Okie doke campers here are the first questions: 1) When do you think men enter the supposed Mid Life Crisis (MLC from here on out)? 2) What is the first symptom and what do you think it means?
I have no right to really comment, other than the fact that I have only observed MLC. I believe the first symptom of MLC occurs when you buy a fast car and only drive it twice a year at 25mph. My dad did it when the Challenger went into production again in 2008.
Cars are the first to surface, huh? Well, I would say that what they are is a continuation of what we had when we were younger(or couldn't afford) that we sacrificed/gave up in the name of doing grown up things that we HAD to do. For example, I went several years without a motorcycle because it wasn't practical where we lived and because my kids were very small. I didn't WANT to be without a bike but as a man I felt it was my duty to do what I saw as right for my family. Others may have different influences that lead to the same result(ie wife told me I had to get rid of it when she got pregnant).
Well, I would say from my own personal experience that the sports car came first - and not just any car. THE car. The one he always wanted. What followed has been a series of physical improvements, clothes upgrade and a general outlook change toward his life and future - more positively, more "living in the moment." For the record, women go through it as well (guilty of this myself, though it manifested much differently) but each person has their own needs, demons, what have you, so it looks different for each individual. Also, I am not sure all men and women go through a MLC, it really depends on the person and their circumstances.
You see what I hear there is not a crisis. I hear a guy now having enough money what he has been putting off until it was responsible to do (purchase) and maybe realizing he has let some things go. Maybe trying to get things back to a more organic/original state. Maybe a lot of us come to a better understanding of our, to be corny, original selves. Take for instance me....the environment I work in includes working out with co-workers in the gym. Rule is first one in gets to connect Ipod and rule the music. So when I got in last week I popped on my workout set list. Maybe a little surprising to some for a 40something white guy.....it is full of techno/electronic/house and rap. One of the guys came in while Dev "Dancing in the Dark" was on and started talking shit. I started to try and play it off like it was a fluke on the Ipod but then owned. It is my original self. I am somewhat ghetto down deep, I just have refined edges. And guess what? I will never apologize for that :) TUM
You may be right, and this is my further thought on the topic:
I think what we tend to lump into "MLC" (because it is easy), is really just evaulating your life and taking stock of what you want to change/add/delete. So we want to modify some things about how we live...think about life differently...improve ourselves...isn't that really just growing up and becoming an adult? My iPod list is scary comprehensive. The Beasties in the same play list as Beethoven. I S*** you not.
I have no right to really comment, other than the fact that I have only observed MLC. I believe the first symptom of MLC occurs when you buy a fast car and only drive it twice a year at 25mph. My dad did it when the Challenger went into production again in 2008.
ReplyDeleteCars are the first to surface, huh? Well, I would say that what they are is a continuation of what we had when we were younger(or couldn't afford) that we sacrificed/gave up in the name of doing grown up things that we HAD to do. For example, I went several years without a motorcycle because it wasn't practical where we lived and because my kids were very small. I didn't WANT to be without a bike but as a man I felt it was my duty to do what I saw as right for my family. Others may have different influences that lead to the same result(ie wife told me I had to get rid of it when she got pregnant).
ReplyDeleteWell, I would say from my own personal experience that the sports car came first - and not just any car. THE car. The one he always wanted. What followed has been a series of physical improvements, clothes upgrade and a general outlook change toward his life and future - more positively, more "living in the moment." For the record, women go through it as well (guilty of this myself, though it manifested much differently) but each person has their own needs, demons, what have you, so it looks different for each individual. Also, I am not sure all men and women go through a MLC, it really depends on the person and their circumstances.
ReplyDeleteYou see what I hear there is not a crisis. I hear a guy now having enough money what he has been putting off until it was responsible to do (purchase) and maybe realizing he has let some things go. Maybe trying to get things back to a more organic/original state. Maybe a lot of us come to a better understanding of our, to be corny, original selves. Take for instance me....the environment I work in includes working out with co-workers in the gym. Rule is first one in gets to connect Ipod and rule the music. So when I got in last week I popped on my workout set list. Maybe a little surprising to some for a 40something white guy.....it is full of techno/electronic/house and rap. One of the guys came in while Dev "Dancing in the Dark" was on and started talking shit. I started to try and play it off like it was a fluke on the Ipod but then owned. It is my original self. I am somewhat ghetto down deep, I just have refined edges. And guess what? I will never apologize for that :) TUM
ReplyDeleteYou may be right, and this is my further thought on the topic:
ReplyDeleteI think what we tend to lump into "MLC" (because it is easy), is really just evaulating your life and taking stock of what you want to change/add/delete. So we want to modify some things about how we live...think about life differently...improve ourselves...isn't that really just growing up and becoming an adult? My iPod list is scary comprehensive. The Beasties in the same play list as Beethoven. I S*** you not.