But do we really peak as early as high school? William Klemm, Ph.D., who is a senior professor of Neuroscience at Texas A&M University, thinks that ours is a youth-obsessed culture. And says that it shouldn't be this way. "We are all going to get old, assuming we don't die first," Klemm writes. "Our friends, relatives, and loved ones are or will get old. As baby boomers retire, older people are coming to dominate the population. Modern medicine and the wide pursuit of healthier living styles have enabled many older people to live longer and remain vigorous and productive in their old age. Yet [in many] Western countries, we shun, neglect, and sometimes abuse the old."
On the surface, it makes sense. We fear aging and being sick and lonely. But is fear of aging really really warranted? By the time we get old, we all have accumulated a "rich reserve" of life experiences and lessons learned. We can act our age or act young. We can do things we didn't have time for in the past. Like smelling flowers. We can take naps in the middle of the day without feeling guilty. We feel less guilty about the way we raised our kids, because now they know just how hard raising kids is and are having many of the same difficulties.
"Time becomes precious, because it is running out. You therefore spend it more wisely. You don't waste time on harmful emotions or personal animosities," Klemm says.
So what if we looked better in high school? In the absence of debilitating sickness, aging can be a blessing. So when you think about it, understanding this — posting a TikTok acknowledging it — is really mature. You go girls.
