Some people think young life ends after the teen years, and even though that's probably true in the literal sense, I disagree overall.

Generally I think "being young" means if you can wear fashionable clothes or listen to cool/edgy music without people batting an eye. For most people that probably goes up to about 40. That's how my mom (born 1954) was during my childhood. Just because you're an adult with responsibilties or a family doesn't mean you're not youthful too. People can have different traits co-existing.

In fact, I think that's exactly how you can differentiate a midlife crisis! 50 year old CEO's blaring hip hop in their cars, growing their hair really long, dating younger women and other stuff like that in a desperate attempt to recapture their youth, and usually looking ridiculous. ;D Whereas a 30 year old is still young enough to get away with it.

Not a "midlife crisis" per se, but here's an example of what I'm saying, from one of Jerry Springer's biography books.

By 1989, the former babyfaced politician, once known by nicknames like "boy mayor", had comfortably settled into middle aged life as the elder statesman of Cincinnati news anchoring.

A year earlier on his 44th birthday, he realized his youth was behind him. "I look at tapes of our newscasts and my face sometimes has more lines than my commentary, looking like a blueprint of Fountain Square. They're not calling me 'kid commentator' anymore, and since Nick left channel 12, I'm the oldest anchor in town. I'm not yet grey but I'm getting blue, facing the truth of life's only constant, that I'm always older than I've ever been."

But he joked that getting older certainly beat the alternative.

Don't trust anyone over 30.  I remember when that was a popular saying in the 60's and early 70's and of course, back then there were huge differences (the generation gap) 

I wouldn't use the term crisis since that sounds like there's a serious problem. and as for mid life, i hope it's not at 30 because I hope to live to be older than 60.  But I vividly remember my 30th birthday, and thinking that that was the end of my youth, the teens were long gone, and during my 20's I was still a little wild and free and I felt youthful & young looking, no gray hair, no wrinkles, and I occasionally got asked for my ID at certain places to make sure i was 21. Turning 30 just had this adult feel to it. people stopped asking to see if i was 21. I was getting more responsibilty in my life as a husband and father and employee. I started to have a few more mature friends and by mature I mean much older and wiser than me, and these were mentors for me. so for me, 30 was the age of change.

Don't trust anyone over 30.  I remember when that was a popular saying in the 60's and early 70's and of course, back then there were huge differences (the generation gap) 

I wouldn't use the term crisis since that sounds like there's a serious problem. and as for mid life, i hope it's not at 30 because I hope to live to be older than 60.  But I vividly remember my 30th birthday, and thinking that that was the end of my youth, the teens were long gone, and during my 20's I was still a little wild and free and I felt youthful & young looking, no gray hair, no wrinkles, and I occasionally got asked for my ID at certain places to make sure i was 21. Turning 30 just had this adult feel to it. people stopped asking to see if i was 21. I was getting more responsibilty in my life as a husband and father and employee. I started to have a few more mature friends and by mature I mean much older and wiser than me, and these were mentors for me. so for me, 30 was the age of change.
Firstly I agree with Mike 'crisis' is definatly a bad term. I know you see joke stuff on t.v but I have never known anyone have a 'crisis'. It's more you get to a point and age in life where you start to reassess what is important to you, who your real friends are, what you want from life. Also your body can't keep up the pace, it doesn't recover so quick the next day! and responsibilities. Work to get too,bills to pay.

I would call it growing up! I think for me it was later in my 30's I was still partying like a good one at thirty, mind you I had only been going out with Himself for a few months then. This year I'm 40. I don't party 4 nights a week anymore. I still go out, I still wear fashionable clothes, I still love music.

Marty you have got to let go of this idea you have that your life is over and you have to become 'an adult' and 'boring' the minute you pass 40! Shock horror you can still wear funky clothes and listen to edgy music without looking like a twat!! All your life if you want to! It's an attitude of mind.
My brother for example LOVES rock music, he goes to at least one gig a week. He buys lots of cd's and champions up and coming bands. He reminds me of the late and awesomely great DJ John Peel in that respect.My brother is 43, does he look awkward and out of place at these gigs? NO! Does he get laughed at by 'the kids' for being old?  NO! He is married with a child,has a very high powered job and a huge mortgage to pay. That is who he is and in 20 years time he will still be going to gigs and loving his music with a passion.
 
I say again it is an attitude of mind and finding the balance. You know the people who have the 'crisis' tend to be the ones who do exactly what you think happens to peole once they are 40.Think being a grown up means no music or fun clothes or going out. They are the ones who stagnate and get bored,panic or feel resentful because they think they have missed out and then go too far the other way with trying to be young.

^ what she said  ;)

I don't think so,I'm only 34 so I still got time.

Haha sorry, didn't mean to offend, and I know what you're saying Gis, and I do agree. :) When I posed the question, it's not so much about me, but kinda anyone in general. Like it ticks me off if I see someone else getting ripped on about their age, especially when it's not much of a difference.

For instance, when I worked retail there was this 18-year old chick that called one our co-workers, this 23-year old guy "old". I could tell she was just half-kidding and meant it in an "a little older than me" way, not like a "my dad" way. But still I was like thinking whoa, how snot-nosed and immature can you possibly sound? Plus I was 22 then so I kinda got worried too lol.

You also have to consider that I've always been a bit "old school" for my age anyway, so that makes me feel generation gaps even more. Say if I'm dealing with people only a few years younger who rip on the '80s as being "before their time".


It's more THOSE narrow-minded people which worry me, because they might kinda blend the ages together. Those are who I'm trying to convince that the 20s and 30s, or heck even middle-aged isn't "old" or necesarilly uncool, or unable to take part in youth-centered stuff without looking misplaced. But yeah, I agree everyone is different and that's what matters. Look at the 65-year old Rolling Stones. ;)

Really quickly too, I think the average person acts and looks younger today, BUT there's also much more of a youth obsession in pop culture (even compared to the more laid back '90s) and the way people act, so that's like an equal tradeoff. Even a 20-year old could be a bit "old school" and out of place among the tweenish pop culture today, whereas in the older eras, they'd be right in the target range.

Do you see what I mean about Springer (according to that book), about how he apparently didn't feel like he totally lost his youth until his early-mid 40s? That's totally how I thought it worked for most people.

I think people make too much of a big deal about age anyway. Is it such a crime that someone over 40 wants to blare hiphop from their cars or pierce their ears? It's nice too know that people want to live their lives and not just put themselves out to pasture. The only time i would care is if that same 40 y.o had a 16 year old date riding in the car beside them ::)

When I get up in my years I'll be doing the same things I'm doing know, provided my health is still good.

Age...Who cares its how you feel is all that matters.......I think the midlife crisis refers to the types that never bothered to chase a dream & capture it!...& now their older & panic about the goals absence!
If you put your mind to & apply thoughts to it it can happen.
Most people never take the 1st step towards any goal & mix up dream & failure!
All the flash things to me were about Vanity..
I was 40 when I captured my dream goal ....
Now I get pleasure from the simple things......
Casinos are for tourists!
Gamble with your own life.....Thats the meat & potatoes of life!
People who cripple them selves will never walk!
External validation is a fools game!

Those that have a mid-life crisis were never satisfied with who they are!

I think far too much importance is placed on the wonders of youth or being youthful.

I think 30 was a turning point in my attitude, I started settling down alot from the things I did while not knowing (or caring) any better.  I guess it finally hit me that there are consequences for my actions, and I had better be ready to accept them or not do the act which brought them on.

While now at 38, I don't have the energy or patience of my youth, I don't really consider it a bad thing.  It's just the way I am, and really if somebody calls me an old fogey, well, so be it, they are entitled to their opinion as well.  Besides it's only words, and as I learned from my youth

Sticks and stones may break my bones
but words will never hurt me

Just to let you guys know, my opinion isn't based on ME or my thoughts. It's the snot-nosed people who don't have any respect for history, that upsets me. If everyone stopped and thought for a minute I don't think we would be calling 40 "old" (even if it is about the age you can be the parent of a teen and it would seem normal), but it's because everyone has an "image". For better or worse, that's how pop culture and the world runs.

Do you think that's why being "older" treated so negatively? Whatever the case, I do think it's sad.



To be honest, even 40 sure as hell isn't old, and it's actually still pretty darn young in some ways. It was only a little over twenty years ago that they were teenagers, and they've still got a long time to go being active before they start slowing down. Their youth isn't too long ago in the grand scheme of things either.

I almost think it's disrespectful to history to call people "old", even if it's people who actually ARE now, like World War II veterans. Think about all the stories those people had, it's almost like dismissing them. That's why it always p*ssed me off when I'd hear some kid saying that (even when I was younger it seemed snotty and stupid to me), because that's the impression I always got from it. Maybe because I had alot of really older relatives, I always thought talking with "old people" was fascinating, especially because they WONT be around that much longer. Alot of kids and some adults too, could care less about that though, which is saddening to me.


I'd say "living history" is probably anything in the last 80 years, which means like anything before the Depression era is kinda iffy now.

I am reminded of a Friends episode where Ross bought a convertible, but couldn't get it out of the parking space.  When he finally did, he saw a fat middle aged guy driving the same car, who looks at Ross and says "How hot are we?"

There is nothing wrong with middle aged people wanting to recapture their youth.  When I'm in my 70s, I'll probably still blare techno and dance music from my car as I speed through the city LOL

^ My dad is 70 now actually and likes alot of British Invasion stuff and some scattered pop songs up to the mid-late '80s, so that's not too far off lol. ;)

When I'm in my 70s, I'll probably still blare techno and dance music from my car as I speed through the city LOL


You will have to attend my raves that I plan to throw when we're that old.  I'll attach glow sticks to your cane.  :D

You will have to attend my raves that I plan to throw when we're that old.  I'll attach glow sticks to your cane.  :D


or hearing aids.

Best Enjoy Life.You'll Never get Out Alive!!! :o :o ;D

No,It's only the beginning.

No,It's only the beginning.
I am still trying to remember when it started?

I am still trying to remember when it started?



your midlife crisis? ???

your midlife crisis? ???
Yes, I cannot pin-point a date yet.

Yes, I cannot pin-point a date yet.



take your time.

take your time.
It is not like taking my time, it is just that I cannot remember.

It is not like taking my time, it is just that I cannot remember.


too many things are on your mind?

too many things are on your mind?
The older you get, the more you have to remember.

The older you get, the more you have to remember.



that's what happens when you get older.

that's what happens when you get older.
...but it can get hard to remember things.

...but it can get hard to remember things.


that's why you might need to have people to help you remember things.

Interesting, Marty McFly.

I think the mid-life crisis is not neccessarily the end of youth but a crash of the ego and the end of the delusion that people are no longer classed as young anymore. These people are often tied to mortgages, spouses, work, social conditions and, as a result of this, often overcompensate by doing very 'youthful' things like trying to find attractive younger people to date, take more risks and do what they can to get out of their normal routine.

Sometimes it's not a bad thing, it can be a wake-up call to people but quite often it affects happy contented people who feel pressured to do more with their life.

I think youth ends well before midlife crisis. I think 30 is the end of being considered youth, but you are still considered young and I'm not sold on the assuredness that midlife is a crisis.