What advantages may there be in being old?

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   cathinfranceposted 14 years ago

   Generally being old is, people say, not for softies. But do you think you'll find any advantages in it when you get there? I'm just thinking of an old girl who elbowed her way to the front of the supermarket queue today with not a hint of shame. Nobody tried to stop her! And when my mother received pressure to increase in-credit gas payments I just mentioned to the company that she was 80 and they lowered the payment. (Fear of bad publicity - pressuring an elderly woman.) I guess sometimes being old can work to one's advantage.

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   The Grey Wolfposted 14 years ago

   Solice in knowing that your not bound to this plane for much longer?
   
   And wisdom supposedly but the jury's still out on that one.

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      pddm67posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with the wisdom part. As I get older I always find myself thinking, "If I only knew then what I know now." Not that it really does any good. My kids still think I don't know what I'm talking about
      
      And if I live to be 80, I just might move to the front of the line at the store (with maybe a little shame). I'm in a hurry - who knows how much longer I'll have

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   shazwellynposted 14 years ago

   historical perspectives.  Learn from the oldies and we dont make the same mistakes again!

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   Denno66posted 14 years ago

   Farting dust.

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      shazwellynposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      oh my!  And how would you know that my dear friend?!

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         Denno66posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Um, I heard from the old-timers, I'm excluded, ofcourse

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            shazwellynposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Hope you didnt get the after burn from them!  pooey stench stench! gag.. gag...

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               Denno66posted 14 years agoin reply to this

               They were almost impossible to outrun(their like rabbits!)

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   prettydarkhorseposted 14 years ago

   respect should be given to old people and all privileges possible

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   Denno66posted 14 years ago

   You mean, I should be respected?

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      prettydarkhorseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      oh Denno, thnaks for the sheeps, they are awesome, all people should be respected, yes but more to old ones

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   lmmartinposted 14 years ago

   People don't react when you're nutty -- they expect it from old people, so you're free to do whatever you feel like. Yeah!

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   sneakorocksolidposted 14 years ago

   You can sit on the pot as long as you want.

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   pylos26posted 14 years ago

   Yo sneako...understand you're going on 120 years now...how's it feel to be chedder cheese?

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      sneakorocksolidposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Ok! You made me laugh! Well that must be the reason my jokes are so "cheezy". I know, I know, kill yourself.

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    Rod Marsdenposted 14 years ago

    Being old for the baby boomers may not be so good. I am talking about those born after WW2 between the years 1945 and 1960. In the USA, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand we are likely to be problematical. In the USA, Great Britain and Australia dodgy dealings mean a lot of superannuation had frittered away leaving a lot of people vulnerable when it comes to the retirement years. We will live longer and that scares the hell out of a lot of governments. We will also require more medical care as we get older. We will continue to be a collective voice to be reckoned with if that means anything. So maybe getting old isn't such a great thing.

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       lmmartinposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       So who let the voice of gloom in here? Come on -- getting old is better than the alternative.

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          Rod Marsdenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Not complete gloom there Immartin...or at least gloom with an edge of tongue-in-cheek fun...scaring the hell out of a lot of governments could be jolly...
          
          Being a strong collective voice has got to be good ju-ju. Well, being old ain't so great but we can still get somewhere with it.
          
          MERRY CHRISTMAS! Or being the voice of gloom I should say: "Bah humbug!"
          
          "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens is a favorite with me. I think "A Cricket on the Heath" is more your style but still very good. 
          
          
          
          
          

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    lyricsingrayposted 14 years ago

    grandchildren

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    Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

    Well, I'd like to make clear that I'm not "old" yet; but I'm old enough that twenty-year-olds usually think I'm old.  One advantage I seem to notice is that now that I'm (oh, let's say) "37" ) I have learned how young it really feels  to be a few decades past twenty;  so while I once looked at people the age I am now and thought I'd hate being that "old", I now see that it isn't so old or so horrible after all.  It turns out hair doesn't always get gray as early as we thought it would, fine lines under the eyes don't always set in as early as we thought either. Now, if only I could find the same kind of positive discoveries with being even older than I am now.   

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       Pearldiverposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       So There!!!

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          Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          You said it!     (Of course, one of the disadvantages of being "37" is that twenty-year-olds think you're ancient and imagine how horrible it must be to be your age.     We "37-year-olds" don't like anyone feeling bad for us because we're so "old".   

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             AdviceDoctorposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             Just reading this makes me feel like a damn old .. buffalo!
             
             I'm 33, do 20 year olds think I'm old? Goddamn it.

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                Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                Oh, no!!      I was lying about the 37 thing!       (I was hoping people would know I was "being funny" by saying "37" - when I'm way, way, past that.    )   You have nothing to worry about.     (at least for another ten or fifteen years.  )    (On second thought, though, seventeen-year-olds do think you're ancient.  )

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                   AdviceDoctorposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                   Yeah, my 16 year old daughter is always like "This is my dad.. he's .. uhm.. a zombie"

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    AdviceDoctorposted 14 years ago

    You can fart in public and people think it's cute.

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    Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

    I'm a late-end Baby Boomer.  My generation isn't willing to give up being considered "youthful" without a fight.     We'll be 85 and calling ourselves, "middle aged". 

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    AdviceDoctorposted 14 years ago

    Lol!
    
    My parents do call themselves "55 years young, and still in the light of life!"
    
    And here I sit worrying about turning 34 next year.

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       Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Your parents need to just start calling themselves, "37".   

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    kirstenblogposted 14 years ago

    I can't wait to be a nice granny, with horridly foul language
    Who would tell a nice granny off for bad language or anything else?

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    Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

    I don't mind waiting another 20 years or so before becoming an 'old granny".    I'm probably not so much the type who'll use foul language all over the place.  I'll probably be more the type to bop people with a giant pocketbook.     (The urge has already kind of started setting in.) 

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    BobLloydposted 14 years ago

    Lots of advantages but it depends whether or not you've retired.  I've retired and enjoy being able to use my time as I like.  Not having anything to prove, and not needing to do what an employer needs is itself a kind of freedom.
    
    There are loads of opportunities to learn and experience new things once your time is your own and as you get older, time becomes more important than money.  (Hang on, did I say that?)
    
    There can be disadvantages too.  You become gradually less visible to younger people, who can sometimes discount you and decide you're just about ready for the allotment and the woolly cardigan.

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    PrettyPantherposted 14 years ago

    George Carlin has a hilarious routine about the advantages of being old.  You can blow off important family events (like a funeral) and everyone assumes it's because "Grandpa forgot."

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