I'm terrified of old people

Self-awareness, growth, and “cringing at your past self”

• Many relate to periodically looking back and cringing; see this as a sign of learning and progress.
• Some note it usually takes 5–7 years of “real life” before realizing you don’t know much; OP is seen as early to this.
• Others warn the author’s pendulum may have swung too far from overconfidence to over-awe of older people.

Are older people terrifying, impressive, or overrated?

• Several readers think “terrified” is hyperbole; they read the piece as awe at the experience gap and at how older people often mask it.
• Others see unhealthy status anxiety: viewing older competence as a threat and as competition for “the top.”
• Strong pushback on the idea that age guarantees wisdom: many older people remain incompetent, petty, or stuck; experience only helps if it’s reflected on and used.
• Selection bias: HN readers tend to notice exceptional elders, not the average.
• Some argue experience has diminishing returns and may even cause “overfitting” and ruts.

Cognitive aging and leadership

• Commenters distinguish slower recall from decision quality; experience can offset some decline.
• Others insist that sharp cognitive decline after ~75 is real and makes very old leaders risky, even if they remain useful as advisers.

Intergenerational conflict and power

• Thread branches into politics: older cohorts are seen as protecting their socioeconomic position (housing, rents, pensions), shaping policy at the expense of younger people.
• Concerns about an unusually high share of elderly people in power who don’t grasp current economic realities for the young.
• Disagreement over whether today’s youth are materially worse off or just facing more competition and visibility of inequality.
• Proposals like mandatory social service for retirees spark debate: some see fairness and bridge-building, others see coercion and “micro‑management” of life.

Workplace, teams, and mixed ages

• Value of multigenerational teams is emphasized: different ages bring complementary perspectives and temper groupthink.
• Counterpoint: homogenous young teams can execute faster on a clear vision.
• Story of a burned‑out senior highlights that older behavior may be shaped by past overwork; caring vs emotional detachment in engineering is debated.

Practical advice and meta-commentary

• Multiple older readers encourage the author to keep writing and accept lifelong embarrassment as a feature of growth.
• Some criticize the piece as vanity/engagement‑bait with little substance; others say that kind of raw reflection is useful to one’s future self.