Why did people used to look much older back in the day?

[Alphaboy]

I often see pictures of people from back in the day and they looked old in terms of looks and demeanor, then I'd find out they're like 25 or something.

Look at this dude, Ritchie Valens (La Bamba) if you don't already know, how old would you think he is?

Spoiler

Well, he died at 17 (along with Buddy Holly, RIP to both). Making him at most 17 yo in this pic.

He looks like some Mexican girl's dad picking her up from high school.

At 17, I looked like Lucas from the early seasons of Stranger Things

Let's look at another example, Jim Croce. What would you guess?

I'd guess 45 or something.

Spoiler

He died at 30 (RIP as well), meaning he was 30 or in his 20s in this photo.

It isn't just looks, but I think demeanor often times as well. For example, Laurence Fishburne played Trey's father in Boyz in the Hood. Now, I don't know how old his character was supposed to be, but Fishburne played the father of a teenager and was only 30 when the movie came out.

30 year olds back then looked like Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca. 30 year olds now look like Post Malone.

The same thing applies to women. 40 was just ancient, and by 25 many had families and had a mature demeanor. In contrast to twerking on TikTok or yelling at dudes in the gym. Folks just carried themselves a different way.

I'm not making this post to romanticize the past or anything, I just notice the current generation has a sort of extended teenage-hood. Back then, by mid-20s you were basically Mike Brady.


I'll end this post with one more... How old do you think Biden is in this pic?

Spoiler

30. For reference same age as Jack Gleeson (King Joffrey from Game of Thrones)

 

[Mr. Shickadance]

Less sunscreen , more work outside, plus genetics of mates picking healthier people more often

 

[Belaya Smert]

Highballs at 9am

 

[THE Red Beard]

They had like 11 kids by 21. I am 36 with no kids and lotions to smooth me out. I don't look a day over 17 and was carded today as a matter of fact.

 

[Noveltymortar]

TS forgetting about the progeria pandemic that swept the nation until they came up with a vaccine in the 90s.

 

[armbarforhire]

I think one aspect is there was no youth culture back then, people jumped from being kids to adults. Now you are 30 playing videogames and watching Marvel movies ( but besides slacking they also are going to the gym and working on their looks), back then people were just dads or moms.

 

[revoltub]

People just aged faster.

 

[what-wut]

80% of skin damage comes from the sun next you have things like stress and alcohol.

 

[Big Burly]

There lives were harder. Many of them worked difficult outdoor jobs for a living. MUCH more manual labor. Also smoking was very common. Can't say alcohol was more or less consumed than now. Probably more since there were actually neighborhood bars that were pretty much dives.

We are much softer as modern humans.

 

[djacobox372]

Smoking 4 packs a day starting at 11yo, outside in the sun more. Poor nutrition, no photoshop.

 

[Cole train]

Factory work since age of 10 might have something to do with it

 

[Alphaboy]

They had like 11 kids by 21. I am 36 with no kids and lotions to smooth me out. I don't look a day over 17 and was carded today as a matter of fact.

Why'd you change your name? I almost did not recognize you!

I think one aspect is there was no youth culture back then, people jumped from being kids to adults. Now you are 30 playing videogames and watching Marvel movies ( but besides slacking they also are going to the gym and working on their looks), back then people were just dads or moms.

I think this is a big part of it. Hell, I still like my Marvel movies. As a dad now though, I don't have as much time to myself and people were expected to get married and have kids early back then.

I just tell myself I'll always maintain some aspect of style. I won't be wearing Crocs, or New Balances and Dad Jeans with my polo tucked into my shirt.

 

[ChickenBrother]

I often see pictures of people from back in the day and they looked old in terms of looks and demeanor, then I'd find out they're like 25 or something.

Look at this dude, Ritchie Valens (La Bamba) if you don't already know, how old would you think he is?

Spoiler

Well, he died at 17 (along with Buddy Holly, RIP to both). Making him at most 17 yo in this pic.

He looks like some Mexican girl's dad picking her up from high school.

At 17, I looked like Lucas from the early seasons of Stranger Things

Let's look at another example, Jim Croce. What would you guess?

I'd guess 45 or something.

Spoiler

He died at 30 (RIP as well), meaning he was 30 or in his 20s in this photo.

It isn't just looks, but I think demeanor often times as well. For example, Laurence Fishburne played Trey's father in Boyz in the Hood. Now, I don't know how old his character was supposed to be, but Fishburne played the father of a teenager and was only 30 when the movie came out.

30 year olds back then looked like Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca. 30 year olds now look like Post Malone.

The same thing applies to women. 40 was just ancient, and by 25 many had families and had a mature demeanor. In contrast to twerking on TikTok or yelling at dudes in the gym. Folks just carried themselves a different way.

I'm not making this post to romanticize the past or anything, I just notice the current generation has a sort of extended teenage-hood. Back then, by mid-20s you were basically Mike Brady.


I'll end this post with one more... How old do you think Biden is in this pic?

Spoiler

30. For reference same age as Jack Gleeson (King Joffrey from Game of Thrones)

Of the OP pics, the only one who looks deceptively old to me is Ritchie Valens. And that's a pretty unflattering pic of him so here's another one:

He could pass for 20's but doesn't look crazy old to me. Teenagers in particular can look mature at different ages - 13 yo Mike Tyson looked and was built like a grown man.

Fishburne looks young in the OP pic - could easily pass for 20's but 30 sounds about right. I also guessed 30 for Biden. He has an unfortunate hairline for his age and the brow creases show he's been under stress but he doesn't really have crow's feet around his eyes and has a young looking face.

But I do think you might be onto something. The biggest lifestyle difference is everyone used to smoke - that will age you like a MFer at any age. And between smoking + being in the sun more (vs. sitting indoors in front of a computer) will make you look a lot older.

 

[badascan]

preservatives in everything...

 

[Alphaboy]

Of the OP pics, the only one who looks deceptively old to me is Ritchie Valens. And that's a pretty unflattering pic of him so here's another one:

He could pass for 20's but doesn't look crazy old to me. Teenagers in particular can look mature at different ages - 13 yo Mike Tyson looked and was built like a grown man.

Fishburne looks young in the OP pic - could easily pass for 20's but 30 sounds about right. I also guessed 30 for Biden. He has an unfortunate hairline for his age and the brow creases show he's been under stress but he doesn't really have crow's feet around his eyes and has a young looking face.

But I do think you might be onto something. The biggest lifestyle difference is everyone used to smoke - that will age you like a MFer at any age. And between smoking + being in the sun more (vs. sitting indoors in front of a computer) will make you look a lot older.

Valens looks young in that picture, but yes he could pass for 20s. Fishburne doesn't look old, but he did well passing as a father of a teenager convincingly.

But come on, you don't think Croce looks a decade over 30?!

 

[tuckermaclain]

No Botox nor cosmetic surgery available back in the day? In general, a harder life?

 

[Burisma]

preservatives in everything...

Exactly

humans aren’t designed to be 100, modern medicine and preservatives allow it

 

[Mirdad]

I often see pictures of people from back in the day and they looked old in terms of looks and demeanor, then I'd find out they're like 25 or something.

Look at this dude, Ritchie Valens (La Bamba) if you don't already know, how old would you think he is?

Spoiler

Well, he died at 17 (along with Buddy Holly, RIP to both). Making him at most 17 yo in this pic.

He looks like some Mexican girl's dad picking her up from high school.

At 17, I looked like Lucas from the early seasons of Stranger Things

Let's look at another example, Jim Croce. What would you guess?

I'd guess 45 or something.

Spoiler

He died at 30 (RIP as well), meaning he was 30 or in his 20s in this photo.

It isn't just looks, but I think demeanor often times as well. For example, Laurence Fishburne played Trey's father in Boyz in the Hood. Now, I don't know how old his character was supposed to be, but Fishburne played the father of a teenager and was only 30 when the movie came out.

30 year olds back then looked like Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca. 30 year olds now look like Post Malone.

The same thing applies to women. 40 was just ancient, and by 25 many had families and had a mature demeanor. In contrast to twerking on TikTok or yelling at dudes in the gym. Folks just carried themselves a different way.

I'm not making this post to romanticize the past or anything, I just notice the current generation has a sort of extended teenage-hood. Back then, by mid-20s you were basically Mike Brady.


I'll end this post with one more... How old do you think Biden is in this pic?

Spoiler

30. For reference same age as Jack Gleeson (King Joffrey from Game of Thrones)

Thats a very good questions. Just look at the nba players of the 80s.

 

[ChickenBrother]

Valens looks young in that picture, but yes he could pass for 20s. Fishburne doesn't look old, but he did well passing as a father of a teenager convincingly.

But come on, you don't think Croce looks a decade over 30?!

IMO the OP Croce pic looks like a young guy - no crow's feet and he has a young-looking face with no wrinkles. But the Borat hair and 'stache make him harder to assess. 30 is kind of where people's looks tend to diverge. If you have average to above-average genetics and take care of yourself, you can still look very young at that age and beyond. But if you've had a hard life and/or a bad lifestyle, it will show by that point and have even more impact going forward.

 

[THE Red Beard]

Why'd you change your name? I almost did not recognize you!

Well, I was up for a name change and decided to invoke my Democratic rights and let the community vote. @hohner ruined it tho.