Age Rage

Scott Hardie | November 20, 2019
How come when I'm discussing ages and birthdays with people in their sixties, me saying that I'm 41 elicits groans and contempt? It has happened a few times with different people.

I'm sure they're not actually mad, and that aging sucks and everyone wants to be younger, but I don't understand the urge to vocalize it even in jest. If I was talking to someone who said she was 19, I can't imagine groaning at her and saying, "Ugh, I wish I could be 19 again," even though I do. It's not like she was being 19 *at* me, or like she was getting away with something. Why put her on the spot?

I'm not upset, just baffled and trying to understand the impulse. Maybe it's the people in their sixties signalling to each other a shared feeling about dissatisfaction with aging and it's not about me? Maybe aging is just so miserable that you can't help but feel more strongly about it at that age (63 looking at 41 is different than 41 looking at 19)? Or maybe I'll have to understand it firsthand as i get older.

Samir Mehta | November 23, 2019
[hidden by request]

Scott Hardie | November 29, 2019
Sorry for not being more clear. I was recently dining with some people in their sixties. We were talking about birthdays, and one guy mentioned that he's 63 and he has the same birthday as me. Another person said, yes but Scott's younger, right? And I said I'm 41. They all groaned, and one said resentfully, "I wish *I* could be 41 again." Like I'm getting away with something by being fewer years old.

This same sort of conversation has happened several times in the last few years with different people. I don't get it. Maybe I will in twenty years?