Age Crisis? Why Do We Have To Age?

[koolbeanz101]

Why do we have to age? I know it's a silly question

I just turned 29 and omg I feel old. Kinda going through an age thing not wanting to age. I guess you can say midlife crisis. The fact that I'm almost 30 is too real. Does anybody else feel this way

The good thing is that I still look young because I don't look my age

[NamerOfStars]

Logic: if we didn't age, we'd overpopulate the world, eat everything we could digest until it went extinct, and die out ourselves. Unless we didn't reproduce- but then we'd go extinct when we all died out from other causes.

Here's a related question: why do we SURVIVE aging for so long? Octopuses mate and then die (which is why we don't have to spend our time hiding in trees from water-filled Octo-exosuits); bean plants go to seed and give themselves a death hormone. When spider eggs hatch, the newborns (or, um, newhatches, I guess) devour their mother. Mammals get to break the rule of "make babies and vamoose"- but why? Because we build elaborate societies in which elders have a vital role. Think how our economy would work differently if that weren't the case- if we didn't have major investors and luxury purchasers in the form of people whose child-rearing years are behind them.

It's entirely possible that even on a micro level, death serves some purpose we're not yet aware of. Meanwhile, if you're feeling apprehensive, hunt down a copy of the Twilight Zone episode "Nothing in the dark". It should soothe you.

[Tyrael]

Aging is just how we refer to the biological processes our bodies go through in life. One aspect is that our cells divide and replicate in order to continue functioning. The more they divide, the harder it becomes for them to send/receive the signals they need to send/receive to keep us functioning. Eventually they cease to function and so we effectively shut down.

Your mind isn't affected quite this way, which is why it's common to feel a lot younger than you are. They say "you're only as young as you feel". Which is true in regards to how you view the world but sadly not true in how well your body performs lol.

[Tyrael]

You're only as old as you feel*

[koolbeanz101]

Yes I know. I just feel old compared to 20 21 22 etc. I remember being those ages and felt young. I feel old around those ages. It's just the way my my mind thinks

[OlderAndWiser]

You have not reached midlife! Really, I would know!

[koolbeanz101]

Haha. So when do u reach midlife then

[OlderAndWiser]

Probably somewhere between 40 and 50, when your children have all grown up and left home, . . . or if you never had children, when you give up on the idea that you wll ever have any.

[koolbeanz101]

True makes sense

[WindAtMyBack]

If you live to 87 you are only a third of the way there. But you have to consider that much of your life so far was during childhood, and you don't even remember some of it. If you live to 87 and assume adulthood starts at 18, you are only about 1/8 of the way there. You've barely gotten started.

I know those decade birthdays bother a lot of people. It never bothered me though, not even when I turned 60. I don't even remember most of them. When I started collecting Social Security it didn't bother me either. When I started getting Medicare it didn't bother me.

From my point of view you are VERY young. You haven't even hit your stride yet.

[Looksnicholas]

Im 28 almost and I'm already feeling old. Lol. As I knew once I reached 28 and onwards. Once 25 passes by or 26 passes by, I don't mind i am getting old. Ironically, I'm happy there's less "pressure" when I'm like 29, onwards, or 30 onwards as well, because after all, people are all too busy with people in their 20s. So I'm thrilled just to be another old guy working a job and just enjoying that until my retirement pension age 70s. Hooray for me 🥳🥳😈😈😈🥳🥳

[Looksnicholas]

All genuine tone and all positive upbeat tone, I was genuine in my above answer, no sarcasm no witty, I love that I'm now or just about, old ✌🏻☮️

[koolbeanz101]

Yes I know I appreciate the advice

[Sparkie460]

My mind thinks I'm 29. My body says " yeah right you old fart, you already have one foot in the grave". I'd give anything to be 29 again. I had so much energy and a lot less pain back then. I stopped celebrating my birthday because I don't want to be older

[koolbeanz101]

Ya I can understand that. Getting older is scary

[SnowedIn]

Great question! Happy Birthday!

We age because we do. It's just what happens (Though I really like the answer from @_Just_A_girl_ about Adam and Eve).

But, it's not old. Take it from the guy who turns 49 in 3 months.

[_Just_A_girl_]

thanks bud
29 will be fun !
Any age as long as you make it that way and make it!

[SnowedIn]

@_Just_A_girl_ very well said. You are as young as you feel. :)

[koolbeanz101]

@SnowedIn ya I know but I just do compared to 20 21 22 etc cuz I remember being those ages and felt young. I feel old around those ages

[SnowedIn]

@koolbeanz101 ... first, great username! :) And, yeah, I really do understand. Like, literally. Been there. (insert all the jokes about joints and peeing in the middle of the night) But, there's also an element of awesomeness being older that's hard to put into words. Sort of an intersection of experience and idgaf and people start taking you seriously. Makes up for the middle of the night peeing...

[koolbeanz101]

@SwowedIn awww thank you I came up with it myself, most people usually say I'm cool. Ikr but ya that's true tho. Of course I'm always blessed to see another year but at the same time its bittersweet

[SnowedIn]

That was really well said!

[koolbeanz101]

@SwowedIn thank you

[abc3643]

You are 29! That's not "midlife". I turn 60 in one week. I would gladly trade you my crisis for yours.

[koolbeanz101]

Yes I know but I just feel old compared to 20 21 22 etc. Cuz I remember being those ages and I felt young. I feel old around those ages. It's just the way my mind thinks

I'm scared to reach 60s 70s 80s 90s that's scary

[abc3643]

You just turned 29... born at the end of 1993. I haven't seen my exGF who broke my heart forever since before you were born. You have so much living to do and, by the time you are in your 80s, the world will be a much different place. And, in particular, you will get to experience something I most definitely will not: The Tricentennial of the United States. I was 13 when the Bicentennial happened in 1976, but you will be 82 on the day of the Tricentennial and that will be a great day!

[JamesDiaz11]

First, we don't see ourselves as the world sees us, so you may very well look your age.

Second, we age because of some sort of genetic error.

[exitseven]

Every year the list of things that I cannot do anymore gets a little bit longer. I am fighting it as hard as I can however,.

[slatyb]

We don't "have to" but if we didn't, soon there would be no room left for anyone to have children.

[misogynistic_pig]

I've been feeling this way since I was 16.

[koolbeanz101]

Sorry

[_Just_A_girl_]

Adan n eve ate the fruit

[koolbeanz101]

Lmao