Does Age Quash Our Spirit of Adventure?

€uroMeinke · 08-17-2006, 11:07 PM

Just finished listening to this on NPR - an interesting investigation of how we become less "adventurous" as we get older.

I take special pride in being outside the statistical norm on at least the food & music portion - I have no inclination for a tongue piercing, so where do you fall? and how do you feel about that?

If I reflect a little, I feel I missed the boat on anamie and manga - I'm still willing to play with those media, but that universe is so vast, I really need a guide. I check out on pop culture in Television, so perhaps that allows me my continued interest in new and different music. In any event, I think I may need to quit my job soon - or continue to transform it perhaps....

innerSpaceman · 08-17-2006, 11:13 PM

Well, I'm pretty much outside the norm in remaining youthful beyond my years anyways... but I've noticed that my yen for adventure has but scarcely decreased.

Oh, it's gotten a little dull and rusty around the edges, but I'm really quite pleased with how much I still crave new experiences and new adventures.

not quite as pleased with actually having those new experiences and adventures ... but ... on the other hand ... I can't really recall a dull moment over the last half a decade. not bad, says I .... 'specially for an old geezer like me.

Ghoulish Delight · 08-17-2006, 11:18 PM

I'm as boring as I ever was.

DreadPirateRoberts · 08-17-2006, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

Just finished listening to this on NPR - an interesting investigation of how we become less "adventurous" as we get older.

I take special pride in being outside the statistical norm on at least the food & music portion - I have no inclination for a tongue piercing, so where do you fall? and how do you feel about that?

If I reflect a little, I feel I missed the boat on anamie and manga - I'm still willing to play with those media, but that universe is so vast, I really need a guide. I check out on pop culture in Television, so perhaps that allows me my continued interest in new and different music. In any event, I think I may need to quit my job soon - or continue to transform it perhaps....

I heard this story on NPR yesterday and instantly thought of you and NA. You are both still very adventurous musically, going to Coachella, etc. I admire that. I, on the other hand, am right in the middle of the statistical norm for my age bracket. I listen to classic rock and haven't bought a new CD in about 10 years. I'm just not interested in new music. I don't know why, maybe there are too many other things taking up my time, jobs, kids, etc. If anything, I am regressing and listening to older music from the 40's and 50's. I still like to adventure in other areas, just not musically. Transforming your job sounds like a better alternative to quitting, at least there would be no loss if you did that first.

Matterhorn Fan · 08-17-2006, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

I'm as boring as I ever was.

So age has NOT quashed your spirit of adventure.

wendybeth · 08-17-2006, 11:35 PM

I know I'm not as adventurous as I used to be, but then I think sometimes having a kid will do that to you. I was never afraid of death before I had my kiddo, but now I am more than a little interested in living long enough to see her grow up. So, where I used to want to parachute and bungie jump, now.... not so much. I like some new music and have bought a few new cd's for myself in the past year, but nothing like I used to. I hope to live long enough to be a really cool old granny, rocking out and jumping out of planes.

Alex · 08-17-2006, 11:46 PM

I think it just shifts around. My interest in music is pretty much exactly the same as when I was 18 (which is to say zero) but I'm much more adventurous on food and body art than I was then (I don't expect to make it out of my '30s with inkable space on my back and I ate a raw oyster the other day even though I know I don't like oysters). I don't know if I'm more adventurous with reading. I hardly ever read fiction and when I do it is most often to return to old genres and favorites. But I read non-fiction on a scale I never would have tried when I was young. I'm at least equally adventurous on travel and am much more open to making friends and socializing than when young (though I still have my bad days).

And the story seemed awfully quick to dismiss the psychological element. Particularly for music and body piercing. Much of hte motivation for adolescent behavior is to differentiate yourself from your parents without differentiating yourself from your piers. Once you've done the former, continued change just increases the likelihood of the latter. Growing up I never felt any need to differentiate myself from my parents because I already felt fully differentiated because I was (to be blunt) much more intellectual than them, even at a young age. What I find is that to the degree I want to differntiate myself from my past it is to differentiate myself from what I was like at 20, not what my parents were like when I was 10.

I also wonder also if the original example wasn't based on an anomoly. That kid who was listening to a completely different kind of music every day. That certainly wasn't true of most of the kids I knew. They might go through a couple major phases but for the most part they were in genre ruts of incredible proportions.

Stan4dSteph · 08-18-2006, 06:34 AM

Cool! A Stanford guy!

I'm still in an adventurous phase at the moment, although most of the music on my iPod is by one musical group.

Not Afraid · 08-18-2006, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

I also wonder also if the original example wasn't based on an anomoly. That kid who was listening to a completely different kind of music every day. That certainly wasn't true of most of the kids I knew. They might go through a couple major phases but for the most part they were in genre ruts of incredible proportions.

I've always had a penchant for "adventerous" things. Musically, I'm all over the world - literally and have always been. I have always sought out a variety of experiences in all areas (some even got me in trouble

). It hasn't really changed much as I've gotten older other than I have less time and more discretionary income. There are many things I don't have time to do and I do choose carefully. I've given up TV and only listen to public radio because I don't have the time or desire to listen to commercials and I find most TV show unfulfilling, but there are ALWAYS exceptions.

I find that I, as I get older, I am an actually less likely to dismess concepts and ideas without at least some consideration. I will eat almost anything once. I will read almost any genre - although the time issue always factors into it. But, I do take into consideration what I've learned and try not to repeat the stupid things over again.

I have always love to be challenged artistically and love when an artist, musician, writer, etc makes me think. That desire has grown even stronger with age.

I still haven't gotten a tattoo after all of these years and I dress how I want to - usually influenced oi some way by fashions of yesteryear. I was never an outlandish dresser (compared to many of my friends) but I do dress to my own drummer.

I will probably never settle into the age rut talked about in the OP's link. If I suddenly started listening to Air Supply or even The Ramones over and over, I'd really start to worry about myself. Of course, I'd save a whole lot of money as well.

scaeagles · 08-18-2006, 06:39 AM

I grow more daring and in search of more thrills as I grow older, actually. Skydiving will be hard to top, but bungee jumping and hang gliding are on my short list.

I have never been one to go to crowded music scenes, and certainly have no interest in being pierced or tattooed.

I like new things within categories of what I like. I like to try new food because I like food. I'm not interested in trying new music because I don't listen to music except when on my elliptical.

08-17-2006, 11:07 PM	#1
€uroMeinke L'Hédoniste Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: A.S.C.O.T. Posts: 8,671	Does Age Quash Our Spirit of Adventure? Just finished listening to this on NPR - an interesting investigation of how we become less "adventurous" as we get older. I take special pride in being outside the statistical norm on at least the food & music portion - I have no inclination for a tongue piercing, so where do you fall? and how do you feel about that? If I reflect a little, I feel I missed the boat on anamie and manga - I'm still willing to play with those media, but that universe is so vast, I really need a guide. I check out on pop culture in Television, so perhaps that allows me my continued interest in new and different music. In any event, I think I may need to quit my job soon - or continue to transform it perhaps.... __________________ I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance. Friedrich Nietzsche
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08-17-2006, 11:13 PM	#2
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	Well, I'm pretty much outside the norm in remaining youthful beyond my years anyways... but I've noticed that my yen for adventure has but scarcely decreased. Oh, it's gotten a little dull and rusty around the edges, but I'm really quite pleased with how much I still crave new experiences and new adventures. not quite as pleased with actually having those new experiences and adventures ... but ... on the other hand ... I can't really recall a dull moment over the last half a decade. not bad, says I .... 'specially for an old geezer like me.
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08-17-2006, 11:18 PM	#3
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	I'm as boring as I ever was. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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08-17-2006, 11:35 PM	#6
wendybeth Nevermind Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,847	I know I'm not as adventurous as I used to be, but then I think sometimes having a kid will do that to you. I was never afraid of death before I had my kiddo, but now I am more than a little interested in living long enough to see her grow up. So, where I used to want to parachute and bungie jump, now.... not so much. I like some new music and have bought a few new cd's for myself in the past year, but nothing like I used to. I hope to live long enough to be a really cool old granny, rocking out and jumping out of planes. __________________
	Submit to Quotes

08-17-2006, 11:46 PM	#7
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I think it just shifts around. My interest in music is pretty much exactly the same as when I was 18 (which is to say zero) but I'm much more adventurous on food and body art than I was then (I don't expect to make it out of my '30s with inkable space on my back and I ate a raw oyster the other day even though I know I don't like oysters). I don't know if I'm more adventurous with reading. I hardly ever read fiction and when I do it is most often to return to old genres and favorites. But I read non-fiction on a scale I never would have tried when I was young. I'm at least equally adventurous on travel and am much more open to making friends and socializing than when young (though I still have my bad days). And the story seemed awfully quick to dismiss the psychological element. Particularly for music and body piercing. Much of hte motivation for adolescent behavior is to differentiate yourself from your parents without differentiating yourself from your piers. Once you've done the former, continued change just increases the likelihood of the latter. Growing up I never felt any need to differentiate myself from my parents because I already felt fully differentiated because I was (to be blunt) much more intellectual than them, even at a young age. What I find is that to the degree I want to differntiate myself from my past it is to differentiate myself from what I was like at 20, not what my parents were like when I was 10. I also wonder also if the original example wasn't based on an anomoly. That kid who was listening to a completely different kind of music every day. That certainly wasn't true of most of the kids I knew. They might go through a couple major phases but for the most part they were in genre ruts of incredible proportions.
	Submit to Quotes

08-18-2006, 06:34 AM	#8
Stan4dSteph Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: East Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,156	Cool! A Stanford guy! I'm still in an adventurous phase at the moment, although most of the music on my iPod is by one musical group.
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08-18-2006, 06:39 AM	#10
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	I grow more daring and in search of more thrills as I grow older, actually. Skydiving will be hard to top, but bungee jumping and hang gliding are on my short list. I have never been one to go to crowded music scenes, and certainly have no interest in being pierced or tattooed. I like new things within categories of what I like. I like to try new food because I like food. I'm not interested in trying new music because I don't listen to music except when on my elliptical.
	Submit to Quotes