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How closely does your mental age tie to you physical condition?
- Thread starter Huntn
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I'm afraid I have to disagree. I come from a low income family that has been comfortable with obesity and inferior health for two generations. I vowed to be different and lost over 100 pounds through hard work and determination.. I'm also the first in my family to earn anything higher than a high school diploma. Perhaps I was adopted. Perhaps 12 years in the US Navy did me some good. One thing I've learned in two years of weight training.. I didn't come this far to only come this far.
Doubtless you had in mind the welcome idea of ladies d'un age certain - in terms of mental maturity and intellectual development - finding youthful gentlemen who would not flag or stupidly fall asleep with an idiotic snore during a long night's enjoyable amorous activity?
I'm the first in 4 generations on my mothers side to graduate high school. I'm also the first on both sides to not have live children (My son passed over a decade ago and I decided not to have more).
I'm also the first to have broken off from my family entirely to move across the country.
Change starts with you right?
Thank you for your service!
Agreed. If you had 60 years under your belt, you would not be acting like a 20 year old, but you could keep up with a 20 year old. I think this would drastically change the outlook of a 60 year old for better or worse depending on your perspective. But again, the focus of this thread is the notion that mental age is greatly related to physiological condition. However, for the example, I would imagine a 60 year old, when it comes to "mental age" , things such a caution or wisdom, or preferred activities, would mostly register quite differently than a 20 year old.
I could imagine 60 year olds hooking up with 20 year olds, but I could also see there being age based personality conflicts between the 2 groups. I imagine some people could make it work.
Can I ask you what in the world you think "mental age" is? This is rather what I was getting at in my previous posts.
I feel compelled to share the trailer for a film that touches on a few issues raised in this thread. It's for "The Man From Earth," which, as the trailer boasts, was penned by writer of the "most acclaimed episodes of Star Trek and The Twilight Zone," Jerome Bixby. There is little action (it's conducive to contemplation) and the acting is… well, terrible but doesn't detract from the overall quality.
Not that that already happens or anything…
I really liked this movie. Thanks for bringing it up.
Yeah, I think this discussion might be more fruitful if we know what we're actually working with. I've just assumed "mental age" is synonymous with maturity. But if we're still going off that website's criteria, the thread's title should be:
How closely does your tendency to wear hats backwards tie to your physical condition?
Of course; it's probably one of my favorites. There don't seem to be many movies like it, so if you can think of any others, please share.
Just making an observation about Spring Fall romances. Not my fantasy if that is what you are implying.
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We started with a quiz designed to determine mental age. I assumed the correlation is direct between mental and physical age. There are also personality aspects associated with aging that are wrapped in with mental age.
My presmise is that mental aging to adulthood is based on physical development (plus learning and experience) and that changes continue with experience, but with age, eventually physical and mental deterioration play a greater role in these changes than experience does, and that's what prompted this thread.
I answered. Is this a confrontation? Have no interest in fighting with you.
Mental age is directly correlated to physical age, the nominal mental milestones associated with human physical development/aging.
That's an interesting point, I've had this discussion with friends. There's a maturity component _but_ in my case, and most of my close friends that's what I'd [probably] call responsibility[?].
I think there's too many people who equate biological age to some socially predetermined behaviors, activities, dress, hobbies, interests, etc. There are people who would scoff at a 40 or 50 year old doing something like skateboarding, because it's not "age appropriate".
Dude, I'm trying to understand what in the world you're talking about! You seem to be operating as if "mental age" is an obvious self-evident idea.
I feel compelled to share the trailer for a film that touches on a few issues raised in this thread. It's for "The Man From Earth," which, as the trailer boasts, was penned by writer of the "most acclaimed episodes of Star Trek and The Twilight Zone," Jerome Bixby. There is little action (it's conducive to contemplation) and the acting is… well, terrible but doesn't detract from the overall quality.
Not that that already happens or anything…
Interesting looking movie.
As far as Spring-Fall romances under the scenario I mentioned, because difference in physical condition would not substantially exist, the reason I mention it is that with the physical differences removed, how much impact on a relationship would the difference in life experiences alone make?
This is tied to my premise and primary interest of this thread, that substantial changes associated with mental age in the elderly are due to physical deterioration. With this removed, I think there would still be unique challenges that would stand in the way of successful relationships.
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Maybe ask the the people who made up the mental age quiz. What do you think mental age is? I've given you my definition. You must have an idea.
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I believe, at least for some people, it is obvious. Many people spend their entire lives suffering from cognitive distortions and would benefit from cognitive restructuring but, for one reason or another, never break free of these shackles. Others go out of their way to learn about this type of thing and strive to remove it from their lives.
I'm sorry but you haven't given anything resembling a definition. If I told you that the size of one's ਪਰਿਵਾਰ is correlated with the number of gray hairs on your body, would you have any idea what it means? Would you be able to discuss it in a broader context?Interesting looking movie.
As far as Spring-Fall romances under the scenario I mentioned, because difference in physical condition would not substantially exist, the reason I mention it is that with the physical differences removed, how much impact on a relationship would the difference in life experiences alone make?
This is tied to my premise and primary interest of this thread, that substantial changes associated with mental age in the elderly are due to physical deterioration. With this removed, I think there would still be unique challenges that would stand in the way of successful relationships.
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Maybe ask the the people who made up the mental age quiz. What do you think mental age is? I've given you my definition. You must have a n idea.
Surely you aren't asking how well someone would do on a silly online quiz at the age of 300. But if you are, who could possibly find a basis for judging that without first coming to an understanding of what it is the quiz purports to measure? Is it even measurable?
Frankly I'm not sure what mental age is, hence a lot of questioning. I need not agree with what your definition is to discuss it in the context you've brought up though. I might propose "maturity", but frankly that's not entirely clear either. We would have to discuss what types of behaviors are consistent with being mature, as I suspect there would be some disagreement across people and cultures.
And which cognitive distortion do you think I'm suffering from?
I don't believe eliciting a prescribed response is implied within the scope of this thread.
In reply to the OP's question: "Let's pretend that a miracle drug unlocked the cell reproduction cycle allowing people to maintain a 20 year old like body for 100 years, with a total lifespan of 400 years. How do you think these people would act on their 100th birthday- youthful and energetic or old, want to stay at home type people?"
Youth, in this case, would definitely be an enabler. When I was going through high school and early college, I observed a lot of people doing stuff I would never do - partying, going out to theme parks, drinking till they couldn't stand up anymore (every night), etc... A lot of these people are married now, not as crazy, and seem to be spending more time working.
I like to think that I'm getting wiser with age. However, it seems, the older I get, the more I know I don't know (affecting my confidence). My great grandpa died when he was 101. https://goo.gl/photos/2SEBQZA2tVC8wVa59 for picture of him and his wife. Every day he would go out and tend his garden even when he was 100. He was pretty quick mentally even near the end of his life - recalled using a horse to get to school, etc... He didn't last long after his wife died.
Several of my grandmas say they feel the same as they did when they were young.
I'm 31. When I hit 30 I felt worse than I ever have in my entire life because, last year, due to work stress and overeating I got to the heaviest I've ever been (235 pounds). I couldn't run a quarter mile without stopping being out of breath. After 6 months of exercise, biking, and a lot of work - I've lost 15 pounds, I can run 5 miles without stopping and I can bike 40+ miles... I feel much better. But I still don't feel as young as I did when I was in my 20s (180 pounds). I imagine losing more weight may help with that but I'm in the best shape of my life at the moment.
So if you asked me, if I hit 100 with a 20 year old body - would it change anything? Only if I had more financial security. My first thought would be how awesome it would be to have so many more years to read books, learn new things, and spend time with people I love (knowing I could live to 400).
This is from the perspective of someone who hates social gatherings and has never been to a concert - would much rather go to a library, a museum, or watch a documentary on how something is made. Being the type of person that prefers to sit at home and read a book makes me very different from a lot of people.
Youth, in this case, would definitely be an enabler. When I was going through high school and early college, I observed a lot of people doing stuff I would never do - partying, going out to theme parks, drinking till they couldn't stand up anymore (every night), etc... A lot of these people are married now, not as crazy, and seem to be spending more time working.
I like to think that I'm getting wiser with age. However, it seems, the older I get, the more I know I don't know (affecting my confidence). My great grandpa died when he was 101. https://goo.gl/photos/2SEBQZA2tVC8wVa59 for picture of him and his wife. Every day he would go out and tend his garden even when he was 100. He was pretty quick mentally even near the end of his life - recalled using a horse to get to school, etc... He didn't last long after his wife died.
Several of my grandmas say they feel the same as they did when they were young.
I'm 31. When I hit 30 I felt worse than I ever have in my entire life because, last year, due to work stress and overeating I got to the heaviest I've ever been (235 pounds). I couldn't run a quarter mile without stopping being out of breath. After 6 months of exercise, biking, and a lot of work - I've lost 15 pounds, I can run 5 miles without stopping and I can bike 40+ miles... I feel much better. But I still don't feel as young as I did when I was in my 20s (180 pounds). I imagine losing more weight may help with that but I'm in the best shape of my life at the moment.
So if you asked me, if I hit 100 with a 20 year old body - would it change anything? Only if I had more financial security. My first thought would be how awesome it would be to have so many more years to read books, learn new things, and spend time with people I love (knowing I could live to 400).
This is from the perspective of someone who hates social gatherings and has never been to a concert - would much rather go to a library, a museum, or watch a documentary on how something is made. Being the type of person that prefers to sit at home and read a book makes me very different from a lot of people.
I have given a definition several times. Apparently you disagree with this definition. That's ok. The important thing is I don't want this thread to descend into bickering. If you want to give positive input then please do.
Acknowledging that different people have different (mental) maturity based on age, a lot of us just took a quiz to gage our mental maturity using age as the only yardstick. I don't know for sure what the creators of the quiz had in mind, but I made an assumption. This thread is a related to that quiz. Did you take it by chance?
My original proposal which I am sticking with is that with advanced age, our mental maturity is greatly influenced and framed by our physiological deterioration. Introducing the sci-fi aspect of something like prolong is to try identify this aspect of aging, by proposing how we might change with age, without the physical deterioration occurring at the point where it is normally anticipated.
And that is where I disagree - profoundly.
Your premise - granted, it is only a "proposal" - is too limiting, even as a proposal.
Firstly, it is too limiting of the power of the mind, - and issues that themtntal relies on the physical - whereas I would argue that it can often (or also) be the other way around - and - outside of the individual human - it - your "proposal" - is too limiting in that it assumes that this topic can be solely reduced to a discussion of personal choice (a very American mistake) by failing to acknowledge the importance of other factors, such as environment, educational level, social class, income, geographical location, gender, race, and so on.
Look...you haven't defined anything; you've just asserted a relationship between two concepts. Forget it, man.
Well, you felt the need to obliquely reference my supposed cognitive distortions within the scope of this thread. I just requested that you finish the thought. How are we to improve ourselves without specific feedback?
Agreed.
I suspect most people (in the West) stop being intellectually curious as soon as they leave school… That is, if they ever were.
I feel like I'm in an argument with you. Is that a misimpression? My first hint was the snide remark you previously made about amorous activity. And I have no idea how you arrived at this conclusion (bolded above). I've said nothing about personal choice, and by describing it as "an Amercian mistake" you seemed to have revealed a prejudice or a misimpression, which is disappointing. If you feel the need to argue, I have no interest in that, nor to continue the discussion with you on this basis. I'd rather be friends.
Nor did I ignore the other factors you listed, but I've chosen to talk about how physiological deterioration influences those mental characteristics associated with an aging human and how they might be mitigated if physical health and mental acuity are maintained. I've watched my parents age and see the same thing in myself, the impact of how the physical deterioration makes me not as interested in traveling for example. I also see a desire in myself to get in and out of restaurants early to avoid the rush. If I physically felt the same way I did when I was 30, would I still be wanting to stay home, or would I be ready to head out later? Maybe.
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Can I assume that you agree that a youthful body or lack of one has a substantial impact on how old you act? If so, I agree.
What we all experience after 40 is a long slow physical slide at different rates based on lifestyle choices and genetics. I suspect, without any scientific research or even realistic plausibility, in the realm of scifi, that if you put an 80 year old healthy mind into a 20 year old body you'd see a drastic shift towards a youthful lifestyle, tempered by 8 decades of experience.[doublepost=1484681748][/doublepost]
Again , what do you imagine the term "mental age" means? I basically told you it was the equivalent of acting your age. That we associate specific mental development, things such as risk assessment, to be keyed to a specific age or an age range. If someone told you, you were acting like a 10 year old, what would that mean to you?
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@Huntn, you introduced the irrelevant diversion of what you described as "autumn spring" relationships, (described by some, and viewed by some, as romances). I pointed out some of the contradictions and delusions - and blinkered perspectives - that sometimes follow on from that.
Nor did I ignore the other factors you listed, but I've chosen to talk about how physiological deterioration influences those mental characteristics associated with an aging human and how they might be mitigated if physical health and mental acuity are maintained. I've watched my parents age and see the same thing in myself, the impact of how the physical deterioration makes me not as interested in traveling for example. I also see a desire in myself to get in and out of restaurants early to avoid the rush. If I physically felt the same way I did when I was 30, would I still be wanting to stay home, or would I be ready to head out later? Maybe.
I still like heading to restaurants late, and dining late.
However, I don't like crowds, the rush, and, if I am honest, I now know that I never did.
I suppose what "ageing" has meant is both increased discernment - I demand more of my environment and of my companions when I am socialising, both because I am more discerning - go out less often - but can afford to pay for quality.
Slumming it no longer holds an attraction, although I can still do it if I have to.
As for travelling, I would be off in the morning, if the right situation presented itself. I think I will like to travel until I die.
Can I assume that you agree that a youthful body or lack of one has a substantial impact on how old you act? If so, I agree.
Personally? No, not really.
I am one of those who was born 'middle aged', psychologically speaking, or, as someone remarked to me recently on these very threads, I have an 'old soul'.
The upshot of that is that as a youngster, I did not act in ways that people think a youngster should; I wasn't a rule breaker, or a risk taker - I just thought all of that was stupid, and silly. Actually, I thought most teenagers were morons when I was a teenager, and were very uninteresting, and vapid in their interests.
My life in recent decades - when I am absolutely but comfortably middle aged - in chronological terms - and somewhat overweight in physical terms (whereas I was slim in my youth) has been adventurous, dare I say thrilling, rather risky, challenging, and I will admit it, rather exciting at times. That is challenging mentally, physically, and intellectually; very rewarding, sometimes.
In truth, there are times that I "act" - in terms of choices I make, both professional, and indeed, sometimes, personal - a lot "younger" than I did in my teens, or twenties.
So, I suppose that most of my life I have felt out of sync - very much - with what I have been supposed to feel.
Ah, now I see what I think you mean.
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