Does being older mean more freedom?

[niceguysfinishlast]

I have no reason to believe so. Starting to live on your own and figuring out how to pay for everything, working full-time (sometimes overtime and weekends), paying back student loans, getting married and having kids (though not everyone wants to do so, including myself), familial obligations (taking care of aging relatives for example).

I feel like the opposite is true and that you have LESS freedom as you get older. What do you all think?

 

[Latent]

I believe freedom is restricted differently as one ages, and thus poses the same level of challenge according to one's mental age. As with most things, it is a matter of perspective. From an overly generalised viewpoint, children tend to look forward to when they can be older and more free, while adults tend to look back to when they were children and less burdened by responsibilities. Although, this is not always the case.

As a child, one would be restricted by their elders. They might not be fully aware of discipline when they are young, needing adults to restrict their freedom such as imposing rules and boundaries, teaching them for when they become adults themselves. Sometimes a child's elders may be more relaxed, allowing them more freedom. But that might have adverse effects when they grow up.

As an adult, one would be restricted by themselves. Knowing they have responsibilities as an adult, such as putting food on the table, taking care of themselves, and other duties as mentioned, they would discipline themselves and restrict what they do as is necessary. Of course, an adult could always discard their responsibilities and live like there is no tomorrow, therefore having more freedom.

 

[LonesomeLoner]

I seem to have gained more freedom as I got older. I won't be having kids ever in my life so my future will be similar to it is now.

 

[lonelypanda]

You're more free in some areas and less free in others. Personally i see my childhood as more freeing, i had an awesome childhood and had little boundaries. My summers consisted of exploring and endless creativity and imagination. Maybe I had a time to be in and go to bed and I had to ask my mom when I wanted something, but mentally I was free.


Now i am free in the sense i can choose my bed time, buy whatever i want, but I feel a burden of mental stress, like I'm locked in a cage. I don't believe people with my mind set are suited for repetative work and lifestyle, but I have no choice at this point in my life. The monotony gets to me, I start to feel trapped. Eat, honeysuckle, work, sleep, repeat. At times I've even taken impulse vacations just to break the cycle. I need to get on a plane and get the fresia out because I'm going squirrelly. Doing the same things over and over again is mental hell to me. I've asked people before about this kind of stuff but they don't seem to relate, they are perfectly okay with having a repetitious life, heh. We all have lottery fantasies, some people think of a big house and fancy cars. Me ? I would travel everywhere and experience as much as i could. I would get up and go and wouldn't look back, I'd want to do every kind of extreme sport like those flying squirrel suits people wear and go flying. The first thing I'd do is go to south Africa and go on a shark expedition, get in a cage with great whites and watch them breach the water out in seal bay. *le sigh* if only I had the $$ .... I could see maybe doing some of the things I want to do some day, but my baby girl has to be a bit older before I can just up and travel for weeks without her.

 

[niceguysfinishlast]

You're more free in some areas and less free in others. Personally i see my childhood as more freeing, i had an awesome childhood and had little boundaries. My summers consisted of exploring and endless creativity and imagination. Maybe I had a time to be in and go to bed and I had to ask my mom when I wanted something, but mentally I was free.


Now i am free in the sense i can choose my bed time, buy whatever i want, but I feel a burden of mental stress, like I'm locked in a cage. I don't believe people with my mind set are suited for repetative work and lifestyle, but I have no choice at this point in my life. The monotony gets to me, I start to feel trapped. Eat, honeysuckle, work, sleep, repeat. At times I've even taken impulse vacations just to break the cycle. I need to get on a plane and get the fresia out because I'm going squirrelly. Doing the same things over and over again is mental hell to me. I've asked people before about this kind of stuff but they don't seem to relate, they are perfectly okay with having a repetitious life, heh. We all have lottery fantasies, some people think of a big house and fancy cars. Me ? I would travel everywhere and experience as much as i could. I would get up and go and wouldn't look back, I'd want to do every kind of extreme sport like those flying squirrel suits people wear and go flying. The first thing I'd do is go to south Africa and go on a shark expedition, get in a cage with great whites and watch them breach the water out in seal bay. *le sigh* if only I had the $$ .... I could see maybe doing some of the things I want to do some day, but my baby girl has to be a bit older before I can just up and travel for weeks without her.

Yeah, my life has pretty monotonous too in the same way (plus school) but for me, traveling's only a temporary break in the cycle. None of the fun times ever last. Even when doing something fun, i feel guilty for having any fun because i only think of the things i have to do afterwards.

 

[Peaches]

depends, if you have more money you have more freedom, unless you spend all your time earning the money - also, with age (some, not all) one should stop caring about what people think, and therefore feel more free

 

[niceguysfinishlast]

I seem to have gained more freedom as I got older. I won't be having kids ever in my life so my future will be similar to it is now.

I myself never plan on marrying or having kids. I can't even get a girlfriend so why bother? I'm forever stuck in the friendzone anyway. I might as well make the best of it and enjoy being single. XD

 

[9006]

It depends on how old, if you're talking about when you just start out in life and become more dependent then of course you have more freedom, if you have you own place you can come and go whenever you like and spend on whatever you want.

But I think that once you start committing to other things you get less freedom, for example a partner, kids, mortgage, etc... 'Commit' just means less freedom in some way - but that's not to say it's a bad thing.

Also, when you get much older, sometimes you loose more freedom. Physically you become less abled to do the things you once could.

 

[sk66rc]

I think it has more to do with responsibilities... I can see how it feels like we have less freedom because normally, as we grow old, we take on more responsibilities...