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Do you think people get more critical when they get older?

Such Irony

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Seriously, I wonder about this.

I've heard several of my older relatives and colleagues say that as they've gotten older, they have become more critical and less tolerant about certain things.

Yet I've read that people tend to mellow out as they get older and don't let the little things bother them so much which would seem to contradict the above.

Maybe it just depends on the person?

If you buy into the functional development theory, as one gets older, they start to tap into using their inferior function more. An IxFP would use Te more, which may make them look more outwardly critical.

I sometimes wonder if health issues contribute to the grouchiness seen in some older people. I do know that certain medications can alter behavior, so that could lead to greater irritability. If you're not physically feeling good, it's easier to become more irritable by things. Also, if you feel lack of control over your health, you might start acting more controlling in other aspects of your life to feel that at least something in your life is in control. I know people who have been hospitalized that are like this. They start complaining about seemingly little things that wouldn't have normally bothered them before. Things like the light being too bright, too much ice in the drink, etc.
 

Totenkindly

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There's a lot of reasons why people might become more or less critical. I mean, we even know that when people are suffering chronic pain/discomfort, they tend to be crankier/more irritable. I'm not sure we can generalize based simply on age.

(For me, from a personality perspective, I care less about offending people and I'll talk more directly. simultaneously, though, I'm less picky about things being done a certain way -- I'm more open to a variety of experience because I've seen it doesn't matter as much as I thought it did.)
 

Octarine

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I don't buy into the functional development theory. I say it depends a lot upon ones initial personality, experiences, levels of stress etc.
 

Jonny

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I've seen people who have become less critical over time, and people who have become more critical over time.
 

Santosha

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Totally individual thing.. but I do believe that having your body fail you, losing the people you love, falling behind on information/knowledge, technology, etc. can be an extremely stressful thing. I NEVER disrespect geezers. (Not even the crazy-ass purple hairs that almost push me off the highway daily.)

Then theres the consideration that the longer you live, the more stupid human behaviors you assess.. the more likely you are to recognize patterns, and call it. My great grandfather (a sweet, religious old man) got really weird after 80, and began to do things he'd NEVER do at an earlier age. I'd catch him trying to hit one of my younger cousins with his cane, and I'd have to say "No No Grandpa.. we never hit children, remember?"

I think that old people have to deal with quite a bit of ageism, and nothing pisses me off more than this. It would be an incredibley difficult thing to feel as though you are losing your mind, that you couldn't protect yourself any longer, that you wouldn't be spry enough to know if someone was taking advantage of you.

Yes, I think old people have alot of reason to be crusty old bags.
 

INTP

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people who start to be assholes as they get older start to use their inferior more, but they cant handle it properly. if they start using it, but havent learned to take it into conscious, it gets manifested throught the shadow and mostly negative stuff will come out of it
 

skylights

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i think people become more discerning over time. they figure out things that matter more to them and things that matter less. so in some ways they become more picky and critical, and in others they become more lax.
 

bcubchgo

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critical is the wrong word I think - some people get jaded, some people get terrified of the uncertainty in life and just want things to stop being so chaotic all the time.

I think it's almost impossible to remain completely unaffected by "fear" as you get older. You learn to be more cautious because of missteps, learning experiences, and difficulties.
 

wolfy

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i think people become more discerning over time. they figure out things that matter more to them and things that matter less. so in some ways they become more picky and critical, and in others they become more lax.

I think it's like that.
 

entropie

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Some people never get older tho they physically age
 

uncommonentity

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I don't think being critical has anything to do with age more so life experience. In time do I think we become negative? depends if we've had negative experiences or not.
 

rav3n

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Aging brings on IrritableManSyndrome in some of us, regardless of gender.
 

SilkRoad

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I would say that you (hopefully) get to know yourself better...so you become more critical over things that matter more to you, and less so over "the little things you can just let go."

I'm definitely more relaxed over a lot of things (less of a snob, more inclined to laugh and joke around and not take myself more seriously), but more easily angered and critical of rude behaviour, carelessness and cruel behaviour, and a lot of the things that people routinely do in their everyday life which I actually find quite unacceptable.


EDIT: on reading the thread more closely, much like what Skylights said! :D
 
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