This Wall Street Journal article says many people become nicer with age. Has that been your experience? Or do agree with the “grumpy old men” view?
I agree with the idea that the over-70 set tends to be the most happy. And my experience is happy people are more apt to be nicer to others. On the other hand, this fellow took the trouble of refuting the article in a letter to the editor:
I just finished reading “We Actually Get Nicer With Age” (Personal Journal, April 22), and I am furious. I am almost 81 years old, and I strongly resent anybody, especially someone who doesn’t know me, telling me that I am getting nicer.
I started out being a happy, pleasant, easy-going individual many decades ago. Gradually, I turned into a grizzled, stooped, balding, arthritic and grumpy individual. I now live alone, and that is great. I’ve had six different cleaning women in the past eight months—either their English wasn’t perfect or they were using too much Clorox, or both. The FedEx and UPS men have to go to my neighbor’s house to get a signature for a delivery because they won’t approach my door. My internist always sends in his physician assistant to examine me. My dentist uses moderate hypnosis when treating me. She once suggested that I mail in my bridges instead of going to the office. No telemarketers call me more than once. The newspaper-delivery person has his dog drop off the paper (I have no problem with pit bulls). I never have to buy Halloween candy.
Elizabeth Bernstein should more carefully examine her inaccurate theories. Don’t tell me I am getting nicer!
—Samuel Frazer
What do you think?
May 4, 2014
Mellower, perhaps.
Much more fun than grumpier.
LOLOL!
you know that old adage from willie s?
“me thinks he doth protest too much”.
i think this guy isn’t half as bad as he’s putting on.
and as to them being happier? US being happier? LOLOL. i keep forgetting i’m one now.
i lately have seen some really PUSHY old people. i don’t know if they’re grumpy. but it’s as if … “i’ve lived this long… i don’t have to wait. get out of my way.”
in grocery store lines mainly. they crowd you and start their process before you’re even through! amazing. whether they’re grumpy or happy i do not know.
i know I’M HAPPIER now! simply because my time is my own.
i don’t HAVE to be anywhere at a certain time or do something i don’t want to do.
HEAVEN!!!! so yes. i’m even happier now that i’m older. and i was pretty dang happy even before.
fun post.
Yes, the fellow does know how to write. A bit of exaggeration for effect. 🙂
I love being retired, too. No one else scheduling our time.
From the people I know, it seems as if they get happier to a point… and then at the tipping point when age is getting onerous, they get less happy.
I certainly know that, aside from physical stuff, I am a much more content person now than when I was in my 20’s or 30’s. I hope that contentment keeps growing.
I agree. My mother was happiest in her seventies until she had lung cancer. That’s why I’m a cheerful pessimist. No sense brooding about it — as you say, seize the day!
More easy-going I think. Which no doubt makes for happiness.
I would say I’m much the same as I always was – a basically nice person who can get annoyed by certain things. I’m certainly not an old grump, ranting at everything in sight and complaining that everything was better in the good old days.
Other oldies seem to vary enormously. Some whinge and moan non-stop, others get constant pleasure out of life. I don’t think you can generalise about such a varied bunch of people.
Agreed. One size doesn’t fit all.