At What Age Do You Consider Somebody Old?
By MrKennedy
@MrKennedy (1978)
November 15, 2009 6:05am CST
I was recently thinking, and this question occured to me. Where do I draw the line before I consider a person old?
For me, it's a difficult question to answer. It appears that the older we grow ourselves, the further away we consider this line defining "old age". Is this indenial, a way for people to avoid the fact that they are no longer as young as they would wish to be? Or is it that we just never consider ourselves to be elderly? As I'm still relatively young, this isn't a problem for me, yet when I talk to other people like relatives, that line of old age always seems to increase the older they get themselves.
Then there's the problem of physical age and mental age. I've met 70 year-olds who still act 20, and 20 year-olds who act 70. The phrase "young at heart" springs to mind here.
My question to you fellow MyLotters is, at what age is this elderly line for you? Beyond what age would you consider somebody to be old? And do you usually judge this based on how old they appear physically or how old they act mentally?
Happy MyLotting ;)
3 people like this
12 responses
@Slavin77 (2)
• United States
16 Jan 10
I think someone's perception of "old" is based mostly on how the person looks and acts. My father is a few months away from 60 but he doesn't look it so would you consider him old? Not necessarily. He works out at least 5 times a week. Is this old man behavior?
I think there are more than one way to define "old age." There is the sort of mathematical perspective where you are on the opposite end of the spectrum from when you were considered "young." Someone can be physically "old" indicated by lack of energy or injury proneness, as well as the senses becoming impaired. Someone can be mentally "old" which would involve forgetfulness and things like that. The question is if someone who is mathematically "old" but not physically or mentally "old" would they still be classified as an old man or woman?I guess it all really comes down to your definition of "old."
As a lot of things are, it's all a matter of perspective. That's just my take on it.
@MrKennedy (1978)
•
17 Jan 10
Absolutely agree with you on the perspective thing Slavin77. Everybody views age in a different light, and somebody who may appear elderly may appear young to somebody else.
Though I do find it funny how as we ourselves grow old, the line representing old age seems to move further up the scales
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
8 Jan 10
Whenever they start to complain all the time and just stagnate both physically and intellectually.
@MrKennedy (1978)
•
17 Jan 10
That is without a doubt the worst type of person, the type of person who, with age, become miserable and decide that they want to moan and complain more. Whenever I hear somebody state "back in my day..." that is when I know that they are old, no matter what their age is. This phrase irritates me beyond belief
@anklesmash (1412)
•
3 Jan 10
i judge whether somebody is old or not by how they are physically and mentally not by how long they have lived.
@MrKennedy (1978)
•
17 Jan 10
Very good, anklesmash. Though the only problem I can see with judging somebody physically is the fact that not everybody has a choice in how their looks turn out, and some people are just more unlucky than others when their bodily features start to "go south."
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
2 Jan 10
Well I'm with you on the first one here. I know people in their thirties who by their attitudes should be queuing up for their pensions, and people in their seventies who carry on as if they are still teenagers. I would put the age of someone as their mental age so if I hear a 40 year old saying that they are old then it's a given that they probably are.
@MrKennedy (1978)
•
17 Jan 10
Haha, I certainly know what you are talking about
Like people have already mentioned, age is dictated by how a person acts and expresses themselves, not by a number.
And I just love it when a person can remain young at heart and still find enjoyment with life, instead of moaning and using that dreaded line of "back in my day..."
Like people have already mentioned, age is dictated by how a person acts and expresses themselves, not by a number.
And I just love it when a person can remain young at heart and still find enjoyment with life, instead of moaning and using that dreaded line of "back in my day..."
@my_name_is_coco (4334)
• Philippines
23 Dec 09
I think age is just a number.youth is really in the heart and mind.age for me is not an indication that a person is old or young.age doesn't dictate a person's maturity.a youthful person is someone who lives each day happily and see the beauty of all things on earth.
@MrKennedy (1978)
•
17 Jan 10
Completely agree with you. You hit it spot on, because I too feel that age is merely a number that people seem to get so obsessed with (my dad is constantly asking me whether he looks younger than his age).
I've met 19 year olds who act like 90 year olds, and 90 year olds who act like 19 year olds
).
I've met 19 year olds who act like 90 year olds, and 90 year olds who act like 19 year olds
@UpsideDownPineapple (643)
• United States
24 Dec 09
I think most people start to "act" old is around 65-ish.
@MrKennedy (1978)
•
17 Jan 10
Although I hate to say this, from my experiences and people I have encountered, this seems to be true. The fact that this is also the age of retirement age doesn't help matters either. It makes me feel so sad when somebody realises they are physically unable to keep working any more, yet do not want to give up their job because of how passionate they are about it
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
9 Nov 12
I don't consider someone old til they are atleast in their 70's+ But you know it depends on the person. There are people that act like they are at deaths door when they still have many more years to live. I know I feel like I'm ancient sometimes too with the stiffness in my back and circulation you'd think I was "old" too. I'm too young to feel this way.
@thedailyclick (3017)
•
14 Jan 10
When it comes to how old is old I have to split it into two areas. For me personally when and if I reach the age of 70 I would class myself as being old. Why I pick that number I'm not entirely sure, it's when I can see myself actually becoming what many would class as being old, crikey it's hard to define.
Now when it comes to others being old it's impossible for me to make a decision as both my parents are mid seventies yet they work harder and act younger than many people half their age. But then likewise there are some people I know who are in their fourties yet they act like they are over the hill. It's too bigger sweeping generalisation to say when someone is old, and would be more a decision on how an individual acts.
@kiran8 (15348)
• Mangalore, India
16 Feb 10
Hi MrKenedy, I am in total agreement with you.As we grow older our considerations change. I personally feel that it depenbds on the personality of a person rather than his/her physical age.I have an old friend who is nearer eighty and I find her far more interesting and broadminded in her views than many youngsters half her age...I think we need to keep our minds sharp as we grow older and take an interest in everything as we did when we were younger and that's what keeps our spirits young..I feel the same I did 2 decades ago , just that physically I have grown older and may be a little wiser too ( hopefully)..
@ronnyb (6113)
• Jamaica
6 Jan 10
As much as I would love to subscribe to the notion that you are as old as you feel and I belive that to be true to an extent ,I think if I was to choose a age ,it would be seventy..I think however the real test of being old though is not so much a age but a state and I think that stage occurs when you cant take care of yourself and you are not in charge of your mental faculties
@free_man (7330)
• United States
15 Nov 09
Hello Mr Kennedy. I think that age in years is just a number. I don't consider people old cause of their age. I think a person is as old as they act. Like you I have seen young kids that act 70 and 70 year old people act like they were still young. So my feeling on this is you are as old as you feel. Some days I feel old and other days I feel like I am still 20 something. Me I am older I am in my mid 50's and am proud of my age. I wouldn't trade all the knowledge I have for even one year of youth again. I like my age I still build things and work in our yard building rock path ways. These rocks some are up to 200lbs and I can still pick them up with no aches and pains like I did when I was younger. I consider this an achievement to still be able to do what I did as a younger person. Hope you have a great day! Enjoy your youth!
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
21 May 10
Hello age is just a number, there are persons who feel old though only 25 and many aged 80 feel they are young like 25, in my opinion so long one feels healty physically and mentally, he/she is young irrespective of the real age..
Thanks for sharing.
Welcome always. 
Cheers.
Prof
Cheers.
Prof
