Acting your age

[AidanMatthews216]

Why do it? My mother always used to beg me, "Pleeease don't act your age!"

I don't feel at all like acting like a teenager, at least not all the time, and not with all of the facets of being a teenager. I would act like a child, but there are bad aspects of that, too. And of course having a little adult in me, and the perspective of old age; that would be nice. Maybe I should even die a little.

Recently I've been thinking of how ridiculous it is that children are expected to act like children, teens like teens, adults like adults, etc. Why? Naturally you can't help but be the age you are, but does that mean you can't infuse your life with aspects of all age groups? For some activities you need the open curiosity and shamelessness of a child, for others the pickier explorations of an adolescent. Sometimes you need to be strong and virile and sometimes a part of you just needs to die. So this is my question: why not be ageless?

This would be difficult, but not impossible with practice. I thought of a simple experiment that I want to try: live a week as if it were an entire life cycle, from infancy to death. (Adolescents are already experts at pretending to be dying.) This doesn't mean that on the first day you need to stick a pacifier in your mouth and crawl around on the floor soiling yourself. But I thought it would be interesting to try and see what a baby sees for a day. What are your attitudes towards things? How do you think and react?

The problem with many adults is that they've forgotten what it's like to be a child (or a teen.) Many teenagers can't imagine why adults do the whacked out things they do. Maybe these barriers wouldn't be so powerful if everybody acted on this principle?

This is just an idea that's been running through my head. Any feedback is appreciated!

[Freelancer]

Originally Posted by AidanMatthews216

Why do it? My mother always used to beg me, "Pleeease don't act your age!"

I don't feel at all like acting like a teenager, at least not all the time, and not with all of the facets of being a teenager. I would act like a child, but there are bad aspects of that, too. And of course having a little adult in me, and the perspective of old age; that would be nice. Maybe I should even die a little.

Recently I've been thinking of how ridiculous it is that children are expected to act like children, teens like teens, adults like adults, etc. Why? Naturally you can't help but be the age you are, but does that mean you can't infuse your life with aspects of all age groups? For some activities you need the open curiosity and shamelessness of a child, for others the pickier explorations of an adolescent. Sometimes you need to be strong and virile and sometimes a part of you just needs to die. So this is my question: why not be ageless?

This would be difficult, but not impossible with practice. I thought of a simple experiment that I want to try: live a week as if it were an entire life cycle, from infancy to death. (Adolescents are already experts at pretending to be dying.) This doesn't mean that on the first day you need to stick a pacifier in your mouth and crawl around on the floor soiling yourself. But I thought it would be interesting to try and see what a baby sees for a day. What are your attitudes towards things? How do you think and react?

The problem with many adults is that they've forgotten what it's like to be a child (or a teen.) Many teenagers can't imagine why adults do the whacked out things they do. Maybe these barriers wouldn't be so powerful if everybody acted on this principle?

This is just an idea that's been running through my head. Any feedback is appreciated!

haha your 16 years old right?

Did you know that many 'adults' are not even capable of asking these questions. I especially liked the part acting like a child in some situations and like a adult in others.

Let me refine this a bit. I think that its not acting like a child but viewing the world like a child, the wonder of everything and the fearlessness. They don't judge and they speak there minds. Its really sad that so many people have lost this over the years and turned into 'adults'.

Being a adult is not nearly as great as it seems from the outside. I think that the best state for anybody to be in is;
View the world like a child and act like a adult towards it.
Do you agree with that?




Ps. My suggestion that you where going to do great things in the future wasn't far off if I look at this post.
Don't worry about it, it'll come.

[AidanMatthews216]

Originally Posted by Freelancer

haha your 16 years old right?

Did you know that many 'adults' are not even capable of asking these questions. I especially liked the part acting like a child in some situations and like a adult in others.

Let me refine this a bit. I think that its not acting like a child but viewing the world like a child, the wonder of everything and the fearlessness. They don't judge and they speak there minds. Its really sad that so many people have lost this over the years and turned into 'adults'.

Being a adult is not nearly as great as it seems from the outside. I think that the best state for anybody to be in is;
View the world like a child and act like a adult towards it.
Do you agree with that?

Yes, I think that's part of it. But old age has its benefits, as I can tell from watching my older teachers. They claim not to like their age, but I can tell that they have amassed a lot of valuable wisdom and experience. Also I belief that the "death" stage is crucial. In order to grow or change, a part of you has to leave--I have always thought of this as dying partway, to be born somewhere else. Does that analogy make sense?

Ps. My suggestion that you where going to do great things in the future wasn't far off if I look at this post.
Don't worry about it, it'll come.

I'm very grateful for the support! My only frustration with the age I am now is that adults and other teenagers think I am just dying to prove myself to them. Parents, teachers, college boards, potential partners, all want to get a standardized score on what I can do. But I'm really not interested in giving them one.

[Freelancer]

Originally Posted by AidanMatthews216

Yes, I think that's part of it. But old age has its benefits, as I can tell from watching my older teachers. They claim not to like their age, but I can tell that they have amassed a lot of valuable wisdom and experience. Also I belief that the "death" stage is crucial. In order to grow or change, a part of you has to leave--I have always thought of this as dying partway, to be born somewhere else. Does that analogy make sense?

I am not sure if I understand the dying part, do you mind explaining some more?

I'm very grateful for the support! My only frustration with the age I am now is that adults and other teenagers think I am just dying to prove myself to them. Parents, teachers, college boards, potential partners, all want to get a standardized score on what I can do. But I'm really not interested in giving them one.

Scoreboards are heavily overrated, don't fuss to much about them. And no problem for the support, its my pleasure (and yes really it is).

[reskippy]

Ok, I am new to these forums and have been reading some posts, but this one hit me! I am turning 40 this year and guess what, my wife wants me to act more like an adult. He He, sorry sonny, not only teenagers have a problem sometimes of being asked to act their age. I have an 11 year old daughter and for the most part I mess with her like an older brother would. I don't like being adult, way too boring.

So anyways, seeing as I have to learn how to act like one, how would you define an adult or adult behaviour?

[InJoy]

Originally Posted by AidanMatthews216

So this is my question: why not be ageless?

Can't answer this one! Why not, indeed!

Originally Posted by AidanMatthews216

I thought of a simple experiment that I want to try: live a week as if it were an entire life cycle, from infancy to death. (Adolescents are already experts at pretending to be dying.) This doesn't mean that on the first day you need to stick a pacifier in your mouth and crawl around on the floor soiling yourself. But I thought it would be interesting to try and see what a baby sees for a day. What are your attitudes towards things? How do you think and react?

JMO, but this is an inspired idea! I love it to my core. I hope, if you try it, you will report back your experience.

I may even try it myself.

[AidanMatthews216]

Originally Posted by Freelancer

I am not sure if I understand the dying part, do you mind explaining some more?

Any major change requires giving something up; for example, switching jobs, moving to a new city, breaking off a relationship, or adopting the SR perspective. The old job, city, partner, or perspective has to be given up. I've always found change painful and I've realized that it's because it involves letting a part of myself "die" in this way. Somebody who is literally dying has to go through this process on the largest scale they know--their entire physical existence.

Originally Posted by reskippy

So anyways, seeing as I have to learn how to act like one, how would you define an adult or adult behaviour?

If you, at forty, are asking this, then I certainly don't know! I can only guess what the highlights are and try to simulate them--things such as wisdom, experience of suffering, self-sufficiency, etc.

Originally Posted by InJoy

JMO, but this is an inspired idea! I love it to my core. I hope, if you try it, you will report back your experience.

I plan to! But it will have to wait until after my AP exams. Now is not the time to be thinking like a toddler. Somebody on their death bed, more like.

[ken nubo]

"acting your act" is just another part of social programming. ignore it.

[InJoy]

Originally Posted by AidanMatthews216

If you, at forty, are asking this, then I certainly don't know! I can only guess what the highlights are and try to simulate them--things such as wisdom, experience of suffering, self-sufficiency, etc.

Psssssst... Aidan... Over here... Can you keep a secret?

Nobody has the correct definition of "adult behavior". It's entirely subjective and built upon individual beliefs and social protocols.

Come closer....

We're faking it!

Don't tell anybody.

[AidanMatthews216]

Originally Posted by InJoy

Psssssst... Aidan... Over here... Can you keep a secret?

Nobody has the correct definition of "adult behavior". It's entirely subjective and built upon individual beliefs and social protocols.

Come closer....

We're faking it!

Don't tell anybody.

Your secret is safe with me.

[reskippy]

LOL I might almost be 40, but I am still a child at heart. I do agree with what our young teenager (Man, can't remember being that young) is saying though. Each circumstance requires a different outlook on life. An old person who cannot see things like a child would simply get anoyed at these kids, playing outside with no regards for time, noise, what the neighbors would think etc. Sometimes it is good to just let go a little like a child would, regardless of what people think.

[dastrovia]

I think that we should act appropriately and in a manner we are comfortable with. If others can not accept how you act it is their problem and not yours as long as you are not doing anything illegal or disrespectful

[Zukin]

I don't act my age; I act my shoe size

[AidanMatthews216]

Originally Posted by Zukin

I don't act my age; I act my shoe size

My feet are too small for that.