Do you think it’s harder to be younger or older?

Question

Lliam · Accepted Answer

I don't know. I had a happy childhood. Then, once I started driving at age 16, I had tons of fun. From 18 to 26 I was wild and free, free, free. But I still lived at home, so that was kind of a drag, but I still got to do what I wanted because my mom was cool and my dad stayed out of my business. They were both very supportive, though.
I had girlfriends from the time I was 16. So I really had it easy until I was 26, surfing, snow skiing, playing in popular garage bands, partying, traveling, going on adventures.

I got a corporate job when I was 26 and that was really hard for at least five years until I finally figured it out. I also had to cut my hair and start wearing a suit for the job and that messed my self image. I even gained 50 lbs from about age 29 to 34. So I was kind of miserable. But I bought a condo and moved out of my parent's house. The problem was, I didn't have a girlfriend because I didn't want the kind of girlfriend who would want me at that point.

But when I was 34, I lost the weight and got back in really good shape. And by then, I was happy with my job, had lots of money, and had gotten used to being a grown up.

I immediately got into a relationship with a gorgeous woman who turned out to be a psycho. But my next girlfriend, when I was 36, turned out to be beyond my wildest dreams. She was 30 and we lived together for over a year. I loved her with my heart and soul.
Unfortunately, we couldn't be life partners for reasons that are complicated and we separated. Being away from her was the greatest pain I have ever experienced. It took me a year to pull myself together and get on with my life.

I met my future wife when I was 40. We got married two years later. That was in 1996. In 2000, we moved to northern California and in 2002, we moved into our new home.

We became members of a nondenominational church and I also became Board President of a local environmental nonprofit. I became well known in town. I met some amazingly smart, informed educated people who thought I was smart. I suddenly had more new friends than I ever had in my life. We did some super fun things with friends from the church.

Both of those organizations prompted me to grow and to do things that I had never done before, like heading committees and organizations and speaking in front of large audiences. I started learning a lot, too. I even started playing music again.

In 2010, I lost my job and retired with a pension at age 56. I tried doing other things to make money but didn't like any of those jobs. I also started burning out on all my activities at the church and the environmental nonprofit.

I started to feel like I wasn't young and bitchen anymore even though I felt healthy and was in decent enough shape. And I kept playing music.

I took social security at age 62 and retired completely. I got Medicare at 65.

All the while, my wife and I have had a great time together, traveling, going on long and short vacations, and doing lots of fun things locally. We love each other, our house, our cats, our small orchard, our gardens and property.

Then 2020 and the covid mandates came along. Travel became even more of a pain in the ass. People became afraid of their fellow human beings. Many friendships were lost. But new friendships with very smart and informed were gained.

Lynx122 · Accepted Answer

Both is hard XD When I was young I had so many challenges mentally.
I wanted to connect with people but I always felt like I was just different and something was wrong with me. Sometimes it felt like I was just destined to be alone and I felt good about it tbh because it was so difficult for me to deal with people. I didn't know who I was and I didn't have a handle on my life.
But I could go play beach volleyball all day in 40 degrees and it felt like 20 degrees to me. I was obsessed with books music and movies. I was lucky and grew up with other kids in the same house and even though I was clumsy with socializing I had great times with them. So many nice days outside just playing running around going swimming doing sports, fighting with sticks, flooding the sand box making moats XD. Water guns and water balloons climbing trees. Now I've figured out a lot of things mentally and I feel like I have an overview of my life when before I could just focus on the most urgent problem and then zoned out. I'm in control more but always preoccupied.

I wanna do more and improve my life now that I've finally reached the stage where I feel like I have some agency when before I was just drifting and just trying to avoid the biggest boulders flying my way. But I'm still very limited with my energy and I have to take days off from my half day occupation because things are too much sometimes. I had a burnout when I tried to work fulltime. I'm gaining weight for the first time in my life and I wanna exercise more but I'm at full capacity with just my normal life right now. I'm getting some more support with administrative stuff next week I hope that can help me a bit. I'm proud of all the mental breakthroughs I've made and how far I've come with my disability and how I managed to find my own way and not just try and fit in so I wouldn't be a problem but I never had the chance to really be in my prime it took so long to figure out all these mental things and now I'm already in decline physically I'm very healthy but even so how much I can do in a day has decreased and it will keep decreasing and it was already way lower than other people. So I don't know.. Nothing about life is easy except the time I spent in sweet ignorant bliss and just played outside or watched some of the first esports matches online lying on my bed. Having no responsibilities and doing what you want, that's the only easy part about life.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Definitely older...

The older you are, the worse you get treated by society.. People are less forgiving, when you make a mistake and have higher expectations from you.. They expect you to have the answers to everything. If you aren't married and have the perfect job, act and dress a certain way, you’re marginalized by your environment. It's more difficult to make new friendships and you start losing your loved ones. Not to mention ageism in the workplace and ageist jokes by younger people and men (surely you must have seen all the ageist comments that women hit the wall at a certain age on this site)

I can't think of anything positive about ageing... You might say wisdom, but at what prize? I believe you can be wise at any age

jennifer_bloom · Accepted Answer

I think being younger was harder cause I was very confused as a teenager and there was no intelligent or wise person to guide me. If I did not work as hard as I did, I might be dead right now cause my parents gave horrible advice and never gave good advice.

razelove · Answer

They both have their own difficulties. Being young would be ignorance and no money. I don't know about being old, but looking at my parents it seems like there are just more routines to follow so you can continue to get old with less health problems and pain.
I'm starting to feel that it takes a lot longer to heal, aching when it rains in spots I've had injuries, I actually get hangovers now and need to exercise to keep at my weight, instead of to get muscles. Insanity lol

dynamicyandere · Answer

It’s all subjective and it depends.

Life can hit hard.

Sometimes it can happen early (e. g. childhood trauma or growing up with abuse).

Sometimes it can happen later (e. g. getting divorced, losing a loved one, or getting diagnosed with a terminal illness).

What makes it easier or harder depends on our mental fortitude when the event comes.

It’s when life collides with our mental and emotional strength.

For example, in some places in the world, failing an entrance exam is enough to drive a kid to suicide. That’s because the mental and emotional strength of these teenagers were not ready to handle the pressure and stress and self-hate generated by failing that exam.

On the other hand, there have been folks who have endured the holocaust or have been tortured prisoners of war. And they did not break. Sure, they may have been through something harder. But they also had enough mental and emotional strength to endure it.

The most intense hardships can be manageable when they collide with world-class mental and emotional toughness (think David Goggins).

Yet, moderate hardships can be unbearable when they collide with people who haven’t developed that same level of mental and emotional strength yet.

So it all depends.

For me personally, life was harder when I lacked the tools to deal with life.

I’ve been through depression and I had suicidal thoughts and I came from a dysfunctional home.

But, despite that, I learned how to become my own hero. I learned how to parent myself. I overcame those inner demons on my own, and am much stronger because of it.

With my newfound strength, I can take on much more than I ever did as a kid. But that’s only because I’ve developed myself and have gone through a serious personal growth journey.

And that journey continues to this day, as I know that my full potential is still ahead of me.

ohsheeT · Answer

This question is such a good question because for any young person that reads it probably won't understand it until they get older
Being younger and carefree everything just kind of flows we have our ups and downs but it just flows we don't think about nothing but life the moment our heart breaks our achievements and day by day by day goes by and if you do not prepare yourself for when you get older I mean mentally physically financially spiritually I believe it's going to be harder because we are so much wising we understand things so much better so much deeper but we've worked our asses off we beat up our bodies we take on more roles because we have an extension of ourselves through our kids our love of life and the things we believe in are deeper and then I believe that we probably get to a point to where we might need help because of our bodies are mental state will change and I can only say this because
I am experiencing it right now with with my mother she has moved into my house she has dementia Alzheimer's she can't hear and to watch this beautiful vibrant strong independent woman go from that to almost like a 5 year old child it is heartbreaking she has to be scared to death at moments in time not knowing where she's at who I am sometimes it's just heartbreaking so when we are young we are strong we always keep going forward when you get older I hope that each and every single one of us has somebody because there's no way in this world I could just put her in a home and have her brain working the way that it is and not knowing anything it would just tear n me up so for any young person reading this take care of your body take care of your mental state your health only put good things into your body there are so many poisons out there and our water is getting more and more polluted don't even buy water at the store anymore bottled water because it's bad for you take a black light and check out your water bottle before you even drink it all these things take a toll on your body your mind your state of health

Anonymous · Answer

The difficulty of being younger or older can vary depending on individual circumstances and perspectives. Both stages of life come with their own unique challenges and advantages.

Being younger often entails navigating through the process of self-discovery, education, and establishing a foundation for the future. Younger individuals may face challenges such as academic pressures, peer relationships, and making important life decisions. They may also have to deal with the expectations and guidance of parents or guardians. However, being young also brings opportunities for growth, exploration, and the freedom to shape one's identity and future.

On the other hand, being older can present different challenges. As people age, they may encounter physical and mental changes, health concerns, and increased responsibilities, such as taking care of family members or planning for retirement. Older individuals may also face societal expectations related to career achievements or fulfilling societal roles. However, with age often comes wisdom, experience, and a better understanding of oneself and the world. Older individuals may have established relationships, achieved personal and professional goals, and gained a broader perspective on life.

Ultimately, whether it is harder to be younger or older is subjective and depends on personal circumstances and individual perspectives. Both stages of life have their own unique challenges and joys, and people's experiences may differ greatly.

Willoughby23 · Answer

Depends on the person, some will thrive young some will thrive old. Some people figure out who they are early in life and see success as soon as their twenties. While some people bounce around from major to major or job to job until they find what they like. The latter will probably find life easier at an older age when they master whatever they do in their career, while the former already did that while they where young.

But life obviously isn’t just about your career it’s about happiness. And a lot of people are conditioned to think happiness comes from relationships, sex and having a family. Different people find happiness in different things, and like finding a career that fits you not everyone will find it at the same age, or from the same thing. Some people might struggle with sex and relationships when they are younger and not find love until they are older. And some might find they are happier single, I feel like that typically happens for people at an older age.

People who thrive when they are young might not be as happy when they are old. They might be one of those old people who believe their best years are behind them. Or someone who’s family was everything but went through a divorce and never really emotionally recovered from that. Think about a hot girl who got through life on her looks until her looks faded. There are too many different people in the world who derive happiness and success from too many different things to say whether or not you will be happier or more successful when your older or younger.

ChiTown33 · Answer

Younger. No question! By the time you get to this age you generally know who is worth your time and effort. And only the really immature pr*cks still waste your time. But you know better than to suffer them for very long at this point. Your 40's are generally your prime income earning years. You're facing down retirement, and if you did it right (and had a little luck in your 20's and 30's) you're looking forward to it. The balance of power between the genders has equalized (or at least that's my vantage point). And If you've done it right you have friends and family who care about you.

No way I'd want to be under 40 again. 😂

nolabels · Answer

Youth is full of angst, but boy, the body did what I asked of it, when I asked it.

Now at my age, almost 65, I'm full of regret, but hope to make each new day count. This old bag of bones I'm riding around in isn't very cooperative anymore.

I'm to call this one a draw.

I still can't look back and laugh at the angst and other rough experiences of my youth. Close, but no, not yet.

I'm not yet used to being a bag of bones.

TooHot2Care · Answer

Being human is a bitch.

When I die, I'd like to be reborn as a puppy.

To just love joyfully and freely and not have to worry about all of the things that give me anxiety, the things that keep me away from heaven, the things that make this deep dark hole in me necessary.

I want to just love with no strings attached and to just make a family happy for my short dog-lifespan and then pass away while they are asleep or be put down if they are compassionate and see the signs fast enough.

If I can be reborn, I'd like to be a puppy.

Being human is hard.

MotherEarth2020 · Answer

I'll tell you, it sucks getting old.

I'm loosing my sight, shit wrong with my head. My knees hurt all the time.

Can I just be young again, because I didn't have all this shit wrong with me when I was young

richardcory · Answer

I've been both. Older is far far worse. You look back at your youth and see all the things you could have done to make your life better. See all the mistakes you made, the opportunities you missed. Realize you would trade everything you have to be young again with a chance to make your life what you want it to be.

I say this as someone whose life has been very "successful" by most standards.

tfan1 · Answer

I’m thinking older because your body starts aching for no apparent reasons. I just turned 45 and I already have problems remembering things unless it’s 1984 range. Also I have a pinched nerve and herniated disc.

loveslongnails · Answer

I wouldn't want to be a kid or a teen-ager today. As soon as I "woke up", I'd be really fucking pissed off at the condition of the world left to me by the supposedly enlightened generations before me. Now, with today's "American Taliban" - the "Christo-Fascist Nationalists", it's not only a fight for Democracy and individual rights, it's an environmental, cultural and moral fight. Racists attitudes amongst people seem worse than I can remember, and fuckers like DeSatan are trying to re-write history. The USA has become a total shit show. I'd rather be older an almost out of here, but I can take out some fascists along the way, it will be worth it.

KatherineJ · Answer

Younger because you haven’t figured out who you are yet.  Older, because by the time you figure out who you are, your body changes. It’s a no win situation.

exitseven · Answer

It is a lot harder to be older. In today's society it is very difficult to find a good job if you are over 50. Every year it gets harder to do the things you want to do. It just plain sucks.

humanearth · Answer

Younger, but when your older. At least you get to wear diapers again and smell like shit and get away with it

Adam1978 · Answer

It's toughest as a young adult. Not a child or teenager. When your an old adult you have secured your life or can blame yourself for not doing so. While a young adult in most cases neither have the money, the resource, the skill or the knowledge to get an easy path.

BCA6010 · Answer

I don't think "harder" is the right word... As an adult, problems are generally more serious, but also more within your power to actually do something about, so it's more a matter of how you let them affect you.

As a kid, you basically either have supportive parents and friends who help you through stuff (including with a firm hand if necessary), or you don't, and a lot of life's problems are simply beyond you.

OfMiceandMen · Answer

I think its harder to be younger, especially, in the world today. Lots of unknowns to deal with.

I grew up in an era where things were "relatively easy", if you put the the work into it you typically got something out. Relationships were definitely simpler/easier.

It's not easy today and if they can change the world to make it a better place (once the cronies are out and that old mentality is gone) they deserve much respect.

dudeinohio · Answer

Definitely older. It sucks when your body ages and things don't work right, or hurt. I'm 58 and likely have close to 30 years left. At the rate I'm going, my quality of life is in the early stages of sucking.

WeirdoFriendly · Answer

Older. Most definitely. So many things you have to think about and do just to stay above waves. As a child, everything is pretty much given to you. Meals, a home, clothing.

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