What's Too Old? Where You Are.

Okay, I might've twisted that around a bit. The original comes from e.e. cummings and goes like

(let's go said he
not too far said she
what's too far said he
where you are said she)

I was talking to someone the other night about old age, and they said something like I'll get back to you in 20 years. I was a bit miffed. I said, 20? The person I was talking to was only 30, so in 20 years would only be 50 years old.

I said, but that's not old.

... is it?

I realize I might be unusual on this point, as I've always been drawn to and enjoyed close relationships with people significantly older than myself. Some of my favorite people in the world are in their 40s and 50s, even older. Some of the best conversations I've had have been with people around 50. If this person is to be believed, I get along with old people.

I don't think 50's old at all. A close friend of mine is always chiding me on that point. She's my age, 25, and seems to consider anyone past 30 much too old to hang out with or, God forbid, date. What bothers me is the arbitrary cut-off. Once you're past a certain point (which seems to vary), poof, you're too old to be treated as a person anymore.
I don't mean these people are cruel or inconsiderate towards people older than them. But there are certain connotations to labeling someone as old, even if only in your own head. We put down some barriers between ourselves and the people we view as belonging to a different social category.

Ideally, when encountering someone, you want to treat them with honesty, charm, kindness, etc. Qualities that might forge a bridge towards a deeper relationship. Obviously, you don't need to be best friends with just anyone, but why cut off a possibly exciting and fruitful relationship (of any sort) with a person simply because of the year they were born?

Oddly enough, it goes both ways.

As I say, I have a tendency to form friendships with people much older than myself, and as a result, I've often heard them express surprise that they actually have things to talk about with me. Right back at us, many 40- and 50-year olds assume they won't have much to talk about with someone in their early or mid 20s.
Why?
I used to counter that, saying they dismiss us youths too quickly, though I've stopped to wonder, occasionally, if I'm just not an odd one out here. I mean, I don't have that much to talk about with average people my age, either. So maybe I'm wrong.

Still, I'm not about to write someone off simply based on their age. Not people my age, and certainly not older people either. Like oh, you're 50. Old. Impossible to befriend (except in a kindly granddaughter kinda way) or be attracted to. It's not my experience that this cut-off exists. And it seems to me quite damaging to insist on enforcing it.

Where does old start for you? Or, going in reverse, is there a certain age, like 27 or whatever, below which you won't go both in terms of dating and of friendships? And why?