As we mature, do we become more inner focused and less of a servant to the whims of society and popular culture?

If we’re lucky enough to mature, then maybe.

I think so! Plus thank you as you, have reminded me of what I like to do, I like to look at birds in the trees, a bee on a flower, a butterfly jumping across my vision. I love the sea, and the sound of waves, beautiful sun sets. I enjoy private time with great friends and good coffee, laughs over the net. I love the smell of my linen spray, essential oils in my bath, and I love my son. I appreciate the friends I do have they are amazing, funny and talented. Even though they are all over the globe. We still keep in touch. I am so grateful for simple things in life. Thank you for a lovely question :)

Im only in my 20s and I dont give a crap about society and popular culture….I buy what I like and I listen to what I want to listen to…and I dont own or want to own a TV.

I would also much rather stay at home with a good book and some peppermint tea than having a night on the town

5 years of clubbing, destroying my brain cells, and having no sleep before uni/work the next day is enough for me.

So I think the maturity, and becoming more inner focused is not ALL about age.

Naw. I think it’s the effect of children and work responsibilities and advancing age. Children, obviously, wear us out with all the stuff we have to do to take care of them. We rarely have time to go out. Work—if we want to advance (and we want a home life, too)—requires a lot of time in order to shine and gain promotions. And, for many of us, as we get older, partying takes too much out of us. We can’t stay out until the early hours in the morning. Nor can we recover from drinking or drug binges as quickly.

Now, I’m sure there’s some effect from maturity—if you want to call it that. I would call it different interests and different choices. Society seems to approve of the choices that older people tend to make more than they do the choices younger people make. Maybe that’s because there are more older people. There’s no inherent reason why partying is less mature than rearing children, unless you believe in God or something.

@Just_Justine Thank you. My light side is back. I put the dark guy away.

it got me thinking. how about someone still young, say in his early 20’s, who hasn’t spent time clubbing and all that, but preferred to be at home most of the time? can we say he’s missing out?

@Adirondackwannabe :)

@darby_shaw Again, this has to do with normative statements about how life should be lived. If we accept that life does not have “shoulds” to it, then no, your early 20’s person isn’t missing out on something in a normative way. He is merely missing out in the sense that he didn’t do it. However, it’s the same social value as any other choices people make. WHich is to say, it’s your life. Do with it what you want, so long as you hurt none.

@darby_shaw It depends on the person and what they like. I had one helluva good time with the bar scene, but it isn’t a one size fits all world. Would I give up some of those times now that I have maturity? Not for a second. Do I wonder how I made it out in one piece? all the time.

Maybe you have just had enough of all that. Time now for new things. Or just other things. Nothing wrong with that.

@darby_shaw I’m in that situation…and I am definitely NOT missing out.

I have no interest in any bar scene. I haven’t since I was in my late twenties. I won’t say that I matured, rather, that I evolved. I moved on to different pursuits and enjoyments. I think that this is something that we all go through. I asked a month or so ago about my seemingly immature love of playing music really loud in my car. That’s something that I haven’t ever gotten past, and now that I have the killer sound system I enjoy it to the fullest.
So you find that some things lose their appeal for whatever reason and just enjoy what gives you pleasure.

@Trillian yeah! who needs bars with cool sound systems ;)

@Trillian I gave up the bar scene. I still like my loud music.Sick Cycle Carousel, Lifehouse at 22 on the player.

This is true for me.

I am not into the bar scene myself.

I still enjoy going out now & then, primarily in the summer months as I live in a great little touristy hub, a handful of nice little riverfront resteraunts that host live music outdoors in the summer. I also live in wine country and enjoy a few local vineyards and tasting rooms that encompass the natural beauty of this area.

Mostly though I am content to enjoy my space and solitude and entertain a few friends from time to time. I did throw a big outdoor party last summer with live music, which was a lot of fun.

I agree with JustJustine those are some of my favorite things as well, just savoring peace and nature.

@j0ey – me too, actually. :-)

@Just_Justine Wanna go for a ride?
@Adirondackwannabe Metallica, 80’s Retro with lots of drums and bass, really, mostly anything with a hard driving beat and crisp drums & bass. I really hate mushy drums & bass. Thank god for the amps.

Maybe as we mature we are simply not swayed by trends as quickly as when young. We know the tide will shift the other way and today’s hot item will soon be laughably quaint.

That said, experiences and memories are the spices of life. Collect them while you can.
I can still vividly picture dancing at a club, music pounding, getting all sweaty and then ;a snow making cannon began to shoot snow high above the floor cooling off the crowd. Now, I’d call it a gimmick. But then, it was Magical!

@Trillian yes must be crisp!! I really must replace my stolen speakers

Shoot, I thought we were talking about the bacon being crisp. I should read these links more carefully next time.

I also think it is rather pathetic, so many ‘mature’ people that can’t let go of their youth, trying waaay too hard to still be something they are not.

Having a childlike spirit, openess to new experience, curiosity, is not the same thing as squeezing into size 0 jeans and teeny bopper tops to make a ‘statement’ on the dance floor at 50. Ugh!

@Coloma lolz but if we did feel like it we would huh?!t

@Just_Justine

Absolutely! lol

Yeah, not a judgement thing really, just an observation, you can still look cool without looking like a fool. hahaha

Yes

Its called… Been there, done that.

I’ve never been a servant to the whims of society and pop culture. Of course, as we age, we become more focused on the things which we hold dear. As we get older we reflect on our pasts, make corrections where we can, and ponder how the rest of our lives will play out, knowing that some of it we can control and some of it we cannot.

Some do, some don’t and some don’ have to. It’s not really a matter of maturity as of a sense of self assurance, which can be acquired at any age or level of development.