you have birthdays since 1yo, it’s the day that comes around yearly courtesy calendars representative of the earth orbiting the sun, and the earth spinning on its axis/days (ignore weeks and seasons for the moment).

the orbits clock you along, but the calendar more does the work. I mean you look at the calendar, at the date, and get your birthday sorta from that. You don’t so much look over at the sun and credit the earth’s orbit with giving you a birthday annually (people may though, I don’t get out much).

it seems to be the situation of birthdays that something of culture compels individuals to add the years.

of course DNA ages, and there are sorta proper (typical of some age) things to do or be doing at certain times in ones life. Perhaps age-appropriate things some of it (normal). You can think of some as developmental stages I guess. And then there’s the downhill run, you’re getting old.

what though if, by some force of will, one decides that addition of years is not the natural order of things, that a good-part of the psychology is a cultural imposition. Of course there are people that don’t overconform to a calendar-centric sense of self (probably most people. Again, I don’t get out much).

So, i’m wondering of the psychological benefits of subtraction at some age, counting backwards instead.

I mean there’s no law against it. You may get into trouble though with a policeman when you provide your age after some yearly subtractions, they like addition from the day you’re born and registered as an entity (with a name, and date). One of the important things the state does.

I suppose the problem with subtraction at some age, say starting at fifty, is that if you live past what for normals would be a century you’re going to need negative numbers. How much more difficult is it to say minus one, or minus two. Or, I suppose fifty-one could be minus one, but it’s addition again.

But I guess the real practical problem is that if someone asks how old are you and you say forty-nine, they won’t know if you’re on the way up, or down. You could be in the addition phase, or the subtraction phase.

Of course i’m having some fun with the idea, but the question of the affects of adding the years, that progression, that addition, the cultural imposition, that’s meant seriously.

People say the earth and universe is getting older too, but what are they talking about really.

For some people aging almost brings back the care needs of infancy so in that sense you are ageing backwards in your ability to look after yourself. Also your personality/sense of self doesn’t age at the same rate as your body, I’m 46 but my mind still thinks in a manner like I did when I was in my 20’s with hopefully a bit more wisdom.

Of course i’m having some fun with the idea, but the question of the affects of adding the years, that progression, that addition, the cultural imposition, that’s meant seriously.

——-

Don’t think that’s right

Ian said:

Of course i’m having some fun with the idea, but the question of the affects of adding the years, that progression, that addition, the cultural imposition, that’s meant seriously.

——-

Don’t think that’s right

maybe can be read as a contradiction, is that what you mean.

Cymek said:

For some people aging almost brings back the care needs of infancy so in that sense you are ageing backwards in your ability to look after yourself. Also your personality/sense of self doesn’t age at the same rate as your body, I’m 46 but my mind still thinks in a manner like I did when I was in my 20’s with hopefully a bit more wisdom.

wouldn’t be fitness optimizing to intentionally feel decrepit

transition said:

Ian said:

Of course i’m having some fun with the idea, but the question of the affects of adding the years, that progression, that addition, the cultural imposition, that’s meant seriously.

——-

Don’t think that’s right

maybe can be read as a contradiction, is that what you mean.

No, just the the use of “affects”.. but I may be mistaken..

Effect/Affect confuses the hell of me.

transition said:

…
it seems to be the situation of birthdays that something of culture compels individuals to add the years.
…
So, i’m wondering of the psychological benefits of subtraction at some age, counting backwards instead.
…
People say the earth and universe is getting older too, but what are they talking about really.

It’s an amusing study to see how people cheat on their age.

At ages, say 11 to 15, and sometimes above, they add extra years to their age.

At ages, say 16 to 23, they either add or subtract years from their age.

At ages, say 24 to 55, they subtract years from their age (eg. age 42 is sometimes referred to as “21 again”)

At ages, say 55 to 65, they either add or subtract years from their age.

At ages, say 66 and above, they add years to their age (eg. a person 101 years old may claim to be 120).

In a mathematical analysis of the psychology, you can think of age having an attractor at about 20 years and a repulsor at about 60 years.

When it comes to the Earth, scientists count backwards using the technical term before present. In the early 20th century, “the present” was initially allowed to be a floating quantity, then became semi-fixed at 1 Jan 1950. But “before present” is occasionally used to to say “before 1990” or other later date.

Ian said:

transition said:

Ian said:

Of course i’m having some fun with the idea, but the question of the affects of adding the years, that progression, that addition, the cultural imposition, that’s meant seriously.

——-

Don’t think that’s right

maybe can be read as a contradiction, is that what you mean.

No, just the the use of “affects”.. but I may be mistaken..

Effect/Affect confuses the hell of me.

yeah i’m a bit the same, I grant myself a liberty when it’s an effect on or regards the mind, and call it affect.

To be pedantic. Only one birthday, thereafter they are anniversaries.

bucolic3401 said:

To be pedantic. Only one birthday, thereafter they are anniversaries.

true

transition said:

bucolic3401 said:

To be pedantic. Only one birthday, thereafter they are anniversaries.

true

Unless you are born again, friend.

Peak Warming Man said:

transition said:

bucolic3401 said:

To be pedantic. Only one birthday, thereafter they are anniversaries.

true

Unless you are born again, friend.

did someone mention birthdays?

ChrispenEvan said:

Peak Warming Man said:

transition said:

true

Unless you are born again, friend.

did someone mention birthdays?

Please send best wished for the birthday of miss m. Some of you have met her.