Tuesday, 30 June 2009
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Measuring age
I have been wondering what age really measures that makes people (myself included) dread this number so much. Because in many ways, it really is just a number - a measurement of time.Aside from that, its value has a pretty imprecise meaning. Does it measure our physical or mental state? In my opinion, the number does not guarantee an accurate assessment of either – I am 24 and can pass off as an 18 year old easily. And I think I’m slightly more mature than many people my age.
Age is also a relative number. I may see a 13 year old as kid, but from a 70 year old’s perspective, I’m pretty much a baby myself.
Someone once suggested that I should measure my life by the moments we truly live. So technically, the first ten or so years of our lives do not really count because were children incapable of making the best decisions on our own.
From a medical standpoint, humans are not meant to live as long as we do now – it’s unnatural to have a life span of 75+ years. That is why we have “discovered” so many diseases in the past century. For the past several millennia, we did not live long enough to suffer from cancer, Alzheimer, etc. People used to smoke 239480234 cigarettes a day and wouldn’t develop lung cancer. Why? Because they died before the cancer can materialize. Science has doubled our life expectancy in the past century.
So now that we have the ability to stay younger and live longer, shouldn’t we fear aging less? It’s silly to fret over something that is inevitable and beyond our control, but we still do it anyway.
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Comments (26)
So in essence, this is already an epic fail of an idea.
haha good point on fearing aging less
Somewhat interesting take on age and life. I think if you're lucky enough to look younger than you are then you must be doing something right in terms of your health and/or appearance. I think we should embrace life and live for as long a we can. You have a valid point about medical history and science, we've come a long way in the past 30, 40 and even 50 years when it comes to disease cure and prevention.
I always thought that diseases and such were a good form of population control.
i am not afraid of aging. in fact, i can't wait to get older. i cannot wait.
i think the complexities of society is also a determining factor. a millenia ago when we were running around with rocks and spears, it didn't take a lot to understand how society works (basic laws, hunting, eating, stay warm, dont die). you could make "adult" decisions at an early age.
try making adult decisions *now* without prior knowledge of politics, education, taxation, macro-economics or instructions on how to drive a dump truck.
Age is meaningless without another variable by which to compare to or use as a standard
I've always wanted a fake ID just for the sake of having a fake ID. Not to use, because I don't drink or go to clubs, anyway. *sighs* If only it weren't illegal to make/have one.
Passing for an 18 year old when you're 24 can also have its annoying points, like when boys chat you up and then have the annoying gobsmacked look upon their face when you declare 'you do know i am 7 years older than you?'
age is a suggested indication of how saggy a woman's boobs have become, hence the fear
admit it, you just want to date 18 yr olds
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
That's cause you're still a baby MJ! lol.
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
If I measured my age by the moments I truly lived, that means my entire life doesn't count for my age.
I'm always going to feel younger than my husband - he is much older than I am. So, in a weird way, I want to look as old as I can without looking unhealthy.
im a 25 year old but i pass off as a 30 year old~ -_-
actually I think one very big reason why a lot of people didn't live as long before was because they were either killed, starved, or work to death...
Hmmm... not quite sure that would work. If she looks 50 but is really only 35, I'm still gonna think, "Damn, she's got lots of wrinkles for 35." If she's 50 but looks 35, I'm gonna think, "Damn, she's so hot for a 50 year old."
Maybe plastic surgeons should issue guarantee/certificate of authenticity cards when they do their operations. They might read: You are 50, but your boobs are guaranteed to look 35.
Our youth-obsessed American culture will never let us forget that we just get "old" after 30, especially for women.
Women 18-29 tend to reject guys even a year younger than them. But once they reach 30+ they get freaky. So I think men have to be a tad more strategic about revealing their age.
@coolmonkey - Kool, nice shot... LOL
you can still do it illegally haha.
Good point I never thought about that. I always wondered why we never heard about most of the diseases discovered in the last hundred years before that, its because people didn't live long enough to get most of those diseases! My perspective of age and maturity has changed. When I was in college not too long ago all my friends were a couple years younger than me so I felt like I was the oldest in the group. Now in the working work I'm the baby because most of the guys I hang out at work with have kids my age. I've just come to realize its all a mental state of mind weather you feel young or old, or are perceived as such.
lol... and of course you look like you're 18 still, you're asian, you're going to look that way forever till one day you get wrinkles haha.
I had to come look for this; I realized fairly recently that I haven't read a post from you in a while and got sad. lol
That sickness theory is pretty interesting. So we notice or discover new sicknesses b/c we've lived long enough to witness their materialization.. I like the direction that's headed in.
Oh! and men need IDs TOO!
Either I get hit on by teenagers, or cougars. (-_-)
If I was 30. I'd get a nice young adult lady in theory, right? lol