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hyoid
| | Joined: 5/12/2009
Msg: 28 | |
| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/23/2010 11:38:58 AM | Since , like, forever.
We forget so quickly in times of great ease what was typical before.
The former US retirement age of 65 was chosen because most men, when they reached that mark, would only draw social security for a couple of years before taking their dirt nap.
So 50 meant you'd embarked on the last 1/4 of your life-That qualifies as senior to me.
You can take it back much farther, where 50 was the equivalent of eternal. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/23/2010 3:28:32 PM | | Since when is 50 a senior? At the dry cleaners on Wednesday. I'll take the discount, thank you very much. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/24/2010 9:20:56 AM | Seems to me the chorological age of a typical modern human has less to do with the actual digit and more to do with gravity, food additives and the continued ingestion of non-soluble carcinogenic compounds (or the lack there of.)
There was a time in the not-so-distant past being 50 was living years beyond the expected average life span of 35 to 40.
The advancements of technology have allowed modern humans to virtually step into the proverbial time machine. Surgery, Botox, implants, extensions, hair dye, tanning salons, staples and substances like Bondo allow humans the ability to possess an older age but a younger appearance and you find yourselves sharing clothing with your 23 year old daughters.
All I know is that when I was twenty one I could drink all night, sleep for 2 hours, get up and go to work, work all day then do it all again.
As I've reached 50 I find it's more like, I sleep all night, drink for two hours, get up and go to the bathroom, feel sick all day then complain about being old!
It's all in one's perception...
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/24/2010 9:29:14 AM | | idk, most places I go do not offer "senior" discounts unless you're over 55. this seems to hold true in most states I've been in. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/24/2010 9:31:41 AM | | Man's life span has really not improved all that much. What has improved is that infant mortality has been significantly reduced and some diseases have been conquered through modern medicine, but anybody who could avoid an early death always had the potential of living well into their seventies or eighties. The maximum human life span right now is about 120. But as science understands and conquers the aging process, that may actually change. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/24/2010 4:46:26 PM | Senior is a term that defines rank or status, it means you are now the alpha of the group.
It only has negative connotations in our youth obsessed culture.
That is for sure the best way to see it, and it is how it should be. Me, I have always thought of a senior citizen as someone over 65. It is not a bad thing, as my father said getting to be a senior sure beats the other choice!!!
As to the term middle age, I think of that as the middle period of your adult life, not the middle of your whole life.
Just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions but I do think my thoughts are just as valid as anyone's. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/24/2010 4:52:11 PM |
Women become senior when they hit 40, men however never become seniors. God made things that way
Interesting, but false. I really don't think for the most part that men age as well as women. I think it is mainly a life style thing. The things below aren't true for all, but as a general statement.
1. Women take better care of their skin.
2. Men tend to party more than women.
3. Men engage in more risky behavior.
4. Men spend more time in the sun without protection.
5. Men don't cry, they keep their emotions bottled up. Nothing better than a good cry. I don't mean cry forever, but have a good cry, dust yourself off, and go on with your life. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/24/2010 5:00:22 PM | | ^^^ you forgot another couple of factors a higher proportion of men smoke that do women. Men tend to consume more alcohol. On the other hand women exercise less ( and are subject to higher rates of bone loss with age ) and many women are exposed to the side effects of the Birth Control Pill for long periods of time. All these long term effects start to become prominent after age 50. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/24/2010 5:09:26 PM | "On the other hand women exercise less ( and are subject to higher rates of bone loss with age ) and many women are exposed to the side effects of the Birth Control Pill for long periods of time."
The women who simply though their livestyle get more exercise, and don't take "the Pill" ...............they sure screw up this idea..............(and research). | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/24/2010 8:13:59 PM | | ^^^ Bone loss is attributed to genetics, diet, exercise and hormonal imbalance. About 80% of those with osteoporosis are women. Of people older than 50 years of age, one in two women and one in eight men are predicted to have an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. These are averages for men and women in the US. Women who lead healthy lives with proper nutrition will do better than the average. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/25/2010 7:18:19 PM |
but anybody who could avoid an early death always had the potential of living well into their seventies or eighties.
True, but the majority of people *did* die younger than they "needed" to due to accidents and disease. Sanitation does a lot to improve average life span, antibiotics did even more, and being able to treat trauma has allowed the majority of people in developed countries to live out their apparent "natural" life span. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/27/2010 5:03:38 PM | | Started by AARP to give them members, They are alienating more people than they know. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/27/2010 5:07:15 PM |
In Mexico though, I'm considered older, because they called me Señora ....
And in Mexico, my ex-wife use to get hit on by young guys all the time because they thought that she knew what she was "doing." | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/27/2010 11:20:10 PM | I do believe it's a question of your outlook and mindset.
When I was about twenty, there was this retired British fellow that worked with me that looked quite a bit like the Duke Of Windsor. Always perfectly dressed, and in far better shape than I was - and I was running marathons at the time. He'd ditch the elevator, and walk up six floors at a pace that left me behind. 
Now, at fifty three, I find myself working with some twenty somethings that are far "older" than I am. I still bike to work every day from early spring to early winter - and they look exhausted when they arrive in their cars or on public transit.  At work, I can out produce almost all of them, easily.
My Dad died when I was very young, and he was roughly the same age I am now. When I look back then, he seemed so "old". Now, that age is typically considered much younger by our society. People are more active, and take better care of themselves typically.
I'm sometimes reminded of a Dylan song, when this topic comes up.
Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now
I know myself far better now, and count myself lucky to have been around to see some interesting times and places. I would never want to go back to being twenty, especially in today's world. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/28/2010 5:52:12 AM |
Ah, but I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now
Well they do say we start to revert back to our childhood.. Except this time we get to enjoy it more...
We are no longer looking for when we are older that we can do a particular thing.. We can do it now and enjoy it!!
Love and Light
Karen | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/28/2010 6:33:28 AM |
I would never want to go back to being twenty, especially in today's world
The chance to do it all over again I think I would take it. To be 20 something physically again knowing what I know now bring it on. Montreal it sounds like you are lucky man to not have the aches and pains that typically come with our age. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/28/2010 6:20:36 PM | I intend to live to see at least my 120th birthday ... so half of 120 ... and that means I'm STILL beyond "middle aged!"
I love asking for the senior discount! clerks look relieved that I've asked ... so they aren't embarrassed if I get annoyed when they automatically give it to me!
while I'm not keen on being called "ma'am" ... it's an improvement over "miss!" which seems the popular thing to call older women in this area ...
a lot of men think it's appropriate to refer to me as "young lady" which makes me feel as tho they're disrespectfully making sport of my well-deserved and earned age ...
if someone offered me my 20-year-old body back, intact and in good condition ... and I could keep all the emotional stability I've earned ... and the wisdom I've acquired ... I'd say "YES!" in a heart-beat!
altho that might make meeting an appropriate-aged man more difficult ... or not! | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/28/2010 6:47:43 PM | The first cards inviting me to join AARP arrived when I was 45.
I filled the postpaid envelope they enclosed with scrap lead and sent it back. They have to pay by the ounce.
I do that with any unwanted junk mail that has a postpaid envelope. I don't get many repeats.
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since the average life expectancy in the US has been constantly going up... we have constantly been shifting the age we have considered someone a "senior Citizen"
It used to be common to expect to be able to retire by age 55. People used to be able to collect social security retirement at 55 too. Thats where the idea of "senior discounts" starting at 55 came from.
But average life expectancy was less than 50 for most of world history. So cinsidering someone over 50 as a senior citizen does make sense. They beat the average for human lifespan. (takig all of history into account it will be a long time before that shifts)
At some point you need to quit being ashamed of getting older and start being proud of how long you survived.
Over the hill beats under the hill every time.
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/28/2010 7:32:56 PM | Gah! When I was 20, 35 was senior!!!
When I was 50 my oldest daughter was horrified that I wanted to date never mind be interested in sex.
Age is so relative. When you're young, 50 is ancient. When you're 50, 80 is ancient.
I don't mind the label but sure would like a discount. | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/28/2010 8:38:07 PM | The "kids" of the 1960's who said you couldn't trust anyone over 30... now say you can't trust anyone under 50.
And the circle is complete
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/28/2010 8:43:02 PM | Some of the kids from the 60's say you can't trust anyone who can remember the 60's  | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/29/2010 1:17:43 AM | | You should come to Australia. We can't access our superannuation now until we're 67. Fifty - bah! You've still got a good 20 years of work left in you! | |
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| Since when is 50 a senior?
Posted: 9/29/2010 4:51:00 AM | I heard 50 was the new 40
and 40 was the new 30
and black is in, not brown.....
It's very fasionable to be a senior! You did not know this? | |
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