Old Man Trapped in a 21 y.o. Body

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All of my life I have gotten along with people much older than me. I would say that my relationship with my 65 year old father is more of a friendship than parent son relationship. When I'm home from college, I hang out with him and our mutual group of friends. The second youngest person in the group is 35. We watch movies and talk politics and philosophy over drinks.

Speaking of drinks, I catch some flack at college parties when I mix myself Manhattans or Martinis while everyone else is doing Jager or Vodka shots. I've made it a point of honor to never chase a shot because if you're not drinking at least partially for the flavor why drink at all?

The people I'm closest to at school are a couple of my professors because they are much more genuine people than my peers.

I'm not one of those people who hates having fun though. Last night an acquaintance invited me to do some after midnight sledding with a group of her friends which was pretty fun.

I have decent taste in music but not enough to really fit in with the really hard core music fanatics who only love music no one else knows about.

I would like to fit in better but I don't see that happening while I'm acting as old as I am. When it comes to romance (or my lack thereof), I am more influenced by Sommerset Maugham, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Jane Austin than MTV. Damn kids and their rock and roll 8-tracks....

There's nothing wrong with how you are. You have people you do things with, though an age gap may exist. It is neither a crime nor a defect to be psychologically "older" than those around you.

Changing yourself to be more acceptable to others isn't worthwhile. Better to not have acceptance of those that can't really appreciate you at this point anyways than to become something you are not solely for that purpose.

agreed... I usually have older friends. actually, i just realized I have a lot of older friends, mainly over 50... of course I also have friends my age who also act wiser than their age

I appreciate who you are romantically influenced by. I have all the BBC Jane Austen adaptations and have been into the more old style of romance since a child. Good to find a male who has similar interest. When I was 11, my best friend was an elderly lady in her 70s. When I was even younger, I found it much better to talk to elderly people or teachers, so I can see where you are coming from.

I can relate to much of this, having many friends significantly older than me, though I also have friends nearer my own age or a little younger. Possibly the influences you mention may be rather more beneficial than MTV, though obviously people are free to differ. Romance or lack thereof - I can relate to that. Though the meaning of the word romance has shifted and narrowed through time like so many words (a whole other story). My life could be described as romantic, it is just that I have yet not had any REQUITED romantic relationships (last word also frequently narrowed in meaning to make requited romantic relationships appear tautological to some) though I have had many friendships with females; it is just that with those nearer my own age than 90 the friendship can be complicated (this sentence needs rewriting; nearer than 33; I have a highly respected friend in her nineties is all) by UNREQUITED love. Or infatuation. Or obsession. It depends upon your point of view. Emotions are generally complicated and complicating factors. In what ways have Somerset Maugham, Robert Louis Stevenson and Jane Austen influenced your romance or lack thereof? What values, specifically, is MTV pushing (and do I really want to know about them)?

My closeness to my parents is perhaps more ambivalent; I relate to both, certainly admire my mother, but find my father at times difficult, though as I am at times impossible I am in no position to carp or criticise. Are you actually a NeoPlatonist in philosophy?

The BBC adaptations of classic novels are enjoyable. When you say "old style romance" what precisely do you mean? This could cover anything from Mediaeval "courtly love" to an eighteenth and early (Regency and generally pre-Victorian) nineteenth immorality in no way better than some eras nearer the current time, to a perenial code of decency and chivalry that anyone not completely devoid of honour should be able to more or less follow. Older people are easier to get along with - I am the second youngest at the quarter to nine traditional communion service on Sundays, and have many respected friends there (this service is predominantly frequented by people over 65, mainly significantly so. I am also friends with the only person younger than me at that service (the informal "family" service has many younger, but we are talking kids there, those older than me at that service mainly young adults to middleaged/prime of life) who is quiet and mature, but that is complicated by the fact that I am endeavouring to emerge from an infatuation with her after learning from my mother (not a churchgoer, but apparently hearing something from a friend of a friend) that she already has a boyfriend and so it is completely wrong for me to be thinking about her in certain ways. In her presence I can enjoy her company as a friend, as we have many common interests such as in history. This is good. It is generally just when I am alone that I get depressed. This sort of thing has happened far too frequently (three times in the past seven or more years, not counting milder interests). Sorry if this was far to much information; some information here belongs in the Haven.

Last edited by AlexandertheSolitary on 25 Feb 2007, 8:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I feel the same. My views have always been a bit old-fashioned, and I'd usually much rather discuss philosophy, psychology, and politics than go to the mall or something kids my age do. It's oftentimes very stressfull for me to endure the childish antics of my classmates at school. I wish the human race would collectively grow up.

Philosophy, psychology and politics are more interesting than most shopping centres. I concur with your heartfelt desire for the maturation of humanity.

At university my friends would be from a range of ages (some of my lecturers would be included here).

Is this the 'old farts' thread? Many people have told me that I sound much older than I actually am. Even some people on here have said that. I usually drink and socialise with people much older than me too.

This is the thread of the inwardly archaic (perhaps too strong a word; you may substitute mature if you prefer).

"Inwardly archaic"? That sounds like the sort of term someone might use to pour scorn on someone. I think "old farts" is better, don't you?

I would call myself an old fart

I used to be more romantic than I am now. I used to think that love would solve all my problems but now I know better. Anyway, I've become incredibly cynical over the years and I just don't know anyone who is worth it right now. I'm sick of girls saying "oh, you're so sweet" then going off with the nearest guy who just wants to get her drunk and take advantage of her. Even if they have the patience of a saint, I would probably drive them insane within the week with my moods and eccentricities.

Maybe you should call me a bitter young old fart.

This is frustrating. I do not understand much of masculine behaviour towards women. I mean, I am not exactly immune to lust, but why would someone use someone who was a friend? Why would they want to go out with someone who was not a friend? Why, if they had a relationship with someone, would they want to betray her? I mean, even from a completely selfish point of view, assuming they had no altruism or empathy whatsoever, why would they want to forfeit or throw away a (potentially) lasting relationship? This does not make sense.

Old style romance... I maybe should have simply said chivalrous romance, as that covers it amply. I was not looking to write a thesis on it particularly. I like the idea of knights, Arthurian times etc.

What is wrong with archaic or ancient? Alright, totally inaccurate applied to anyone not a multimillenarian or at least a multicentennarian, but it sounds a lot better than your term. Actually it would be accurate if someone was inwardly (mentally or emotionally) at least nine hundred years old. Or maybe one thousand five hundred and ninety three. Any Timelords, Elves Tuatha De Danan or Aesir here (or people who feel inwardly like any of the aforementioned)?

Last edited by AlexandertheSolitary on 25 Feb 2007, 10:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.