Aging’s a bitch

[archerships]

I hate it when people go on about the “beauty” of old age. Aging is decay. Yeah, you might find beauty in old age, just as you might find beauty in the mold patterns of an abandoned building. But it’s nothing to be celebrated. If 19 year-olds woke up one morning in the bodies of their 90 year old selves, most would become suicidally depressed.

Fortunately, we no longer need be resigned to aging–fight aging now!

Original: craschworks - comments

Comments

[evillinn.livejournal.com]

well, to be fair, a 19 year old would probably become suicidally depressed if they woke up in my 35 year old body. But, as I've aged to this point, my emotional and mental growth has far, far outweighed my physical decline.

Granted, i'm only 35, but point stands that its all perspective.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

my emotional and mental growth has far, far outweighed my physical decline

So far. :> Your mind has already likely started to slow down, and all your hard-won wisdom will also eventually be lost (via Alzheimer's, dementia, stroke).

[evillinn.livejournal.com]

it may have started slowing down, but if my perspective on my own life is such that I'm happier than I've ever been (and practically everyone I know is happier in their 30s and even 40s than they were in their early 20s and teens) does it matter?

Mostly I think that fretting about aging makes about as much sense as wishing one were older. There isn't really any point to it other than to waste time that could be better spent enjoying something *now*. Of course we'll trip on those moments where we wish the crows feet weren't as visible, or wish the knee weren't sore, but beyond the momentary irritations, I'm not sure why people think about aging as much as they do. Its a bizarre tendency in humanity, and even more so in some cultures.

[ersigh.livejournal.com]

The brain might slow down but it doesn't decline to the extent that everyone seems to think. The reason people's brains turn to mush is because they stop using them. Also, in cultures where it is believed that old people will become senile, etc, they are more likely to do so.

[kittles.livejournal.com]

Something's off about that second photo. She's two years *younger* than my mother and looks a decade or more older. Although I routinely meet people a decade younger than me who look a decade older than me - as a result of their lifestyle choices.

But that's not your point, of course.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

From what I understand, she smokes, and has had problems with alcoholism and bipolar disorder. So I think she's aged more rapidly than normal.

[evillinn.livejournal.com]

My family lives in Tucson, Arizona and I live in Seattle, Washington. The difference between my skin and the skin of the people my age in Tucson is profound. They could release a million medical studies that say the sun is bad for skin, and it wouldn't do a fraction as much good as just walking around and people watching in Tucson or Phoenix.

[ivanafox.livejournal.com]

I am a bit skeptical about the science behind any website that cites Oprah in red lettering on it's intro page. Oprah is a sponsor of some of the most dangerous health pseudo-science out there today.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

You should read what he actually wrote about Oprah.

[pasquin.livejournal.com]

Old women are gross. So are old men. That's why no reasonable person aspires to decay.

You infer too much from crasch's example.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

Aging is gross. Whether it happens to men or women. I posted a pic of Linda Hamilton because I was looking for her T2 pic, and was struck by how much aging had affected her.

[pasquin.livejournal.com]

Ew. I used to masturbate to her. Nasty. Poor James Cameron.

[tupelo.livejournal.com]

http://www.thestar.com/living/article/304406

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0510/14/lkl.01.html

Sounds like there are definitely some factors other than time at work.

One more reason I'm glad I'm not famous -- people (generally) don't post the most unflattering pictures of me they can find and solicit opinion about how bad I look.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree, I think she's aged faster than normal due to her lifestyle.

One more reason I'm glad I'm not famous -- people (generally) don't post the most unflattering pictures of me they can find and solicit opinion about how bad I look.

Me too. However, people also didn't pay you millions of dollars because you looked hot when you were younger. I don't think you can build a career based in large part on a positive judgment of your looks, and then expect people not to pay attention when those looks inevitably decline.

[madbard.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, if a 90-year-old woke up next to a 19-year old, s/he wouldn't be depressed.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

It depends on how much s/he cost.

[kimatha.livejournal.com]

I dunno... I think aging can be a good thing in some cases. Consider 20-year-old Sam versus 40-year-old Sam:

[evelynne.livejournal.com]

I can't possibly adequately judge these photos because you're only wearing tweed in one of them. Bias! Bias!

Seriously, I think you'd've gotten two different answers from me depending on how old I was when you asked. :) Right now, I'm all about Professor Sam but I probably would've felt similarly about Mullet Sam back in the day.

[crasch.livejournal.com]

I certainly like sam_hamm's sartorial choices as an older gentleman than those of his youth. :> And I also think that you can have a better body at 35 (due to improved diet and exercise) than you did at 19. It would be fascinating to see a photoshopped picture of Sam as a young man, but with today's dress.

[evilegg.livejournal.com]

I can't believe you cropped out Mick!

[reichart.livejournal.com]

On a flight once, I got into a conversation with a very old Grandmother. It was pretty instantly clear she was "a little smarter than your average human".

As we began talking I learned she had four grown children, and they each had children, a few with children themselves, so she was a great grandmother.

She used to be a teacher (high school) for many years. She repeatedly seemed surprised that I wanted to even talk to her, and talked about the concept that as you get older no one wants to talk to you, or know your opinion.

After a bit, I learned she was an atheist! "Wow" I said, and wanted to know if this was difficult for here, especially during the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and hell this year!

We talked at length about this, and then we had a very serious talk about immortality. One day I will write a full entry on my conversation with her, since it was long. But fascinating with this person that was so rational.

Several highlights though:

- She ended up crying a bit (which made for many stares from other passengers...as I appeared to be making the old woman cry).

- She had never thought about this topic before...

[the23.livejournal.com]

there isn't necessarily a contradiction between beauty and decay.

[h-postmortemus.livejournal.com]

Lame.