topic Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age in Community Chat

Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

On It — Sun, 30 May 2021 19:43:24 GMT

I think I have gotten to the age that I cannot accurately guess people's ages. Everyone looks young to me. I guess it is something like a child's perspective that everyone is old.

While my son was visiting recently the tv was muted but on QVC. One of the attractive younger hosts was on so I asked him how old he thought she was. I was stunned when he said 35. I thought she was much younger than that. Then reality set in and probably a 25 year old would not be hosting a show during prime hours. The problem seems to be with people under 60. I can guess the ages closer to my own.

"Law and Order" had an episode that mentioned older people are unreliable in providing the approximate age of a suspect. Is anyone else having this problem?

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

deepwaterdotter — Sun, 30 May 2021 19:45:46 GMT

I've never been good at guessing a person's age, even when I was younger.

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

Tinkrbl44 — Sun, 30 May 2021 20:07:05 GMT

@On It

Well, there are a LOT more creams, potions and exercise equipment for people to use for fitness and staying attractive.

When I was a kid, there were housewives in my neighborhood of about 35 or 40 that looked 60. Generally speaking, exercise "routines" were much different, if people did much at all. Physical work was most peoples' exercise.

People take better care of themselves these days, and various little procedures are not only more affordable, but common. It's a whole new world when it comes to staying attractive and fit.

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

Mindy D — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 01:47:55 GMT

@On It wrote:
I think I have gotten to the age that I cannot accurately guess people's ages. Everyone looks young to me. I guess it is something like a child's perspective that everyone is old.

While my son was visiting recently the tv was muted but on QVC. One of the attractive younger hosts was on so I asked him how old he thought she was. I was stunned when he said 35. I thought she was much younger than that. Then reality set in and probably a 25 year old would not be hosting a show during prime hours. The problem seems to be with people under 60. I can guess the ages closer to my own.

"Law and Order" had an episode that mentioned older people are unreliable in providing the approximate age of a suspect. Is anyone else having this problem?

@On It All the 'work' done to many show business personalities has altered my ability to judge ages in everyone. The work done has changed what faces really look like at various ages so that I can't judge anymore.

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

Spurt — Sun, 30 May 2021 20:53:15 GMT

@On It

I was never good at guessing ages either young nor older people......and all the botox and other techniques and procedures these days that are done it makes it harder to tell....

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

jeanlake — Sun, 30 May 2021 20:58:02 GMT

It is difficult to guess ages. A neighbor told me she was 8 yrs younger than her hubs. I had to deadpan my expression. I guessed her to be a year or two older than him. She spends a lot of time in the sun. Since my hubs started shaving his head - which thinned out after covid - he says he looks older than me - we're a year apart in age. I've observed my rural cousins have aged faster than suburban/urban cousins. No offense to anyone - but it has been my observation. 38 - 52 are my toughest ages to guess.

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

PA Mom-mom — Sun, 30 May 2021 21:52:56 GMT

@On It wrote:
I think I have gotten to the age that I cannot accurately guess people's ages. Everyone looks young to me. I guess it is something like a child's perspective that everyone is old.

While my son was visiting recently the tv was muted but on QVC. One of the attractive younger hosts was on so I asked him how old he thought she was. I was stunned when he said 35. I thought she was much younger than that. Then reality set in and probably a 25 year old would not be hosting a show during prime hours. The problem seems to be with people under 60. I can guess the ages closer to my own.

"Law and Order" had an episode that mentioned older people are unreliable in providing the approximate age of a suspect. Is anyone else having this problem?

@On It I agree with your first paragraph. When I was teaching, my HS students were 20 to 30 years younger than I was. They looked like babies! AND, I remember thinking each one of them was so very beautiful! The subject came up one day in class, and I told them when I looked at them I saw such beauty in each of them ( I guess because they were young and fresh looking). They were very surprised, and I think a little pleased.

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

minkbunny — Sun, 30 May 2021 23:17:22 GMT

It is really so subjective, depending on who is "guessing" an age I suppose. On Friday I was in line at Wal-Mart, one of two lines with a checker. A nice man in front of me said, I hope I don't have to wait long. I am 65 and don't have too much time to waste. I said, well, I am 72 so I have less than you. He carried on that I couldn't be 72, I looked way younger, etc etc.

Smiling, I said thank you - how sweet.

Went across the street to have lunch with friends at Wendy's. I was in line behind a young mother ( maybe in her 20s ) with a little girl about 4 or 5. She told her daughter, Hon, let's let the elderly lady in front of us. I looked around thinking that I, too, would offer the elderly woman my spot. Turns out the elderly lady was me. Could hardly be insulted at such a kind gesture as I am, of course, elderly. I said to her and her little girl the same thing I said to the man at Wal-Mart.

Smiling, I said thank you - how sweet.

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

chrystaltree — Sun, 30 May 2021 23:35:58 GMT

I think it's hard now because people just don't age they way we did. We have better nutrition, we are fitter, we're active and people now just continue being ourselves. Also skincare, haircare, injections help. Age really is just a number. My 75 year old BFF could tell anyone that she is 55 and no one would doubt her. Other than letting her hair go silver, she's the same gorgeous woman with the same life style that she has always been. And it's not just older people, it's younger people too. My girls and their friends all look 25 and they are a decade or more older. Honestly, I don't even try to guess anyone's age anymore.

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

september — Sun, 30 May 2021 23:39:02 GMT

Yes, agree with @minkbunny It's so subjective. I first noticed this with my now deceased husband, when he started referring to middle aged people as "young"! I was also younger than him, but in my mid fifties at the time, and usually in the same age group as these people.

Now I live in a 55+ community and hear residents referring to 60 year old people as "young"! We might be younger than the 80+ year old crowd, but we are middle aged! My granddaughters would call all of us "old". 🤪

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

Roscoe the Rascal — Mon, 31 May 2021 12:40:31 GMT

I'm no good at it. I keep my mouth shut. I'm 65 and not an old looking 65 but no 50 either. I tell my age to save any embarrassment to me. I sure don't want to be guessed older or have someone say I thought you were older than that. Ok as long as not judging by looks. Lol

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

LindaSal — Mon, 31 May 2021 13:20:44 GMT

I was always pretty good at it though I do dislike it when someone asks me how old I think they are. Sometimes I do fib so as not to hurt their feelings in case my guess is too high! LOL

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

qualitygal — Mon, 31 May 2021 16:10:37 GMT

yeah, I'm lousy at that too. But the other day I got to wondering what gives a person's age away? What order?

Face as in wrinkles, hairdo, makeup, clothes, shoes? I know what I believe, just by looking in the mirror. Also, for many years, the topic of a person's discussion sure told me a lot, and now, I'm probably in that group, that I drew my conclusions on.

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

KBEANS — Mon, 31 May 2021 16:38:06 GMT

I'm still pretty good at judging age. Today I saw a photo of an actress that I have admired throughout her career. Always a beauty. She recently had a few accidents so maybe that's why I couldn't even recognize her. She's several years younger than I am and when my hubby said her name I said No Way! She has aged so much. Still beautiful and natural and I admire that about her. If he didn't tell me it was her I would have thought it was a much older actress. With younger people 20's-30's it's really easy for me.

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

songbird — Mon, 31 May 2021 16:49:10 GMT

Over all, the population has changed a great deal. People are living much longer. Better health and nutrition. Better economy offers cosmetics and makeup to mask aging. Exercising is standard rather then the the exception. So people now a days don't show their age as much.

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

chrystaltree — Mon, 31 May 2021 18:17:24 GMT

@songbird wrote:
Over all, the population has changed a great deal. People are living much longer. Better health and nutrition. Better economy offers cosmetics and makeup to mask aging. Exercising is standard rather then the the exception. So people now a days don't show their age as much.

I think that is all true. Attitudes about aging also play apart too. My mom and her sister were beautiful, fashionable women who took care of their hair and their bodies but they bought into to the age thing in a way that just don't do anymore. At 40, they were middle aged and began to dress "older". At 50, they considered themselves to be matrons wore their hair up and eventually cut their hair because that was appropriate for women in their 50's. That still dressed well but everything was based on what they deemed to be age appropriate. All the women I knew were like that. Every decade, they would deprive themselves of things that supposedly were not "age appropriate". In those days (which wasn't that long ago), you really could look at a woman an tell if she was 40, 50, 60, 70 and over. If a woman dressed "to young" for her age, she'd be disparaged or laughed at by other women. Thankfully, that doesn't happen now. We're free to be ourselves which means we can't look at a woman and immediately see that she is in her 40's, 50's etc.

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

hckynut — Mon, 31 May 2021 18:38:43 GMT

@On It

I was never one to guess a person's chronological age. My basis for age is more on one's physiological classification of age, along with sociological age(how one acts). Used to be easier to use the term "old or older man". Now since I am in my 80's? Chronological age means even less.

john

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

lovesrecess — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 03:23:21 GMT

The thing that gives away a person’s age first is their hand, IMO. I think I have my mother’s hands...no matter how much cream I put on them.

Re: Cannot Distinguish People’s Age

qualitygal — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 09:03:45 GMT

@lovesrecess wrote:
The thing that gives away a person’s age first is their hand, IMO. I think I have my mother’s hands...no matter how much cream I put on them.

Oh yeah!!!!