Do you live in a region that has a large middle age and senior citizen population?

Question

My really small Virginia town seems to be filled with people over 50 and retired, in fact when I worked the food service jobs the majority of people I worked with were middle aged and/or retired senior citizens. Not the usual teen or college students you might see in other places. Anyway, my question is, if you are a 20 or 30 something who lives in a town with a lot of senior citizens on one hand and school aged kids on another and practically nothing in between; do you sometimes feel like you don't get any respect or you are seen as someone who has all your life to do something or just seen as a young dumb***? Kind of like if you aren't 40 or older you pretty much are inexperienced.

It's weird, the media and most of America/ Westernized countries are obsessed with youth and you see and hear about women as young as 30 to as old as 90 doing treatments to look younger. Yet in my town, it's the opposite, in some ways, you might see a young 20-30 something teacher dress like she's 50, and basically anyone under 40 are kind of looked at in a negative light here.

I'm actually started thinking about moving despite my lack of money. But one of the reasons I hadn't moved out before was because of money restrictions and school obligations.

Answer 1

I have no idea where you live, but truthfully, it would be a very rare place you describe. Small towns loose most of their youth once they graduate from HS...off to college, off to trade school, or off to better pickings for a job. I live in what I consider a pretty typical place, although parts of the county are the richest in the nation, other parts are the poorest...and I do not see this. I do not get treated badly by anyone. Nor does anyone treat me as if I am different because I have gray hair. I go out, see a mix of all ages, and fit in just fine. In fact, I would NOT want to live in a retirement community, I want that mix of all ages...young people shed energy, and I absorb it. Older people shed wisdom, and I want to absorb it. Middile aged people shed hair, and I wish I could have it...but that ain't gonna happen either. ;-) Here, only the very young are intrigued by youth...but you have to understand that to the very young, Paris Hilton is old! The only odd thing I notice here is the over fondness for huge.... well, for lack of a better word, hmmmm.... ok, I will be nice..Breasts! Seems that every other woman has more than just enhancement...and girls, let me tell you something, IF you think that saline bags and/or silicon are natural looking, you have a lot to learn! It is a running joke in my gym about this woman, that woman...etc. Perky may be fine on a twenty year old, but perky and 50+ just don't get it. Breasts, if I were to believe these to be natural, are two decent sized mellons attached to the pec muscles of many women...nothing running under the arms...just these two mounds that stand up and out in all their ? glory? Here, Size DD is small, and that is on a woman who wieghs in, wet, at 110 pounds...! You may think the world is enthralled by youth, but from what I see, it is enthalled by synthetic breasts...udderly nonsensical. But this is not a real answer to your question...a real answer probably awaits you at on a pro's couch...you have real issues that do not deal with reality.

Answer 2

The Niagara region and in particular the city I live in is the fourth oldest region in Canada , more seniors and baby boomers . We used to be number 3 but we got beat out by the senior communities in BC.

When I was a younger person in my teens baby boomers prevailed, but we still managed to lose the only movie theatre we had in town.

I think alot of the reason you have a youth drain, is economic , no good paying jobs, so young people move away.

The high school kids in the area got together and formed a group which has won awards for hosting teen events , like coffee houses , skate board competitions , and next week their own version of Canadian Idol for young people 8-21 at our canal days festival.

Maybe you need to seize that opportunity and do something similar in your little town GG.

Answer 3

I think you are not seeing your area as it really is. You are allowing your emotions to colour the way you perceive the town.

The solution is simple...MOVE.

You are NEVER going to be satisfied with where you live now, because down inside your guts you have decided to hate the place. All that negative emotion is not good for you. So instead of spending time in a place that displeases you, and letting it turn you into a sour old nag (you seem to be part way there as it is) just MOVE!

Answer 4

Well, you are asking this in the senior citizen category, so I would suspect that most of the answers will be from seniors.

You are entitled to feel your own feelings, but maybe, just maybe, you are projecting your own interpretation on the situation. Are you feeling guilty about your own behaviour?

Is it possible that your own actions are causing the lack of respect you see? I'm just saying, maybe respect needs to be earned, and not just a right.