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

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Irenicus

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.

I'd be more comfortable with Sensei or Jiji than Sir o.O

But I get it - I only had two teachers I ever called by their first name. One was the math teacher that really gave me the extra help I needed to do advanced math in high school.

The other was my college Russian professor whom I basically had a massive crush on - and we were all drinking buddies any way. (Her joke was Russian was easiest to speak if you were slightly sloshed, like German). I was 20-21, she was about 27 as I recall.

[Mephos]

I'll be as blunt as possible. I'm 18 years old and the things I say and the things I do does not reflect that at all.

To sum up everything about me, a few times a day when I'm required to, I'll be the most mature thing you will see this side of Iowa, then everything after is me just being an idiot for the sake of teh lulz. Horrible grammar, lack of respect, acting like a little kid, and this phrase suits everything else so well. "I'm 12, what is this?"

[Nightbat®]

I'm too old to act my age

Concerning not listening to 'young people' about 'adult' topics:
Always remember, youthfull enthusiasm can give you perspective on old rusted mindsets
'Children' are more inclined to speak their mind, without an agenda or hidden meaning, and if you actually listen to what they say, you'd realize in their story, they are often not stating, but inquiring

Youth asks why things happen, old age just accepts them happening
Perhaps if adults relearned to ask why things happen, who knows what things might change

[Solace]

The saddest thing about most adults is that they tend to keep the worst parts of childhood while abandoning all the best parts.

[Xion Valkyrie]

I thought people put fake birthdays...

[Lost Cause]

Yes I'm 35, and a mom. And yes, I tend to hit some threads with all the grace of a bull in a china shop! If it's childish or infantile, so be it. I just don't like when there's only one or two voices arguing against the crowd and being drowned out.
Does the age mean anything? For me it does as they may be asking for advice, of schooling me on new technology or new anime.
We're a here to have fun, discuss a multitude of topics, and maybe learn something in the process. Aside from a teenager giving marriage advice(why does that keep turning up?), or child rearing advice(yes, I know there are teen moms, I see them everyday I go out), there's a lot of wisdom in these "youngsters" that we "oldsters" could learn from!

[Random32]

Age doesn't mean anything as we can lie about it. See below.

Originally Posted by Xion Valkyrie

I thought people put fake birthdays...

Yeah.

btw mine
January 7 == Tsukimiya Ayu's birthday. Why the hell would I put my real birthday down?
1902 == The first year that was valid, because I figured that since I was posting on a thread about age, having one would be good, and why the hell would I put my real birth year down?

[Kirarakim]

I removed my birthday but I am 30. Sometimes I feel old but not because of this forum or anime.

Actually what made me feel really old was reading my A&P book, specifically all the changes our body goes through when we reach a certain age.

[FaiEatsRainbows]

To be honest, I usually don't judge users based on their age, but on how they type. The way I treat someone on the internet is mostly based on their grammar skills. Also, if they abuse the XD face like no other, I probably won't take them very seriously. However I'm pretty nice about those things, so I won't be rude or ignore them....unless they're really dumb.

I've noticed that a lot of the time when I tell people my age, they start to treat me differently and they act as if I am unaware of everything. Especially on forums. It gets really annoying, because in my opinion I'm pretty mature compared to a lot of users on here. Even those over 20, sometimes. I guess that's just a part of the internet though.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by Lost Cause

Aside from a teenager giving marriage advice(why does that keep turning up?), or child rearing advice(yes, I know there are teen moms, I see them everyday I go out), there's a lot of wisdom in these "youngsters" that we "oldsters" could learn from!

I agree with you. What would become of our world if all people applied this kinda sentiment?:

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

That means you also prefer not to speak to your own children when they’re under 20 .

Civilizations will crumble in no time I tell ya.

[Flower]

Hmm ... well, I am 42 atm (will be 43 in a week! ) and as regards interacting with other people on forums, no: generally speaking it does not matter much how old another person is, any more than it matters that much IRL for me.

The only thing I have noticed is that very generally the 30 and older crowd tend to be regarded as surprises for other posters that are younger. But in my limited xp it is not a disgusted surprise as much as a happy (and often bemused) "Oh wow ... really? You are THAT old and you like some of the things I do?"

Very generally the rule of thumb I have found is that no matter what the age of the person you are talking to if you consistently treat them with honesty, respect and as an equal they respond to you in kind - some sooner, some later, of course.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

I removed my birthday but I am 30. Sometimes I feel old but not because of this forum or anime.

Actually what made me feel really old was reading my A&P book, specifically all the changes our body goes through when we reach a certain age.

i feel old when my clients call me to add their kid to their auto policy and their kid was born the same year i graduate high school.

[Random32]

Originally Posted by FaiEatsRainbows

To be honest, I usually don't judge users based on their age, but on how they type. The way I treat someone on the internet is mostly based on their grammar skills. Also, if they abuse the XD face like no other, I probably won't take them very seriously. However I'm pretty nice about those things, so I won't be rude or ignore them....unless they're really dumb.

I've noticed that a lot of the time when I tell people my age, they start to treat me differently and they act as if I am unaware of everything. Especially on forums. It gets really annoying, because in my opinion I'm pretty mature compared to a lot of users on here. Even those over 20, sometimes. I guess that's just a part of the internet though.

I don't think judging by how they type is good either.
-Some of us are lazy and don't proofread, like at all. If it has a red line, it gets fixed, if it doesn't oh fucking well. I'm one of them, and judging by how many times people accidentally a word, I would say a significant part of this forum is the same.
-Some people don't speak English well, thus while they probably will produce grammatically correct sentences, won't sound good.
-Some people don't speak English at all, and what we are getting from them is a a shitty Google Translate version.
-Some people have very valid points to make, and make them pretty well, but fail to understand the concept of paragraphs. This is very very very common on the internet.

I think that people who are obviously typing immaturely (e.g. 1337sp34|<, txting, mkaing obviuos speeling mistaeks that will be caught and not fixing them, etc) probably deserve to be judged, but I think that just because someone doesn't spend a lot of time figuring out how they want to phrase themselves/is godly at English, doesn't make them worse than someone else that is good at writing.

[CasualAnimeFan]

Originally Posted by Flower

The only thing I have noticed is that very generally the 30 and older crowd tend to be regarded as surprises for other posters that are younger. But in my limited xp it is not a disgusted surprise as much as a happy (and often bemused) "Oh wow ... really? You are THAT old and you like some of the things I do?"

I'm more about "Wow, there are others my age who also like the current stuff?" I don't know many people IRL who also like anime (maybe I'm looking in the wrong places) so it's an pleasant surprise. Hell, when I started looking for forums, this one being one of the first, I was happy to see a few others in my age bracket.

There's a local anime con here, Sakuracon, which I've been very apprehensive to going cause of all the things I've heard about it being a young persons's con. So, I've never been. I'm thinking of going to the next one. I'm not saying I'm old or feel old (I'm way more fit than I was in my late teens or twenties now). It's just that out of place feeling.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by CasualAnimeFan

I'm more about "Wow, there are others my age who also like the current stuff?" I don't know many people IRL who also like anime (maybe I'm looking in the wrong places) so it's an pleasant surprise. Hell, when I started looking for forums, this one being one of the first, I was happy to see a few others in my age bracket.

There's a local anime con here, Sakuracon, which I've been very apprehensive to going cause of all the things I've heard about it being a young persons's con. So, I've never been. I'm thinking of going to the next one. I'm not saying I'm old or feel old (I'm way more fit than I was in my late teens or twenties now). It's just that out of place feeling.

I've been to Sakuracon once ... you're probably okay depending on your build/looks but at my age, the young people don't mind (they're usually excited because their parents are toads about anime) but older parents of attendees can get unwarranted obnoxious witch-burning looks in their eyes.

[Alchemist007]

I look at post first and age second. I've seen 16 year olds make good points and 30 something year olds sound like 12 year olds.

[willx]

Originally Posted by Vexx

I've been to Sakuracon once ... you're probably okay depending on your build/looks but at my age, the young people don't mind (they're usually excited because their parents are toads about anime) but older parents of attendees can get unwarranted obnoxious witch-burning looks in their eyes.

KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!

rabblerabble!rabblerabble! Seriously though, I've only ever been to a "con" once in my life -- it was in Vancouver -- and after seeing "Sailorman" walking around with a belly sticking out.. I ran for the doors! And this was when I was 19?

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by willx

KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!

rabblerabble!rabblerabble! Seriously though, I've only ever been to a "con" once in my life -- it was in Vancouver -- and after seeing "Sailorman" walking around with a belly sticking out.. I ran for the doors! And this was when I was 19?

Every con has at least a small faction that you need brain bleach to survive.

[Flower]

Originally Posted by willx

KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!

rabblerabble!rabblerabble! Seriously though, I've only ever been to a "con" once in my life -- it was in Vancouver -- and after seeing "Sailorman" walking around with a belly sticking out.. I ran for the doors! And this was when I was 19?

Originally Posted by Vexx

Every con has at least a small faction that you need brain bleach to survive.

I hear ya! I hear ya!

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Every con has at least a small faction that you need brain bleach to survive.

I thought that was pretty normal at coms. Though it seems to become more common, but meh - cosplayers have their rights.

That is why I consider myself to be semi-retired now, quite old and a little too wrinkly to pull off traps and pretty boys like before.