Just normal midlife? Or does the world sometimes feel unrecognizable to anyone else?

[Anonymous]

I am in my late 40s and I have noticed in the past year a growing sense of feeling like every single aspect of the world has changed so drastically that it's hard to integrate all of it into a somewhat coherent understanding of the world. Do you relate? Don't relate?

In the early 2000s, I did not feel like the technological changes and national/world events taking place were shattering my basic assumptions about how the world works. I felt like I could loosely anticipate the trajectory of my life over the next five to ten years. I do not know if this is a natural part of aging or if I am lacking perspective of how this chaotic time fits with history. My parents were born in the late 1940s and I don't know that by the 1980s (their 40s) the world looked so drastically different.

I look back at the 1990s and it all seemed so much....quieter and predictable, but I was an adolescent.

My question is---do you think the world changed faster and more drastically from 2000-2021 than it did from 1980-2000, 1960-1980, 1940-1960....or is it just the effect of being in mid-life?

[Anonymous]

I am a 41 year old European and the world so far seems quite predictable. Perhaps you weren't keeping up with global politics/economics and science, or were not taught enough of it in school? Because where we are vis-a-vis climate change was foretold years ago, along with many alternate but largely similar scenarios; countries made pandemic plans (and directors made pandemic movies) way before Covid hit; the Middle East is still mired in mess, like it's been all my life; China has been on this political and economic growth curve for many years, just like my economics teacher explained in high school. However I am aware that some parts of the US did not have stellar K-12 and university systems decades ago - so some of this may have escaped your notice.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the respectful, helpful reply. I was concerned I would receive snarky insulting responses.

[Anonymous]

I feel the same way as you OP. I do think we are living in a time of upheaval, transition, etc. and a lot of the changes are coming fast and are not necessarily good changes.

[Anonymous]

I’m with you on this,OP. But I’m 61, which is still hard to get my head around.

I do think the world changed a great deal from 1960-1980. My parents experienced that more than me. Much more societal change than technological, though.

[Anonymous]

The world has changed remarkably fast over the past 200 years. In my great grandmother's lifetime she saw the advent of cars, planes, 2 world wars, suffrage, the civil rights movement, the moon landing, and more. The way of life changed drastically and access to news did too. I was born in the 70s and I think smartphones have been the biggest change and they make 90% of life so much worse. I worry about our health and relationships.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in my late 40s and I have noticed in the past year a growing sense of feeling like every single aspect of the world has changed so drastically that it's hard to integrate all of it into a somewhat coherent understanding of the world. Do you relate? Don't relate?

In the early 2000s, I did not feel like the technological changes and national/world events taking place were shattering my basic assumptions about how the world works. I felt like I could loosely anticipate the trajectory of my life over the next five to ten years. I do not know if this is a natural part of aging or if I am lacking perspective of how this chaotic time fits with history. My parents were born in the late 1940s and I don't know that by the 1980s (their 40s) the world looked so drastically different.

I look back at the 1990s and it all seemed so much....quieter and predictable, but I was an adolescent.

My question is---do you think the world changed faster and more drastically from 2000-2021 than it did from 1980-2000, 1960-1980, 1940-1960....or is it just the effect of being in mid-life?

Life just feels different and really weird now. I'm 50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I am a 41 year old European and the world so far seems quite predictable. Perhaps you weren't keeping up with global politics/economics and science, or were not taught enough of it in school? Because where we are vis-a-vis climate change was foretold years ago, along with many alternate but largely similar scenarios; countries made pandemic plans (and directors made pandemic movies) way before Covid hit; the Middle East is still mired in mess, like it's been all my life; China has been on this political and economic growth curve for many years, just like my economics teacher explained in high school. However I am aware that some parts of the US did not have stellar K-12 and university systems decades ago - so some of this may have escaped your notice.

Just wow . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I am a 41 year old European and the world so far seems quite predictable. Perhaps you weren't keeping up with global politics/economics and science, or were not taught enough of it in school? Because where we are vis-a-vis climate change was foretold years ago, along with many alternate but largely similar scenarios; countries made pandemic plans (and directors made pandemic movies) way before Covid hit; the Middle East is still mired in mess, like it's been all my life; China has been on this political and economic growth curve for many years, just like my economics teacher explained in high school. However I am aware that some parts of the US did not have stellar K-12 and university systems decades ago - so some of this may have escaped your notice.

Just wow . . .

I actually think PP has a point and I kind of think it describes me. I’m 42 and have had the same thoughts as OP, but have told myself it’s not THAT different but I just notice the world in a different, more mature way than I did in my teens, 20s and even early 30s. I grew up in the area and went to undergrad and post grad schools, but I never really paid that much attention to politics and world events to the extent I do now. I’m sure part of it was being young and self-centered, and maybe part of it was that my parents didnt engage on current events/politics that much with me as a kid. So I don’t think PP was being rude, I think he/she was pretty thoughtful about that response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I am a 41 year old European and the world so far seems quite predictable. Perhaps you weren't keeping up with global politics/economics and science, or were not taught enough of it in school? Because where we are vis-a-vis climate change was foretold years ago, along with many alternate but largely similar scenarios; countries made pandemic plans (and directors made pandemic movies) way before Covid hit; the Middle East is still mired in mess, like it's been all my life; China has been on this political and economic growth curve for many years, just like my economics teacher explained in high school. However I am aware that some parts of the US did not have stellar K-12 and university systems decades ago - so some of this may have escaped your notice.

Wow! European arrogance is real! Do you still live there or here? If here, why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in my late 40s and I have noticed in the past year a growing sense of feeling like every single aspect of the world has changed so drastically that it's hard to integrate all of it into a somewhat coherent understanding of the world. Do you relate? Don't relate?

In the early 2000s, I did not feel like the technological changes and national/world events taking place were shattering my basic assumptions about how the world works. I felt like I could loosely anticipate the trajectory of my life over the next five to ten years. I do not know if this is a natural part of aging or if I am lacking perspective of how this chaotic time fits with history. My parents were born in the late 1940s and I don't know that by the 1980s (their 40s) the world looked so drastically different.

I look back at the 1990s and it all seemed so much....quieter and predictable, but I was an adolescent.

My question is---do you think the world changed faster and more drastically from 2000-2021 than it did from 1980-2000, 1960-1980, 1940-1960....or is it just the effect of being in mid-life?

Life just feels different and really weird now. I'm 50.

Technology puts everything right in your face. Like RIGHT in your face.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in my late 40s and I have noticed in the past year a growing sense of feeling like every single aspect of the world has changed so drastically that it's hard to integrate all of it into a somewhat coherent understanding of the world. Do you relate? Don't relate?

In the early 2000s, I did not feel like the technological changes and national/world events taking place were shattering my basic assumptions about how the world works. I felt like I could loosely anticipate the trajectory of my life over the next five to ten years. I do not know if this is a natural part of aging or if I am lacking perspective of how this chaotic time fits with history. My parents were born in the late 1940s and I don't know that by the 1980s (their 40s) the world looked so drastically different.

I look back at the 1990s and it all seemed so much....quieter and predictable, but I was an adolescent.

My question is---do you think the world changed faster and more drastically from 2000-2021 than it did from 1980-2000, 1960-1980, 1940-1960....or is it just the effect of being in mid-life?

Life just feels different and really weird now. I'm 50.

Technology puts everything right in your face. Like RIGHT in your face.

Yeah, if you can get away for awhile, doing really normal things, it doesn’t feel so different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The world has changed remarkably fast over the past 200 years. In my great grandmother's lifetime she saw the advent of cars, planes, 2 world wars, suffrage, the civil rights movement, the moon landing, and more. The way of life changed drastically and access to news did too. I was born in the 70s and I think smartphones have been the biggest change and they make 90% of life so much worse. I worry about our health and relationships.

Interesting, I am in my mid 60s and find that my smartphone is an incredibly valuable device in so many ways, I would say it makes life a lot better, not worse.

[Anonymous]

I am not sure if I feel exactly like you do, OP, but I find myself very nostalgic for the time before smartphones, before the time we were all connected constantly.

I try to remember what it was like to be free--to drive somewhere and no one knew where you were. You could be anywhere! I didn't have the same anxiety I do now about staying connected or being reachable to others.

I know there is more opportunity now and more options but I feel more constrained by modern life. It also feels emptier to me. "Weird" is a good word, OP, but not sure my weird is the same as yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I am a 41 year old European and the world so far seems quite predictable. Perhaps you weren't keeping up with global politics/economics and science, or were not taught enough of it in school? Because where we are vis-a-vis climate change was foretold years ago, along with many alternate but largely similar scenarios; countries made pandemic plans (and directors made pandemic movies) way before Covid hit; the Middle East is still mired in mess, like it's been all my life; China has been on this political and economic growth curve for many years, just like my economics teacher explained in high school. However I am aware that some parts of the US did not have stellar K-12 and university systems decades ago - so some of this may have escaped your notice.

Wow! European arrogance is real! Do you still live there or here? If here, why?

I live here. Why? To feel superior, of course. If you had stellar K-12 and university systems, you'd understand, just like my economics teacher explained in high school.