USA culture is very youth oriented, advice on how to navigate through it as we enter our 40s, 50s

[Anonymous]

I think it's just the DC area, and likely other major cities are the same. Older folks recreate by going to their second homes elsewhere or away on vacations. The expectation is that staying here for fun is lame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm 55 and about 7 years ago, I decided to let my hair go gray. (Since then it's become a trend but this was before that)

It turned out to be my way of shunning the youth culture. Growing out your gray is a constant mind-game, as people get threatened by it and say crazy stuff. And all it takes is 10 minutes of weakness to put that dye back in.

It was one of the most freeing experiences of my life. And since we're anonymous here, I'll just say...I look great. Before, I looked like I was trying to look young, and not succeeding. Many people with dyed hair look a little sickly in the face. Their hair looks great, but their face looks washed out.

One caveat: There are two types of folks that go gray--the person who's gray hair is one of the byproducts of them not taking care of themselves, vs. the person who has gone gray intentionally. So for me, it was important to keep wearing a little makeup to show that I was being intentional about the way I look.

In my culture younger people are seen as being at the bottom, immature and with no life experiences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s always been youth oriented and when you are no longer a youth you move on and evolve. At some point you grow weary of too loud dance clubs and you go somewhere else. It doesn’t happen over night so it isn’t a culture shock.

In my culture's version of MTV, music artists in their 60s and 70s perform regularly on network television.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's just the DC area, and likely other major cities are the same. Older folks recreate by going to their second homes elsewhere or away on vacations. The expectation is that staying here for fun is lame.

Yes I think you may be right.

[Anonymous]

OP, I don't think you've really explained your concerns very well. Explain more, maybe more people will feel the way you do. The whole boomer generation is extremely youth-oriented in my opinion. They hold all the power in this country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I don't think you've really explained your concerns very well. Explain more, maybe more people will feel the way you do. The whole boomer generation is extremely youth-oriented in my opinion. They hold all the power in this country.

In some ways I am kind of glad younger people have to pay exorbitant prices for real estate compared to what the boomers paid. Think of it as younger people having to pay their dues. Because in society in general they are automatically allowed entry into many scenes they had no part in creating but are allowed in just for being young. Well thank God real estate does not work that way.

Payback for all the music and movies younger people pirated over the years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take up shuffleboard, OP. Oh and constantly talk about how music was sooooo much better when you were younger.

Older music acts are discriminated against in the USA. In other countries older music artists are recognized but in the USA they are largely forgotten.

You don't follow country music, do you. Ever hear of Emmy Lou Harris, Dolly Parton and the (late, great) John Prine and Charlie Daniels? Revered

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take up shuffleboard, OP. Oh and constantly talk about how music was sooooo much better when you were younger.

Older music acts are discriminated against in the USA. In other countries older music artists are recognized but in the USA they are largely forgotten.

You don't follow country music, do you. Ever hear of Emmy Lou Harris, Dolly Parton and the (late, great) John Prine and Charlie Daniels? Revered

^ Country music radio does not exactly have those artist's music on regular rotation anymore.

[Anonymous]

OP, I kind of understand what you are saying. I was born in the US to newly arrived immigrants. I grew up very much in their culture. In their culture, generations are way more integrated - it is common to see 3 generations of people dining together at local taverns or in plazas -- all interacting with each other. Whenever my husband and I go out to dinner in the city, we are often the oldest ones there (mid-late 40s), and you almost never see multi-generation groups. Americans tend to push older people aside and not incorporate them into daily life. I have a friend who guilt-trips me when my parents cook my family dinner or babysit the kids -- like I shouldn't put that "burden" on them because they are old. In my culture, older people who don't work anymore don't necessarily just sit around doing nothing - they cook for their families, they garden, they watch over kids when needed... they contribute to their family groups in meaningful ways and are appreciated for it. They tend to be happier and healthier than older Americans because their lives have purpose and they are included in family activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I kind of understand what you are saying. I was born in the US to newly arrived immigrants. I grew up very much in their culture. In their culture, generations are way more integrated - it is common to see 3 generations of people dining together at local taverns or in plazas -- all interacting with each other. Whenever my husband and I go out to dinner in the city, we are often the oldest ones there (mid-late 40s), and you almost never see multi-generation groups. Americans tend to push older people aside and not incorporate them into daily life. I have a friend who guilt-trips me when my parents cook my family dinner or babysit the kids -- like I shouldn't put that "burden" on them because they are old. In my culture, older people who don't work anymore don't necessarily just sit around doing nothing - they cook for their families, they garden, they watch over kids when needed... they contribute to their family groups in meaningful ways and are appreciated for it. They tend to be happier and healthier than older Americans because their lives have purpose and they are included in family activities.

I agree 100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take up shuffleboard, OP. Oh and constantly talk about how music was sooooo much better when you were younger.

Older music acts are discriminated against in the USA. In other countries older music artists are recognized but in the USA they are largely forgotten.

Not at the Grand Ole' Opry. (Which I love, BTW).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take up shuffleboard, OP. Oh and constantly talk about how music was sooooo much better when you were younger.

Older music acts are discriminated against in the USA. In other countries older music artists are recognized but in the USA they are largely forgotten.

You don't follow country music, do you. Ever hear of Emmy Lou Harris, Dolly Parton and the (late, great) John Prine and Charlie Daniels? Revered

^ Country music radio does not exactly have those artist's music on regular rotation anymore.

There are literally hundreds of radio stations dedicated to oldies, classic rock, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's just the DC area, and likely other major cities are the same. Older folks recreate by going to their second homes elsewhere or away on vacations. The expectation is that staying here for fun is lame.

Yes I think you may be right.

???? I know lots of older people in DC. They enjoy concerts, theater, museums, book clubs, classes, volunteering, etc. I have no idea where you live that people think that "staying here for fun is lame." I mean, yes, they take vacations, but there are many active older people in the area who find plenty of things to do.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take up shuffleboard, OP. Oh and constantly talk about how music was sooooo much better when you were younger.

Older music acts are discriminated against in the USA. In other countries older music artists are recognized but in the USA they are largely forgotten.

You don't follow country music, do you. Ever hear of Emmy Lou Harris, Dolly Parton and the (late, great) John Prine and Charlie Daniels? Revered

^ Country music radio does not exactly have those artist's music on regular rotation anymore.

There are literally hundreds of radio stations dedicated to oldies, classic rock, etc.

Those artists in many instances are still releasing new music and in most cases it is ignored by radio.