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Dying might suck, but growing old isn’t all that much easier. It’s all of those sudden realizations that time keeps on moving and your body is ever so slowly fading into nothingness. Each time it hits hard.
And folks on Reddit have been discussing those very instances of life letting them know that their expiration date is approaching. Without telling them when it actually is, of course.
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#1
Watching the “lil” rappers (lil pump, lil _insert name here_) score millions of likes on YouTube for some of the most awful music that has ever been unleashed on the world.
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#3
When a song from my youth plays on the radio and the dj calls it a classic or an oldie.
UpQuarkDownQuark (he/him) 8 months ago
When your favorite band was once of the biggest bands in the world, and no one under 35 has ever even heard of them.
So, one Redditor recently approached the AskReddit community with the question what made you realize you are not young anymore? A heavy-hitting question, to be honest, and even more so for those in their older years.
While the upvotage was on the modest side, clocking in at a bit over 1,000 upvotes, it engaged quite a bunch of people across 3,700 comments.
#4
For me, it’s when celebrities pass away. I’m always like, ‘No way! They’ve been around since I was….’ Oh no!
The math is the worst part.
Esme Weatherwax 8 months ago
It's worrying when it's implied they were old and you suddenly realise they were younger than you. Take a number and wait in line.
#5
I turned on the Grammy awards and I had no clue who the majority of performers were. Years ago I knew all of them.
#6
Got out of shower. Sat on bed to put clothes on. Sat on my balls.
F**k it. I had a good run. Hand me my cane.
Auntriarch 8 months ago
I feel very guilty for laughing, but in my defence I don't have to worry about the aforementioned appendages
Growing old is definitely a surreal feeling—one that might have some overlap with the overall human experience, but mostly it feels very personal. After all, we all experience the world through very slightly nuanced senses, our fates are different, just like our choices in life, and thus we end up with a slightly different result in the end, making our golden years either great or not as much. If at all existent.
#7
TikTok....when that app dropped I just instantly morphed into a dinosaur.
#8
When I started acting like my parents and want to stay home then rather going to parties. Feel excited for decorating or cleaning my house.
#9
Hitting my mid 50's and realising that I was broke and would be working the rest of my life just to survive.
But, there is overlap. A shared experience. Journalist and author Tim Dowling shared his take on becoming 60, and it’s pretty spot on.
Among the 13 points, he listed everything from physical to mental to experiential changes that he went through in his life.
#11
Waking up with back/neck pain cause I slept in the wrong position.
#12
The moment I started considering 9 PM as "late" and got excited about buying a new type of vacuum cleaner.
First, interestingly, is the idea that the real difference between being young and growing old is not physical, nor mental. It’s rather just the cumulative weight of all the years left behind you. Time doesn’t grant wisdom. It just progresses and gets compressed into what feels like a timespan that happened a week or two ago.
#14
My knees crack when I get up. Also, I do that weird dad groan while doing it.
#15
There's a haircut that gen z/alpha have that pisses me off.
I hate that I now get upset by a haircut. I don't want to be old.
Another factor of being old is having to deal with the colossal amount of everything that you’ve probably completely forgotten about over the years. Past holiday experiences, books read, shows watched, friends had—all of it gets shed with time. And that’s fine. Your brain simply conserves space by forgetting things it doesn’t really need.
#16
I call these moments "coffin nails"
1. The first was when I worked at a record store and when chatting with a customer, said customer's kid asked "what's Atari?"
2. Later, a friend of mine worked with teens, one of those teens asked me if I was a skater "back in the day" making me realize my youth was in fact "back in the day" to some people.
3. Hearing music I loved as a teen/young adult on "classic" radio stations.
1. Also being mocked for listening to radio.
4. A couple years ago, I found out I was the same age as a co-worker's mother.
5. As of last year, 2 of my brother's 3 kids are old enough to drink.
6. Just now realizing I'm the same age now as Wilford Brimley was in Cocoon.
It just keeps coming :D.
Wingsofwrath 8 months ago
The fact your choice of movie to reference is "Cocoon" is also a clue, because it came out in 1985 and it's not one of those that get constant reruns...
#17
I'm from the Netherlands were instead of **you** we have two different words for it.
We say "jij" to someone that's younger than you or equal to your age or in informal settings.
We say "u" to people that are older and in formal settings.
I'm 28 and suddenly younger people in restaurants or stores say "u" to me.
That's when I realized I'm getting old.
Someone_from_the_Netherlands 8 months ago
Completely understandable, I am also not a 'jij' person anymore...
#18
I've been out of high school for about as long as current teenagers have been alive.
UpQuarkDownQuark (he/him) 8 months ago
I’ve been out of high school for as long as current teenagers’ parents have been alive.
There also comes a time when sitting down and standing up means making noise. It’s either your knees giving out a pop or you doing what realistically is an involuntary groan.
And there might be an experience when you might think someone’s following you around the store—turns out, it’s just your reflection.
#20
I can no longer function on 4 hours sleep.
Geoffrey Scott 8 months ago
Oh...I can function, but if I get even 10 minutes of downtime, it's "nighty, night".
#21
Coming home from wherever work would send me and trying to hang out with friends. Realizing we had nothing in common anymore beyond the memories.
According to statistics, at least, older folks generally grow to be happy. You might think old age means everything hurts and you’re closer to the end than you have been ever before, but it’s probably all the free time you get to focus on yourself.
But that might always be the case. Age kills ambition because you realize that everyone dies, nothing matters or are hit by a similar sobering realization.
#22
The constant aches and pains.
But the big one was when my hobbies and daydreams changed to stuff like gardening, canning, crocheting, and fixing up my property.
Esme Weatherwax 8 months ago
I often knit on the train on my way to work and frequently get comments from young people saying they didn't know people still knitted. Oh, and, it's good to keep old crafts alive
#24
When buying alcohol at a supermarket someone asked me for ID, and it made me laugh out loud! Also made my day ! I was 42,.
On a lighter note, though, you might notice how older folks always keep the radio (or their equivalent of audio equipment) on. If you’re wondering why they do that—it’s just always been on. You can turn it off once we’re gone.
Also, something to look forward to: older folks tend to be more careful. Despite having avoided every pitfall in life thus far, but still, don’t take risks.
#25
The oldies station was playing songs and I remember when they were released.
Katie Lutesinger 8 months ago
I was in a shop and a song by the Spice Girls started playing. I said "oh man, I remember getting up one morning and the music video for this song had just played on TV for the first time". And the girl behind the counter said "I've never heard it before." I told her at least that means you missed out on not being able to turn around without stepping on another bit of Spice Girls merchandise because for a while there it got absolutely insane.
#26
I remember going to a Best Buy many years ago and the guy ringing the order up looked at my license and said "holy s**t, you were born the year I graduated from high school. I considered myself relatively young until just this moment." I now get where he was coming from.
Tobias Reaper 8 months ago
i was coming home from work and woman was walking with her little one as i walked past she said watch out for the man and another time some kids were playing hide and seek near where i was walking back from work and one popped his head out looked at me worried and said sorry sir
#27
Young people p**s me off and I'm not even 30.
BROmanicus85 8 months ago
Cr@p!! And how is this supposed to make me feel, OP?!?! You're talking about young people angering you, but at your age, you're one of those young people for me... :))
Monotasking also becomes a thing. Mostly because multitasking has become absolutely impossible (pst, it never was, but keep living that lie), but that just means your efforts to foster discipline have not been in vain at this point.
Last, but not least, resistance to change. Old folks hate change because they have to adjust time and time again, and they’re done doing that across many decades
#28
The mirror and the stairs.
UncleJohn3000 8 months ago
This is why our vision fades with age - so our partner's and our own face in the mirror continue to look good.
#29
When I started getting a little bit of gray around my temples and in my beard.
When those "you must have been born before [today's date - 21 years] to legally purchase alcohol" signs started displaying dates after my high school graduation.
And when I started waking up with random aches, despite not having injured myself recently.
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het 8 months ago
I guess I was lucky. Most of my hair fell out before it went grey.
#30
Asked out a cute girl. At the date, she asked me how old I was. When I told her, she said "yeah, that's a problem". In my defense, I did not realize she was as young as she was. Apparently I don't look my age either.
So, what are your thoughts on any of this? Are you looking forward to being old and frail because you’re gonna have (relatively speaking) all the time in the world? Share your thoughts and stories in the comment section below!
And if you need another hit of the old, we have more.
#31
When a coworker who was in his early 20s didn't know who Jimi Hendrix was.
#32
When I realized that there are people born after me who are now old enough to be president.
Tom Brincefield 8 months ago
My sister is a few months older than Obama. I didn't let her forget she was older than the President.
#33
Oh and also that I’ve had piercings longer than I havent.
Manic Mama 8 months ago
Lol. someone at work asked me recently how long I'd had the 'new' piercings in my ears - and I had to say '40 years'.
#35
How many of my posts were saying, "I remember..." and talking about how things used to be.
#36
I feel guilty for wasting time now.
Did I say that out loud? (he/him)cis/het 8 months ago
I should really stop procrastinating, too. Maybe I'll start tomorrow.
#37
For me, it was moving cities. I was in a sleepier part of the country that had an older population so I didn’t feel my age. Move to where I am now where there is a lot more younger people and I now feel old.
R.A. Haley 8 months ago
My wife and I moved to Alabama. When we got here I couldn't hike across a mile of airport terminal without resting. I barely made it at all and my wife, who is 10 years younger, just boogied right across like it was nothing. August 2nd, 2022 was the day I officially became old.
#39
When I realized I could eat burger for breakfast andno one to forbid me to do that ou buying my on candy whit a money that I owend myself.
Being adult can be dope sometimes.
What do you think ?
Pikkie V 8 months ago (edited)
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. But no later than 8.30pm, otherwise I can't get to sleep
PFD 8 months ago
I though it was, "Do not go gentle into that good night / Rage, rage and turn off all the lights / It's like Blackpool illuminations in here."
Load More Replies...
Adam Zad 8 months ago
Eight years ago, I pulled into a Del Taco. There was a long line at the drive-through, but the parking lot was empty, so I parked and walked in. Got the two classic burritos for $5 special and was expecting the total to be five and change, so I pulled a five and a single out of my pocket. The CHILD at the counter said, "That'll be $4.85." I thought there might be some kind of Friday night special (completely forgetting that "today" was Thursday). Gave the kid the five and stuck the single back in my pocket. Got my change, food, and receipt and went back to the car. Then, I looked at the receipt and saw The Two Dreaded Words: Senior Discount. I WAS ONLY 48!!
Corvus 8 months ago
I think I realized it when I stopped caring about new tech. Smartphones? Meh. AI? Couldn't care less. And I was such a computer/tech nerd back in the day... (sigh)
Pikkie V 8 months ago (edited)
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. But no later than 8.30pm, otherwise I can't get to sleep
PFD 8 months ago
I though it was, "Do not go gentle into that good night / Rage, rage and turn off all the lights / It's like Blackpool illuminations in here."
Load More Replies... Adam Zad 8 months ago
Eight years ago, I pulled into a Del Taco. There was a long line at the drive-through, but the parking lot was empty, so I parked and walked in. Got the two classic burritos for $5 special and was expecting the total to be five and change, so I pulled a five and a single out of my pocket. The CHILD at the counter said, "That'll be $4.85." I thought there might be some kind of Friday night special (completely forgetting that "today" was Thursday). Gave the kid the five and stuck the single back in my pocket. Got my change, food, and receipt and went back to the car. Then, I looked at the receipt and saw The Two Dreaded Words: Senior Discount. I WAS ONLY 48!!
Corvus 8 months ago
I think I realized it when I stopped caring about new tech. Smartphones? Meh. AI? Couldn't care less. And I was such a computer/tech nerd back in the day... (sigh)
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