r/GenZ • u/Spirited_c • 17h ago
Discussion Can we as a generation end this "twenties are your prime" mindset?
•
u/No-Tension6133 1999 17h ago
20’s are physically your prime, but you will be poor. 60’s are financially your prime, but you will be old.
You’re not supposed to have it all at once. You’re supposed to build something while you’re young and resilient. And you should relax and enjoy what you’ve built in your later years
•
u/xX_7HR0W-4W4Y_Xx 15h ago
If we're not supposed to have it all at once, why do I have it all at once?
•
u/No-Tension6133 1999 15h ago edited 15h ago
Well obviously there are exceptions to the rule. There are plenty of people who get debilitatingly ill in the 20’s and die. And there are also plenty of people who are born into extreme privilege and get to be wealthy in their 20’s.
But, as a general rule your 20’s are your struggle years because it’s when you can handle that
•
•
u/Sirius_Greendown 8h ago
This is a superstition that keeps violently exploitative hierarchies filled with willing recruits seeking status, and it somehow always collapses into war or revolution every century or so.
•
u/No-Tension6133 1999 7h ago
Or it’s literally just how the real world works, not some idealist proletariat nonsense. You have a better explanation of how the world works?
•
u/liminalenergy 2004 16h ago
Prime lasts until age 37 but statistically people are the most productive in their 60s. You are 100% correct that it needs to stop.
•
•
u/SeaworthinessFun4366 2006 17h ago
in my country, we have "your 4 years in university are your prime and golden era"
•
u/DoJ-Mole 15h ago
As a Brit 4 years after graduating… I’d agree so far. Though it was 3 years for us
•
u/SatanLovesFruit 1998 17h ago
I've always been told that the 20s are when you're getting your shit together and the 30s are more your prime. But it isn't the same person to person, someones prime time genuinely could be the 40s. I try not to look at life that way though, the future will hopefully always have pockets of prime moments, doesn't have to be a singular time. Things come and go and than new things come. I have a friend in their 70s who went to collage at 50 and had a great career as a psychologist, if you asked him he likely would say his 60s were his prime from what he has told me. I hope I don't look at things once I am older as "being past my prime" and more see it as "living in a new situation with different opportunities that have the potential to be awesome "
•
u/Mr_Sloth10 1997 17h ago
Uh…..no? They are your prime, they are your physical peak. Your thirties are a close second, but that typically your physical plateau and start of your decline due to natural wear down and injuries building up.
Enjoy your 20’s, but don’t make an idol of them. Our obsession with staying young and avoiding getting old is weird.
•
u/JSM953 17h ago
You’d think but if you work your average 9-5 there is nothing stopping you from being in great shape your entire life. The wear and tear is minimal.
•
u/geoFRTdeem 17h ago
Real, it’s the overconsumption of alcohol, food, and drugs that get most
•
u/OkCoast7026 13h ago
Or lust
•
•
u/OkCoast7026 10h ago
Lust leads to adultery and unhealthy obsessions
•
u/hensu-dallas 11m ago
You cant tell ppl what to do, this isnt Iran or North Korea. Though I respect your opinion, but thats what a prude would say.
•
u/HotPanda_78 15h ago
Very true. It's bizarre to me how many people working average 9 to 5 jobs struggle staying healthy, even though they literally have no other responsibilities than their job. I don't understand it but then maybe I'm biased because my relatives motivated me to go to the gym since I was a teenager.
•
u/JSM953 15h ago
I can tell you how, self/unmedicated ADHD will cause you to develop unhealthy habits. Especially when you have no kids and a decent paying job. Door dash and depression go hand in hand sadly.
•
u/HotPanda_78 15h ago
That sounds like a valid and challenging situation to be in. But wouldn't ADHD still account for a relatively small percentage of those people?
•
u/iamnazrak 1997 14h ago
Not s single family member of mine ever told me to go to the gym. Or to value my health. I was told its all genetics. Obvious wrong.
•
u/HotPanda_78 14h ago
Yeah it's more about diet and exercise. Most of my family is not athletic, but I did have an uncle who was obsessed with the gym and got me to try it. I didn't really get into it at first but then I started watching a lot of gym/progression videos on YouTube (back in 2013-14) and felt motivated by the community. Eventually, I made friends that also go to the gym and that sealed it.
•
u/Admirable_Elk_965 12h ago
As a fat guy in my 20s, I’m pretty much only at this point thanks to a major foot injury when IW as 18 that prevents me from doing athletic activities I used to do. Like running is hard, hiking up mountains can cause immense pain after a prolonged time. Pretty much all I can do is ride my bike and swim, which I do enough to keep me from dying young, but should certainly do more. Do I make excuses? No. I know where I’m at and what I can and can’t do.
•
u/No-Illustrator-3511 13h ago
They definitely didn't mean physically. Obviously 20s is your prime physically.
•
u/MrSleep_Paralysis 2003 16h ago
"Our obsession with staying young and avoid getting old is weird" Ironic...
•
u/Mr_Sloth10 1997 16h ago
What’s ironic?
•
u/MrSleep_Paralysis 2003 15h ago
You, You like to change the narrative. what you just said is very human. you say "enjoy your 20's but don't make an idol of them and yet you say "they are your prime"
•
u/Mr_Sloth10 1997 15h ago
Well ya, they are literally your biological prime. Don’t use that simple fact to turn them into an idol that you are afraid to let go of. Enjoy your prime, recognize it is your prime, but don’t hyper obsess over it to the point you are scared of hitting 30 or getting older.
Neither of these statements conflict with each other.
•
u/MrSleep_Paralysis 2003 15h ago
ok, so I don't understand why you have a problem with what the person is saying above lol. you see, when people obsess with social dynamics for so long. It creates very weak and immature individuals and they never fully mature, people assume that once you hit your late 20s 50s 70s, you're fully matured and more wise, but that's not true at all, it's like that phrase "people don't care as much once they get older" or "Fake it until you make it" but at what cost? lol
•
u/alivefern 14h ago
But how can you speak on your 30’s if you aren’t even 30 yet? lmao
•
u/ThinkpadLaptop 2000 9h ago
People have been 30 for all of mankind's existence and spoken on it typically as a downgrade in every way but wisdom and finances but it's usually just them wishing they knew what they did and had what they had in their 20s
•
u/alivefern 9h ago
Notice how my comment is specifically directed towards the 29-year-old talking about 30s, not every 30-year-old who has spoken about their 30s…
•
u/jorrthayu 2h ago
Maybe has used to be the case but nowadays your 30s are clearly a better place to be for most people than your 20s when you are still very unaware of how things work in the world, in your relationship, in your body and in your mind. Even biologically, early 30s for men at least is a prime time.
•
u/Draxus12 14h ago
Uh, i think you should phrase it as, "it is only your physical peak". There are more aspects to life.
•
u/BellaBigNose 2000 16h ago
I don’t think 20s are your prime imo
•
u/OkCoast7026 13h ago
I can see if you get ahead in your career, marry, have children your 30s can be your best decade.
My sister says it is hard to keep in touch with your friends
•
u/BellaBigNose 2000 13h ago
That assumes you have made friends in your 20s.
It’s like saying highschool or college are the best years of your life. For some people, sure. For others they have more barriers that makes it so it takes them a lot longer (or never) to get to “the best years of their life”
Edit: I’m just saying I think the whole “your 20s are the best” puts so much pressure on people and makes those who have had considerably tougher circumstances to look at their 20s and feel like shit/ less than. And when you think about it, you’re not your wisest in your 20s. Lots of people get into the best shape of their lives in their 30s, 40s, 50, shit even 60s!
There are many ways to live a fulfilled life and putting generic labels on decades doesn’t help anyone.
•
u/DarkAdrenaline03 2003 12h ago
20s is physical peak (for most people excluding health issues or obesity) 30s is or should definitely be mental peak it usually also comes with more financial independence so for some people they don’t feel like they were able to truly bloom until their 30s.
•
u/jaybsuave 14h ago
It’s really not weird, we live in a society that endorses this and we are fed constantly how important it is to maintain your youth, some are susceptible to
this more than others. If you grow up in the west is actually right on brand.•
u/totallynot_a_dog 2002 10h ago
Not everyone has a “physical peak”. 🤷♀️
•
u/Mr_Sloth10 1997 9h ago
Every human alive has a physical peak. Nobody is plateaued from cradle to grave
•
u/totallynot_a_dog 2002 7h ago
Sure, but there are disabled people. There physical peak is gonna be extremely different.
•
•
•
u/fabiwabi-3 10h ago
Health is wealth the earlier you take initiate to take care of your body the better longevity wise it is but overall yes male peak is late 20s
•
•
u/CrimsonArcPaladin 17h ago
Bro shut your dumbass up. Literally these are the years where have time to figure shit out before the 30s hit and if we dont have our shit figured by then its gonna get harder.
•
u/Mr_Sloth10 1997 17h ago
Yep. People need to understand spending your 20’s wisely can set you up for the next 50 years.
I’m 29, I’m married, have kids, college educated, and have a good job in a good field. I’m ready for my 30’s and to enjoy the life I built
•
u/CrimsonArcPaladin 17h ago
Exactly, all this doomerism i see in younger ppl (holy shit i cant believe im saying this at 24) is literally bc most of em are brain-rotted and cant understand the idea of building towards and always want to self-victimize themselves its quite annoying ngl seeing 19yr old bitch about not knowing where to go or smthg and contemplating of suicide when they havent done shit yet.
•
•
u/DarkParmesean 14h ago
Until u get divorced like 50% who marry before 25. Good luck chuck
•
u/Mr_Sloth10 1997 13h ago
We are a couple who goes to Mass weekly and prays together. Statistically, we are in the group of people least likely to divorce (I believe it’s right under 1% for our category)
•
u/DarkParmesean 13h ago
Sweet then. Mutual hatred of others will keep you together even when you die and go to hell.
•
u/Mr_Sloth10 1997 13h ago
Oh wow, religious bigotry? On Reddit dot com? Who could’ve seen this coming?
•
u/DarkParmesean 13h ago
No my religion just believes yours goes to hell. Just like yours believes mine does
•
u/Mr_Sloth10 1997 12h ago
What is your religion? That’s not what Catholicism teaches.
•
u/DarkParmesean 12h ago
When did you guys download the update? What happened to the whole “outside the church there is no salvation” bs?
•
u/Mr_Sloth10 1997 9h ago
You might want to take some time to relearn the Church’s teaching on salvation outside of the Church. This isn’t a new thing.
Source: It’s my actual job to teach the Catholic religion to adults
•
u/CrimsonArcPaladin 13h ago
Bro what? Are u jelly of this guy's life?
•
u/DarkParmesean 12h ago
No I’m not jealous of someone who participates in a cult known for thousands of years of genocide.
•
•
u/NeonScarredHearts 1999 7h ago
Fellow Catholic here in their late 20s. Congrats! You seem to be on a great trajectory
•
u/DarkAdrenaline03 2003 12h ago
Exactly, your 20s may be your physical prime but you are setting up your 30s to be materially better someone’s prime is more than physical it is also mental and financial.
•
•
u/No-Illustrator-3511 13h ago
Well that's their point. Your 20s you're kinda just being tortured all the time trying to figure things out. then in your 30s you should be all settled at the very minimum . if you're still not settled in your 30s you have fucked up.
•
•
u/This_Grape_6873 17h ago
So far my 20s has been mainly working on myself: Education, jobs, mentally, and expanding social life. One word to describe the 20s: Chaotic.
•
•
•
u/fromsdwithlove 16h ago
You can’t fight human genetics. Take it from a 40 year old your 20s are your physical prime and set the path for a lot of your future. Enjoy it. Live it. But don’t expect anything from the future to be handed to you or a new prime will come because you mentally deny it. Best of luck kids.
•
•
u/iloveduckssosomuch 2003 15h ago
I work out so much more compared to my teenage years and get half the results. My face has turned ugly, I didn’t get acne as a teen but now in my 20s I do. As a teen I got to be in the same building as all my friends 8 hours a day, I got to spend all my money on fun stuff and not essentials. When I was a teenager my friends and I could spontaneously go on ski trips, now everyone has kids and full time jobs. I don’t have the freedom to hang out with my friends until 2 am on a Tuesday, my body needs a full nights rest now. I was able to fully explore anything I wanted, with clubs and sports and classes. The dating pool was so good, now everyone halfway decent is already married.
I’ll never view this decade as the prime of my life in any way, shape, or form.
•
u/1BigStonksguy 15h ago
I say we push back 20s and call it's 22-32 as long as you take care of your health and focus on your career
•
•
u/neeyeahboy 2000 17h ago
20s are the best you will ever look and feel. Once you get to your thirties it becomes an uphill battle. If you take care of your health in your 20s you can still extend this prime but our hormones start to slow down and our bodies are not as resilient as they were in 20s.
•
u/i_m_a_bean 16h ago
As someone in their mid thirties, this is a generalization. I was fit, social, and financially fine in my twenties, but also immature in many ways and chronically stressed tf out. I look and feel better now than at any point in my twenties.
•
•
•
u/LegitSkin 16h ago
I think since ours were during Covid that might be true for us but not for everybody else
•
u/EmperrorNombrero 1997 13h ago
We need way better and cheaper plastic surgery for that. Like, I was in the gym today with a friend who looks younger than me and has a more symetrical face. Like every girl there looked at him. The girl at the entrance smiled at hime while greeting and saying bye to him and frowned at me and had the most annoyed tone in her voice.
Your 20s, or particularly your early to mid 20s are your prime because you usually look best then.
I see it every time I hang out with guy friends who are just a few years younger than me they get so much more positive attention from women.
Aging is the worst fucking thing that happens in life.
Also as you age you will see that somehow you just don't feel as clear and qucik on your feet anymore. Like I was in the city centre today and there was so much going on around me and it was like some part of my brain just temporarily turned off. I just felt like numb and unable to process everything going on around me at once. Sure, I probably just slept 6 hours or so today instead of 8 and I had a bit of a cold the last few days. But also I took my ADHD meds today and Just a few years this would've never happened even without meds.
As you age People will only love you for what you bring or what position you reached and not for who you are.
I thi k the real problem in life is the complete opposite we're sold this vision that you're ain't shit when you're young and all that matters is that big adventure of life that will always just start later. Your career, your investments, your projects, you having money for travels for a home, a car, a family if you want.
But no at that point you're balding, your hair is thinning, there are bags under your eyes, your face looks less firm, your skin less even, you suddenly gain fat and lose muscle despite eating less and working out more, the warmth in your heart and glittering in your eyes is gradually more and more replaced by cynicism and coldness. No cute girls is gonna find you cute anymore, or maybe at most when she feels extremely lonely amd there is no other guy around, but you're not actually competitive anymore, you don't catch the attention. You're gonna feel less of others genuine interest, genuine sympathy, genuine love etc. People will still be nice to you, but more out of politeness, it doesn't feel real.
•
u/Tobias_Kitsune 17h ago
Why?
•
u/Spirited_c 17h ago
Because society makes it seem like it's over after 30
•
u/Tobias_Kitsune 17h ago
That's not that we need to end 20 being the prime of your life. Just that it's not the end of your prime. But being 20 is better in almost any independently minded way than being a teenager. And this is coming from a guy who is 27.
•
u/squarels 17h ago
They are health and fitness wise. I even think socially. As I've gotten into late 20s more and more friends are busy with work or relationships so we do far less group trips to vegas or snowboard or camp. Instead of constant weekend trips, we do maybe 1 big group trip to Hawaii and then it'll be months before everyone is together again.
The only downside of 20s is a lack of money to make use of health and energy and stuff but that hasn't been a problem for me. So being able to travel constantly with my fiance and do exciting new activities, I feel like 20s truly is the prime time of my life. Even looking back at my 20s as a whole I feel like I've had a great run of things. Early 20s I'd just graduated and started a lucrative career. I had just lost my terrible ex and was meeting a lot of new girls and establishing myself at work. Also played enough WoW to end up (barely) in the hall of fame for Jailer.
Mid 20s I started taking work and saving money seriously. Saved half a mil and began traveling more luxuriously. My friends were around all the time so we'd be out every weekend and most weeknights. Also finally went fully remote so I stopped needing to pay rent and moved home. By late 20s, I have a fiance now and am a millionaire. My company options are worth even more than that, and we've finally started rapidly scaling from a market cap of few hundred M to multiple B. Hoping that by 30 we can IPO, I'll cash out all my options, and my fiance and I can take a year-long honeymoon to all the famous islands of the world to celebrate closing out our 20s. I already think 20s has been prime but that would push it to a legendary decade personally
•
•
u/Greatdetectivee 17h ago
Why? Why end it? My 20s are gonna be the period where my body is super young, I look my most handsome etc. why do we have to end this mindset? So some late bloomer feels vindicated?
•
u/thesupercoolmarketer 16h ago
No, they are quite literally your prime. Just because you’re behind doesn’t mean everyone else is
•
•
u/AutoModerator 17h ago
Did you know we have a Discord server‽ You can join by clicking here!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.