I know this is a joke, but I really dislike these negative characterizations of adulthood, especially because they seem to just suggest that we should be complacent with this kind of dissatisfaction and discomfort as if it’s a intrinsic part of aging. I mean sure, maybe by the time you’re 70 a lot of this is unavoidable, but that’s far past being an adult. I often hear young people half-jokingly say that they may as well die by the time they turn 30. Interestingly, the same 30 to 50-year-olds who love to complain about teenagers dreading getting older are the same people who make them dread it by complaining about it. None of this stuff is really necessary to getting older, and again, I do understand that this is partially a joke, but I don’t know…
This isn’t being an adult. This is just taking bad care of yourself, physically and mentally. If you’ve always taken bad care of yourself, then it’ll start to pile up by the time you’re an adult. If you’ve always taken good care of yourself, that’ll also start to pile up by the time you’re an adult.
1000%. I’m currently ending an 8½ year relationship over this: When we met we were both depressed, both bought into this mindset that we were pairing up for an eternal winter. As we’ve transitioned to our mid thirties, I got help and got back up, while they didn’t. And as much as you want to be there for someone, you can’t make someone change when they don’t want to. But this mindset is infectious, and it ruins lives.
I think there’s a specific transition period that adults that didn’t have good habits go through. And it takes time for them to learn how to take care of their adult mind and body.
The unhealthy habits (drinking, eating badly, not sleeping enough, being stationary etc.) are not as easily recoverable anymore, but people are still pushing themselves thinking they have the same vitality. Then it leads to the “everything sucks now” mentality. Give people some time to figure it out.
Like the transition period between summer and fall, everyone’s a bit confused for a bit on what to wear to keep themselves warm.
While I agree broadly with what you are saying, your comment ignores the externalities that society puts upon people that causes a lot of these feelings/habits/behaviours.
We still should do our best to not be this defeated. We should absolutely do our best to take care of ourselves mentally and physically, but for many this is far easier said than done because of the externalities.
I know this is a joke, but I really dislike these negative characterizations of adulthood, especially because they seem to just suggest that we should be complacent with this kind of dissatisfaction and discomfort as if it’s a intrinsic part of aging. I mean sure, maybe by the time you’re 70 a lot of this is unavoidable, but that’s far past being an adult. I often hear young people half-jokingly say that they may as well die by the time they turn 30. Interestingly, the same 30 to 50-year-olds who love to complain about teenagers dreading getting older are the same people who make them dread it by complaining about it. None of this stuff is really necessary to getting older, and again, I do understand that this is partially a joke, but I don’t know…
This isn’t being an adult. This is just taking bad care of yourself, physically and mentally. If you’ve always taken bad care of yourself, then it’ll start to pile up by the time you’re an adult. If you’ve always taken good care of yourself, that’ll also start to pile up by the time you’re an adult.
1000%. I’m currently ending an 8½ year relationship over this: When we met we were both depressed, both bought into this mindset that we were pairing up for an eternal winter. As we’ve transitioned to our mid thirties, I got help and got back up, while they didn’t. And as much as you want to be there for someone, you can’t make someone change when they don’t want to. But this mindset is infectious, and it ruins lives.
I think there’s a specific transition period that adults that didn’t have good habits go through. And it takes time for them to learn how to take care of their adult mind and body.
The unhealthy habits (drinking, eating badly, not sleeping enough, being stationary etc.) are not as easily recoverable anymore, but people are still pushing themselves thinking they have the same vitality. Then it leads to the “everything sucks now” mentality. Give people some time to figure it out.
Like the transition period between summer and fall, everyone’s a bit confused for a bit on what to wear to keep themselves warm.
While I agree broadly with what you are saying, your comment ignores the externalities that society puts upon people that causes a lot of these feelings/habits/behaviours.
We still should do our best to not be this defeated. We should absolutely do our best to take care of ourselves mentally and physically, but for many this is far easier said than done because of the externalities.