A person's age on a discussion forum: is it really just a number?

[Khu]

Uwah. ._.

Well, I don't think it really matters too much.

Though I shudder at what younger me has posted at times.

[aohige]

Originally Posted by Kafriel

Hmm, a friend of mine once linked me to a test about one's mental age...I'm pretty sure I don't act like I'm 230 years old though

I sure as hell hope so.

[Larthak]

When it comes to other people, I always give them the benefit of the doubt and consider them adult and civilized individuals until they prove me otherwise. You never know what kind of experience they were exposed to in their life.

So...age doesn't really matter. Not here, at any rate. Nor our opinions of other people on the forum. You can't see how others react to what you type, you can't read emotions, can't see what they wrote, before deleting it and starting over.

Originally Posted by Khu

Though I shudder at what younger me has posted at times.

You and me both.

[Archon_Wing]

Originally Posted by Ruby Princess

I prefer not to speak to people under the age of 20 because most of them are quite dumb.

To be fair, most people over the age of 20 are quite dumb too.

As for the topic, the nature of anonymity means that people can act outside of social expectations. Although, obviously people closer to my own age are easier to talk with.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Sumeragi

You called, Otouto?

There she is. Speak of the devil. *runs*

Originally Posted by aohige

IRL I would adress you with Sir.


Before getting chased off the lawn.

On topic, no, it doesn't matter in general.
But yeah, it does cross your mind when talking about experiences with the older content, and I see like age....15.

It is not just about acting their age. Come to think of it, the older men in this forum seem to be rather open as compared to most of those I meet IRL and more willing to offer advice as well as discuss topics that seem "out of their generation." (i.e popular culture, technology, etc).

Then again, there are a number of people younger than me, even those I have met IRL (like C.E) who actually are spatially aware of the environment they live in and able to discuss it. I think it is just overgeneralising if it is to say that "I don't like to talk to people younger than me because they are dumb"; true to the opinion that modern culture has stupidified a number of them, not all of them are unable to appreciate aesthetics and have their own hobby out of it. There are youngsters out there who made an effort to learn the history of Japan beyond the language as popularised by culture waves, as well as those who go in depth to study the politics and the functionality of the society as well.

I can understand how natural it is for people to judge others by their superficial looks and behaviour because we are too crunched for time in our lives to analyse others in depth, however there is a need to realise that as human beings, we are difficult to read individually; so actually aren't we just judging our own kind based on the wider and more -general- statistics of herd effects?

Though sometimes from other people's posts, we can tell certain things :

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

......me browsing the profile of a teenage female forum member......

Drop that pedobear costume and surrender yourself to the Interpol NOW. You have been exposed*, you damn lolicon.

* - Pun behind sentence construction is unintended.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by Ruby Princess

I prefer not to speak to people under the age of 20 because most of them are quite dumb.

Originally Posted by Archon_Wing

To be fair, most people over the age of 20 are quite dumb too.

Certainly there are “dumb” people for every age, but to say that most teenagers are dumb while people above their age are not is really something. I guess, given her belief, Ruby Princess was also dumb before she reached 20 . Well excuse me, but I won’t lump my past teenage-self into that narrow-minded category.

[ViolentLove]

Most people act dumb on the surface.

It's up to you whether you want to treat them as a dumb person, or whether you want to treat them as a person who's acting dumb in the moment, but who is far deeper than they are showing.

[jdennis007]

I always maintain that age is just a number and does not always reflect who a person is. I have known people in their 20's who dint know what they wanted to do and 16 year old's who not only knew but were taking the steps to put themselves on the appropriate path.

[RRW]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

No they are just insane. At least most of them are; we have a criminally insane shotacon lady 5 years younger than you who seeks to defile young boys and corrupt young girls.

isnt that just as insane as someone who keep chasing a woman that 10 youger than him

[Cosmic Eagle]

Too bad this forum isn't as cocked up as the interface on Baka Tsuki so I can't openly display my age as -1...

Forget forums, sometimes I forget how old I am PERIOD.

I was sitting on the subway to work, in my spiffy suit and all.. And this very cute brunette comes on the train. I glance at her a bit and she smiles at me. I hop off the train at my stop with a smile on my face .. and then realize she's probably more than 10 years younger than me..

PS: The idea that if I ever got hit by a car, and the news article about it would read, "Mr. Willx, a 29 year old man" .. 29 year old MAN.. MAN!!!

You think that's bad....papers here refer to anyone 16 and above as man and woman....

[Lota]

I don't know, I guess age does make some difference after all. I had this huge inferiority complex a few years ago, so that made me look at everyone with respect and that quality still remains. Even if the people are just a couple of years older that me... It's somehow hard to accept that I'm, well, almost an adult and an equal. But, still, I treat everyone the same I guess, even though my personal view on some things and people changes over time by observing them.

And I too have realised that though many say that the age doesn't really matter, they still tend look down on younger people. I can understand why, but still... Even though there probably aren't many people who are younger than me (noticed that most of the people here are in their mid-twenties), I still read their posts with interest, either to see what insightful things they wrote or to laugh at some things that are... not as insightful Though I guess that, at least in this forum, the age doesn't really show unless you start arguing about politics, philosophy or someone's way of life... or just start arguing. Verbal fighting usually brings out the dumbest in people (unless you argue smartly, but there are few people that can do that)

And I guess that most things don't really depend on someone's age, but his personality, experience. Still, when someone writes something very interesting or very stupid I do get interested in that persons age a little, because sometimes it can make things clear.

...... Something I remembered about age, this summer me and my dad went for a walk to a shop that was far away... You wouldn't believe the looks both he and I got XDDDDD Some people jump to conclusions veeeeeery quickly

[Ridwan]

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

Certainly there are “dumb” people for every age, but to say that most teenagers are dumb while people above their age are not is really something. I guess, given her belief, Ruby Princess was also dumb before she reached 20 . Well excuse me, but I won’t lump my past teenage-self into that narrow-minded category.

Like it or not, younger people do tend to be less learned and experienced. Of course, pars pro toto shouldn't be taken literally. Statistics on the field shouldn't be taken as an excuse to generalize a demographic. It still remains that it provides a guide which your optimism (or skepticism) shouldn't overstep in handling the said demographic. Society is a bitch like that.

[NoemiChan]

Going 25 soon... but be will forever a 10 year old child at heart....

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

There she is. Speak of the devil. *runs*



It is not just about acting their age. Come to think of it, the older men in this forum seem to be rather open as compared to most of those I meet IRL and more willing to offer advice as well as discuss topics that seem "out of their generation." (i.e popular culture, technology, etc).

Then again, there are a number of people younger than me, even those I have met IRL (like C.E) who actually are spatially aware of the environment they live in and able to discuss it. I think it is just overgeneralising if it is to say that "I don't like to talk to people younger than me because they are dumb"; true to the opinion that modern culture has stupidified a number of them, not all of them are unable to appreciate aesthetics and have their own hobby out of it. There are youngsters out there who made an effort to learn the history of Japan beyond the language as popularised by culture waves, as well as those who go in depth to study the politics and the functionality of the society as well.

Me and mine are just 2 years younger than you dear....



And yeah...most people ARE indeed acting dumb (My generation anyway). It's the easiest and safest thing to do so after all...not an issue of brains but balls to really act on their own individual views.

[Lord of Fire]

I'm 36 and I still don't know how old I 'really' am. I know I don't act like a 36-year-old male, or even as an adult at all sometimes. Forever stuck as being a teenager, that's what I appear to be.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

You think that's bad....papers here refer to anyone 16 and above as man and woman....

I think they changed it recently. 16-18 is youth for generic purposes, then anyone above 21 is man/woman.

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

Me and mine are just 2 years younger than you dear....

And yeah...most people ARE indeed acting dumb (My generation anyway). It's the easiest and safest thing to do so after all...not an issue of brains but balls to really act on their own individual views.

Be wary of the Shakespearean Fool - where the art of silliness as practiced by the wisest to expose the foolishness of many. I have been a victim of these peopel and I must say, though sometimes I hate them for being ridiculously acerbic and quick-witted, they have my respect for teaching some of the rarest tricks and ticks of life, though they have made me look much like an idiot many times.

Most of the "act dumb" people don't get much in life - there is a difference between acting silly and acting stupid. The former is an art to test waters, while the latter is not an act at all, it is a real performance of one's real capability.

Those people who act dumb are usually afraid of making mistakes. In the end, they earn nothing more than their paycheck - one day as they cease to earn knowledge and experience, the paycheck will be their last.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Yeah....act dumb too much and you really become dumb...


However the environment here does not allow for that though...even setting plans for yourself in future requires actual deep thought and action.

[Greenish Growth]

After getting treated completely differently on another anime BBS after they found out my age, I don't even bother mentioning it anymore. It's too much of a drag.

But it is nice to see other older anime fans on a BBS when I run across them.

[Irenicus]

I remember there is this one guy who's most definitely older than the listed 7 years old, and a self-admitted lolicon. I thought that was hilarious.

Otherwise, I look at the age and don't think about it very much. A curiosity and part of the available information, perhaps, but when I read and when I post responses, the post itself is paramount, the posting history (my impression of the user) second, and then everything else. The exception is when, as an earlier poster mentioned, when it's a post about a topic like marriage or college or other age-relevant categories.

Originally Posted by Vexx

Personally, I thought it was kind of cute watching them transition from calling me, "Mr. xxxx" to calling me by my first name. Adults ... you're adults. And whatever your age, act like an adult and I'll treat you like one.

Jijii. Psst.

*gets smacked in the head*

No, actually, in real life I would also use "Sir" with addressing you. Or "Sensei," for the lulz. I'm one of those people who never ever called their teachers by their first names, ever.

[Kanon]

Age doesn't really matter all that much on a forum to me, in the sense that I'm not going to discriminate against anybody because they are younger or older than me. I do like knowing the age of people however, but that's purely in the realm of curiosity. You can get a better idea of who somebody is based on their age (or any other personal information like gender).

As for whether I behave according to my age, I don't know and I don't care. I just say whatever goes through my mind, no need to care about one's reputation on a forum. That is one of the luxuries of the internet.