Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?

#121

Post by srtjstjsj » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 10:56 PM UTC

jedberg wrote: post #93

eludwig wrote: post #21

Physically, my best advice is to take good care of your back and your teeth. These 2 things can make a huge quality of life difference once you are past 40. I would also add your eyes, but there is not a lot you can do about that one! Almost everyone needs reading glasses by 40. Glasses suck, but you get used to it. Psychologically, the best I can say is to forgive yourself for any stupid things you did when you were…

My eye doctor told me something very useful about 20 years ago, when I was in my early 20s. He told me not to wear my glasses unless I had a headache. He said that your eye has muscles and they need workouts like the rest of your body. So I basically never wore them. I was just on the cusp of needing a prescription back then. He gave me glasses because insurance covered it so why not he said. But then gave me the adv…

That's a good way to get a headache that never goes away. Be careful.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?

#122

Post by srtjstjsj » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 10:58 PM UTC

Lendal wrote: post #83

I remember when I was a teenager and wondering what life would be like at 50. Now I know. You feel exactly the same, only with less time left. You're still you. You still feel the same. You still want to experience all the same things and achieve. But now with less time, you have to start triaging some goals and face reality. I remember thinking I have all the time in the world. Now I don't. So I guess that's the mai…

Not quite the same. Everything hurts more and used up a larger share of energy.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?

#123

Post by srtjstjsj » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 11:01 PM UTC

softwaredoug wrote: post #20

awinder wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The twitter & politics seem so true. This is a little goofy but I’ve gone to lengths like journaling my mood to “prove” the wisdom of this for me, but old habits yadda yadda. Do you remember any kind of “inflection point”, was it a habit you broke or a natural proclivity or “aha” moment? I’m interested in the sausage-making of how people acquire this wisdom :-).

The 2016 US election and me pouring endless energy into Twitter arguments with Trump supporters. Eventually too I read a lot of History about divisive times, and it showed me a lot of tragedy, much worse than what we're experiencing now. But also bounce back from that tragedy. You learn through life (and History) that Politics is relentlessly cyclical. Those that attempt control, even well intentioned, are ultimately…

Bounce isn't quite the right word. A nation is built slowly and destroyed quickly.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?

#124

Post by mensetmanusman » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 11:14 PM UTC

chadcmulligan wrote: post #112

hazeii wrote: post #27

Ride a bicycle and learn C (I've been doing the first for 50+ years and the second for 30+ [0]). Some skills never go out of fashion. [0] Personally, I found learning C harder than falling off bicycles.

I am very surprised my C (C++) skills seem to be in demand still - even seems to be a bit of a renaissance at the moment.

Once C survives 100 years, it will likely survive 1000

Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?

#125

Post by aaron695 » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 11:15 PM UTC

You will become a Conservative.

I have no idea what that means other than you'd probably hate your future self so give people around you a break for their values you disagree with.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?

#126

Post by mensetmanusman » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 11:20 PM UTC

Simulacra wrote: post #7

Trust no one, just because you work well with someone doesn’t mean they like you.

I take the opposite, trust first, treat others like you want the best for them.

Be so detached from material goods that it would be hard for someone to hurt you, intentionally or not.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?

#127

Post by mark_l_watson » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 11:32 PM UTC

I am 69, so I will chime in here: I now spend much more time dedicated to the food I eat, exercise, and meditation.

A good thing is that I mostly no longer care much about changing other people's opinions on things. I certainly enjoy talking and expressing myself but if someone listens to me then that is sufficient - they don't have to agree with me. It works the other way also: even if I disagree with someone, I can enjoy hearing what they say.

I retired 1 1/2 years ago and have been enjoying having lots of time to read, write books, spend time with friends and family, and hiking. That said, just yesterday I verbally agreed to a job offer for work that was just too interesting to pass up. Assuming that the employment contract looks good, then I am all-in.

My advice is to not worry about getting old, just make sure that you enjoy your life as much as possible. There are sayings about living life one day at a time, but that seems too coarse grained. I would suggest enjoying every minute of your life, and if you are not happy right now, this instant, then file a bug report with yourself. You can't do good work if you are not totally into the moment of what you are doing. You can't enjoy listening to someone if you are inside your own head and not giving that person your full attention. Play time and family/friend time are wasted if you are thinking about wanting to be doing something else.

Thanks for posing a good question.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?

#128

Post by treeman79 » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 11:36 PM UTC

jedberg wrote: post #93

eludwig wrote: post #21

Physically, my best advice is to take good care of your back and your teeth. These 2 things can make a huge quality of life difference once you are past 40. I would also add your eyes, but there is not a lot you can do about that one! Almost everyone needs reading glasses by 40. Glasses suck, but you get used to it. Psychologically, the best I can say is to forgive yourself for any stupid things you did when you were…

My eye doctor told me something very useful about 20 years ago, when I was in my early 20s. He told me not to wear my glasses unless I had a headache. He said that your eye has muscles and they need workouts like the rest of your body. So I basically never wore them. I was just on the cusp of needing a prescription back then. He gave me glasses because insurance covered it so why not he said. But then gave me the adv…

Found a 20 year old copy of my first prescription.

Identical to my non prism glasses.

My advice, if your head hurts, there is a reason for it. And it probably matters.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?

#129

Post by simonblack » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 11:42 PM UTC

You still feel the same as when you are in your twenties. In fact in answer to the the question "How old do you feel?" I always feel like I'm about 22.

However ..... for some reason you can't do as much. Some jobs that you could do all day once upon a time now leave you exhausted after an hour or so. Those hills seem steeper than they look. That package is heavier than you thought it was. I suppose I'm trying to say that your body hasn't maintained the same youthfulness as your head has.

Re: Ask HN: What is it like to be old? What advice would you give to younger people?

#130

Post by satya71 » Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 11:45 PM UTC

jedberg wrote: post #93

eludwig wrote: post #21

Physically, my best advice is to take good care of your back and your teeth. These 2 things can make a huge quality of life difference once you are past 40. I would also add your eyes, but there is not a lot you can do about that one! Almost everyone needs reading glasses by 40. Glasses suck, but you get used to it. Psychologically, the best I can say is to forgive yourself for any stupid things you did when you were…

My eye doctor told me something very useful about 20 years ago, when I was in my early 20s. He told me not to wear my glasses unless I had a headache. He said that your eye has muscles and they need workouts like the rest of your body. So I basically never wore them. I was just on the cusp of needing a prescription back then. He gave me glasses because insurance covered it so why not he said. But then gave me the adv…

I'm not certain that's sound medical advice (in fact, my intuition leans on it being bad advice)