Age Is Just A Number

"Age is just a number..."

I find myself saying this to people quite often.

To what extent is it actually true?

Well, for me, half my age plus seven is a hard rule.

Not at all. While age may frequently be irrelevant at some point, as in that there are 16yo teenagers as mature and wise as others may be at an age of 40+, that doesn't demonstrate that it has no meaning to the properties of a human being whatsoever. Experience and age do tendentially contribute to maturity and wisdom. There are numerous exceptions all across the spectrum with mature kids and childish adults; still, it could not be an exception if there was no tendency, no rule of thumb.

Generally, the only purpose I find for age is to tell a person's time alive. Therefore, age is very useful in predicting how much more a person will be around, as well as when it would be socially appropriate for a person to do things.

For example, it would be totally inappropriate for a three year old to get married or be drafted into the military, just as it is totally inappropriate for a 20 year old man to wear diapers and play with baby building blocks and childrens' jungle gyms.


But other than measuring a person's time alive, I find no association between age and anything else. Certainly not something like maturity or judgement, in contrast to usual belief.

SeanChing wrote: For example, it would be totally inappropriate for a three year old to get married or be drafted into the military, just as it is totally inappropriate for a 20 year old man to wear diapers and play with baby building blocks and childrens' jungle gyms.

Not always true. Some people's minds are damaged and they get stuck mentally at a certain age, unable to help themselves. These people can be 80 years old, play with building blocks wear diapers, and play the piano like Mozart. I know this for a fact because I know someone who has this condition.

Age is like this:

Imagine a dot that travels linearly from 0-100. It NEVER goes backwards, and when it gets to 100, it disappears. This is metaphorically your "age".

Now, imagine a small rubber band that can stretch back and forth. This is your "mental" age. It's a measure of emotional capacity, experience, mental prowess, etc.

Each rubber band is individual for each person. And, we can "alter" our band. Put one that stretches more, put one that never varies from our dot. It's sometimes up for us to "decide" this. We can be ahead or behind the time. BUT, we are always attached to that initial dot that keeps moving forward.

Because of that, Age isn't "just" a number, but it is important to consider the WHOLE package.

As a childish adult let me say this....don't be hatin' on us for still playing with lego's (they rule), or playing video games, pranks, etc....you're just jealous of our eternal youthfulness :woohoo:

In most cases age is simply a number to mark lifespan and/or experience...not wisdom...as connor pointed out there is the chronological(physical) age and the mental age...one denotes time the other denotes wisdom...

scott777ab wrote:

SeanChing wrote: For example, it would be totally inappropriate for a three year old to get married or be drafted into the military, just as it is totally inappropriate for a 20 year old man to wear diapers and play with baby building blocks and childrens' jungle gyms.

Not always true. Some people's minds are damaged and they get stuck mentally at a certain age, unable to help themselves. These people can be 80 years old, play with building blocks wear diapers, and play the piano like Mozart. I know this for a fact because I know someone who has this condition.

Something socially unacceptable isn't necessarily "wrong". So I'm not saying that the person you know, who has that condition, is a "bad" person. True, his condition couldn't be helped, and we should offer our sympathy for him. However, that doesn't make his behavior any less socially unacceptable.

When most people see him, I bet they find his behavior...well...socially inappropriate. Not saying that they're reacting the right or wrong way.

However, what I say was true. Age is a measure of what is socially acceptable. Not necessarily a measure of "right" or "wrong",

Like Sean said, age is for social reasons. You could be 35 and act like you're 13. Not a bad thing, but not a good thing, it's a neutral area.

Age, is our first indicator of a person...

In knowing SeanChing's age, I know he hasn't been a father, we can't converse on pregnant wives, and how our high school age children are not motivated, and could use a kick in the butt...

Of course, Sean could be a dad at his age, but you get my drift...

Similarly, Scott's friend, and my Downs Syndrome Uncle (70 years old) can't talk about algebra with me...

But, as with anything, stereotypes exist, and we can make certain assumptions...

Young age means lack of life experience...

Having a penis means I cant understand having menstrual cramps and cycle...

Alive means I can't speak on death....

Obviously, there are exceptions to every rule...

Sean is smart, as a... a... a... a Youth, (young man, ), he can sympathize wth me, and sorta understand by trying to look through his parents eyes, amongst other things...

My uncle, even though he has a 6-9 year old mentality, still knows (I assume he did, he is now having Alzheimers, so maybe not) that 2 twos is four....

Ive had multiple wives and girlfriends, and daughters, I understand the menstrual cycle...

And, I understand what life I'd, so if I invert that, I think I have death, somewhat...

The topic was about age, but I think its not as 'cut and dried' as that...

I used to tell parents at tkd , that as a rule, we start kids at 5..

But an exceptionally smart 4 year old my excel, where an 8 year old may have difficulty... All can learn, but results vary...

Chronological age is an indicator, but not a foolproof one...

It is but a 'first signpost', on the way to knowing a person....