What did "old" mean to you when you were 10? What did "old" mean to you when you were 20? What did "old" mean to you when you were 30? What did "old" mean to you when you were 50? What does "old" mean to you now?
I am still recovering from my recent google... "when is a person considered elderly?" and the answer was 65.
I never trust anyone over 30. Wasn't that the claim when we were 'kids'? So, today I went to Festival Foods and forgot my handicap card. Fortunately there was a space marked 'senior citizen' as well as the usual handicapped spaces. I wondered how I would prove that I was one. This month, we are having a birthday party as well as a family reunion. My big brother is 80 this year and my baby sister is going to be 70. I asked them why we were celebrating that they were so old.
When I was a young lad,, I thought my grandfather was old. As a young adult, I thought my father to be old. I am now older than my grandfather was when he died. I am the same age as my dad was when he died. To add to that, I have memories of various things each of those old men did and said but when it hits that I’m older now than they were when they did them, I know that I too now must be old. Just a bit of relativity that Einstein didn’t think of or at least, didn’t publish as meat for thought.
This question vexes me. No matter how old I get none of society's carve-outs apply. Senior discounts? Sorry, those are now for 70 and up, not just 65. Senior Centers? Sorry, you aren't 80 so clearly you are here to volunteer your time, we have nothing for you since you are only 70. Social Security? Sorry, full benefits don't kick in at 65 for your cohort. Bend over and serve! No soup for you, NO SOUP FOR YOU! Generation Jones will always fall behind the hippy-dippy drug-addled armchair liberal free-lovers who had and have it good living off the profiteering of World War II.
Your post puzzles me, Jacob. Most of those statements have not been my experience... senior discounts are usually offered for 55 and up around here. I checked on age restrictions for the local senior center and it is 50. You sound kind of bitter about "Generation Jones," which most people don't even consider to be a thing. There is already enough division between the generations without splitting the Baby Boomers. (Profiteering of WWII?? What does that mean?) And Social Security is going to be insolvent and non-existent without some changes. People are living longer and needing more medical care... a conundrum for sure.
I used to think 50 was old but that was 30 years ago. Old to me now is how I feel on a particular day. Today I'm feeling old but yesterday I was all get up and go. I might have blown today's energy yesterday.
30 50 50 50 80 Number 5 pretty much asks at which point we will concede that we are, indeed, old. I am approaching twice the age my mother was when she died, and I have outlived the number of years my father survived, yet I have three older brothers who are still with us, although my younger brother has died.
Sorry, but I can't stop laughing. That reply sounds like "Fub, fub, fub, sputter, fub!" from somebody enjoying the fruits of being carried on the back of Generation Jones. I don't know where to begin. Sure, a senior center might accept you at 50 years old. But what services do they offer you? Chair exercises? Bingo? Remedial Rollator piloting? Though I agree that those struggling to try to keep up with the Joneses might benefit from the subsidized meals. Assuming the overpowering stench of urine and mothballs doesn't put them off their feed. We're supplying a large whack of funding here for this through a line item on our property taxes. It's about time the funds were broken out to serve those who still have a few marbles rolling around... as well as the Depends Set basket cases.
On the other hand, another opinion. And we already have community here so don't have to join the one advertised.