywhere; they can be in academia, the tech world, the arts, even marketing (my cousin works in marketing for the toy industry, and she has a blast!) But saying "DUH!" to someone is rude. It may be cute when kids say it, but adults don't say that to each other unless they're friends and they're being a little playful.
It sounds like you've fallen into a rut, OP. You need to find your niche. Go out and make new friends. Look for fun activities or hobbies to try out, or volunteer for arts organizations or some kind of cause where people are passionate about what they do. Attend travel seminars at your local travel bookstore and see if you meet any interesting characters. Think outside the box. Explore. I certainly wouldn't paint all adults with the same brush, not at all! There are adults who retain their child-like playfulness, creativity, and a certain degree of carefree spirit, at least in their leisure time. It sounds like you need a change, some new energy in your life.
The sad and frustrating part is I work in a so called creative industry with "creative" people who just try to one up each other on being funny and that just becomes annoying. I do meet some interesting people, but most people have been sucked into the corporate world it pains me to make an effort to be different and interesting. I have a blast with people society see as "nutty" or "cynical" or "dark". I'm just tired of the polite nodding folks who just go with the flow and don't want to rock the boat. I'm not one for causing trouble but I'm so sick of the same conversation with 90% of the people I speak to.
I'm also talking about people who only give straight answers when you talk to them. My brother is an extreme example of the opposite. He's frustrating to talk to sometimes but never boring because he will never give you a straight answer.
My teacher in a creative industry is trying to teach us not to ask straight questions or give straight answers. I guess I don't really know how to do that.. :/ My brother is usually the smart ass in the family.
Because when people always have to be right it makes them really rigid and staunch and there's no more guess-work, piecing things together, and finding imaginative means to end. They want to be right, so they will not stray from a set, proven course, whatever that "course" may be. Usually this course is not all that creative. It's A+B = AB or C (that's a little more creative!!! Uh oh!!), or 1+1 = 2 or 11.
It may be the way they argue or come to a conclusion, how they figure out plans for the day or weekend, how they dress in the morning or when they're going out, the way they talk, etc. They must do everything CORRECTLY and win the approval of their peers by being just like them and doing it to their standards. I've heard the term "sheeple" being thrown around a lot. Poor saps.
Real responsibilities and real consequences. Also, diminishing returns. If an older person already tried and experienced tons of things in their younger days (like making a lot of money, seeing another country, etc), they won't look as fascinated as a young person experiencing new things.
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