Who do you get along the best with: those younger, peers, or older?

Night Owl

Night Owl

This Bird Has Flown
MBTI
INFJ
Enneagram
Never
In terms of platonic bonds.

Do you get along the best with those who are younger than you, older than you, or around the same age?

What's the pattern among your friends or acquaintances you've met throughout your life?

For me, I always get along better with people older than myself, from anywhere between five years older, to 40 years older. I get along with old timers too, but I get along especially well with those within that 5-40 year older bracket. I get along well with little kids, but I'm not totally apt at socialising with those a few years younger than me, or those aged around 10-15; even though it may come across as though I'm 'apt' but in my mind I think it's anything but. There's only a few people my own age, plus or minus a 2-3 years, that I prefer to socialise with. I'm not adverse to it, or incapable, but naturally I find myself gravitating towards those who are older than me in the platonic sense.
 
tbh, it varies. Sometimes, it's older (10-15 years), and other times it's younger (5-10 years). I hate competing with people in similar age groups or circumstances, so I sometimes feel more comfortable with someone who is not similar to me. It makes it easier to have a conversation, and you end up learning something more beyond your own experiences.
 
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i'm a preschool teacher. so i get along really well with babies to 13yrs old. but if for like my inner circle of friends, i want them to be 10yrs or more. i love listening to their experiences and wisdom. i dont really get along with people my age.
 
I don’t have a preference and it seems like I get on well with people younger than me, of similar age, and those older than me.

It has always been like that, regardless of my age at the time.


Cheers,
Ian
 
I used to get along better with older people and even used to date men who were 25 years older than me. Something shifted when I turned 31 and now I find myself with friends of all ages and dating younger guys or about my age. I don't know what it was that precipitated that shift (maybe my father's death right before I turned 30) but I like the way things are now and don't feel out of place anywhere.
 
I find that I get along most with people who have an open mind, optimism and values. I have friends of all different ages, so I tend to think that chronological age isn't important but outlook and demeanor are. I have friends in their 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's. I had a friend who was 89 but he passed away last year. I miss him.
 
Scientia said:
I find that I get along most with people who have an open mind, optimism and values. I have friends of all different ages, so I tend to think that chronological age isn't important but outlook and demeanor are. I have friends in their 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's. I had a friend who was 89 but he passed away last year. I miss him.
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Same. Age seems irrelevant to me. If the person is cool, I don't really care. If I were to limit myself to interacting with people exactly my age, I would be even more isolated than I already am. I enjoy different dynamics as well. That way I get to play the role of teacher and student, mentor and protégé. I learn a lot from some children because they aren't messed up from life the way I am. At least not yet.
 
Sriracha said:
I can get along with anyone; however I tend to avoid the 20/30 somethings with toddlers/small children (as far as friendship is concerned.)
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Out of curiosity, why?
 
When I was younger, kids that were younger than me by a couple years would sort of "adopt" me into their circles- or just as a friend (they would do all the talking). My "best friend" the one I grew up with, is two years younger than me. My other two friends are three and four years older than me. I tend to gravitate more toward people that are older than me, but younger people tend to gravitate towards me. I get along great with elderly when I'm one-on-one with them. But I tend to like spending time with guys that are older by a few years... I've never really meshed well with girls my age. Most of my friends have either known me since I was born, or I've known them since they were born. I don't tend to make new friends, though I'd like to- just don't ever seem to be around potential friends... So I tend to make friends with my buddies's girlfriends/ex girlfriends, who are basically around my age, but they thing is I have lots of time to get to know them and observe them around other people. >:3
 
I think I get along best with anyone who is not my own age. I feel like I've always matured a bit more slowly compared to others my age, so I sometimes feel a bit uncomfortable interacting with them as I feel that they can see it, whereas with people older than me I can be more relaxed because I know that they expect me to be behind them in maturity. And I've always gotten along with people a couple of years younger than me because they are more on my level.
 
My friendship circle is diverse. My friends are a variety of ages, and from differing backgrounds, heritages, races, and economic groups, with varied educations, careers, religions, and political views. This is fun for me, but hardly any of them are friends with each other. Even friends who grew up in the same subculture are fractioned off into sub-groups.
I tend to collect INXXs as close friends - meaning friends I would actually confide in to any degree.
 
I get along well with people in general, the age doesn't matter much. I don't have any friends in real life (unfortunately...), but the most people I'm talking with are normally a little bit older than me. So my answer is... Older people.
 
Although I'd like to have older friends, I always catch myself not knowing what to say to older people (like, 10+ years older). So I'd say: younger or peers. With peers it kind of depends, some peers are already in a different stage of their life so I just feel alienated. My friends (although I do not have any close friends) are all 1-4 years younger than me.
 
Asa said:
My friendship circle is diverse. My friends are a variety of ages, and from differing backgrounds, heritages, races, and economic groups, with varied educations, careers, religions, and political views. This is fun for me, but hardly any of them are friends with each other. Even friends who grew up in the same subculture are fractioned off into sub-groups.
I tend to collect INXXs as close friends - meaning friends I would actually confide in to any degree.
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I can enjoy interacting with any personality type and gender, religious background, nationality, etc. - (as long as it's not for too long). What I find unenjoyable is fakeness. My close friends have always been INxxs. But the personality type that I feel gets me effortlessly are the xNFxs and the ones that get me completely are infjs. That doesn't mean that I haven't had friendships with other personality types. They just feel deeper with another infj somehow.
 
infj1357 said:
I can enjoy interacting with any personality type and gender, religious background, nationality, etc. - (as long as it's not for too long). What I find unenjoyable is fakeness. My close friends have always been INxxs. But the personality type that I feel gets me effortlessly are the xNFxs and the ones that get me completely are infjs. That doesn't mean that I haven't had friendships with other personality types. They just feel deeper with another infj somehow.
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Oops didn't follow the thread fully. The age group doesn't make a difference to me.
 
I don't really have a huge quantity of friends away from this forum. These days it seems as though most of my best friends have all moved to different cities or overseas for work. I'm pretty introverted and have usually been content with this but maybe I would like to meet a couple of new friends around my age. I really am not convinced that older is necessarily wiser. I like having adult friends of all ages (children annoy me a little bit), but maybe if making friends I would rather meet a few people closer to my time of life, who are going through some similar things, in terms of establishing a career, thinking about security for the future, relating to parents who are getting a little older now, relating to friends who are having their own kids...
 
Age is largely irrelevant for me in friendships. I have a ton of acquaintances, but less than a handful of people on this earth that I consider a true friend. Their ages range from young adult to elderly. In my years I've certainly found that age does not equal wisdom, and young at hearts and old souls alike come in a variety of ages.
 
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