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Do you think we lose our sense of humour as we get older?

(124 Posts)
Kandinsky Thu 25-Sept-25 09:22:26

I know as we age we have more health issues, bereavement, possibly estrangement issues, and of course have had more time to be ‘battered by life’ - But I find older people generally have no sense of humour.
I remember my days on Mumsnet, I literally cried with laughter at some of the posts on there. Here, not a single post has ever made me even lightly chuckle ( and I’ve been here years )
Is it an age thing?
Everyone seems so serious on here.
I find this happens in RL.
I left the women’s institute before I died of boredom.

Doodledog Thu 25-Sept-25 09:28:24

Oh, I often laugh at posts on here. I still have a sense of humour - if anything I’ve learnt to laugh at things more as I’ve got older and not take life too seriously.

Oreo Thu 25-Sept-25 09:30:15

Not a single post made you chuckle? Well I have had a few smiles, chuckles and outright laughs in the three years on this forum, but yes it’s still funnier on MN I’ll give you that.
It may be an age thing as you say and there are people who have never possessed a SOH, who knows?

Galaxy Thu 25-Sept-25 09:30:47

Well you have just made me laugh with your last sentence if that helpsgrin

keepingquiet Thu 25-Sept-25 09:32:12

Some of the posts here are hysterically funny and make me laugh all the time.

I don't so say in case it may cause offence.

Personally, I do sometimes find things difficult to laugh at but I think it depends on your sense of humour.

I laugh all the time, especially like this morning when my car wouldn't start and I had ten minutes to get to a doctor's appointment...!

TerriBull Thu 25-Sept-25 09:37:12

I often read posts on MN that make me laugh out loud, repeat them to OH who similarly finds them hilarious, so much so, he often remarks "tell me something funny you've found on MN" he's of the opinion, the site is awash with unrecognised comicsgrin

pably15 Thu 25-Sept-25 09:43:18

there's nothing I like better than a good laugh. my niece is always sending me emails with jokes in them,..it makes my day...

Casdon Thu 25-Sept-25 09:44:23

There are some real wits on Mumsnet, threads can be so funny they have me laughing out loud. We do have the odd thread like that on Gransnet, but I so miss MissAdventure because she has such a great sense of fun, she never fails to cheer us up.

GrannyGravy13 Thu 25-Sept-25 09:45:06

I do think we have more than our share of moaning myrtles here on GN

Then I guess there are more folks who live alone, have ill health, do not see their families or friends often and have time on their hands to ponder (worry) about the world around us.

Magenta8 Thu 25-Sept-25 09:47:08

I have found quite a few posts on GN that have made me laugh or at least smile. I wonder if perhaps the humour on GN is more refined, obscure and subtle than on MN.

GrannyGravy13 Thu 25-Sept-25 09:50:52

There used to be several comedic threads, which had me laughing out loud.

Unfortunately some of our funniest contributors have either left or died 😿

CariadAgain Thu 25-Sept-25 09:52:27

Maybe the style of humour changes as one gets older?

I've had a noticeable number of comments "in the Real World" recently about my dark sense of humour. Not sure it always used to be that way - but yep...had the woman in the post office queue behind me yesterday killing herself laughing.

So - perhaps that's it - ie the older we get the more we've seen of the side of life we really don't wish to see - so perhaps I'm not the only one that has developed a dark sense of humour over the years.

It's the "you gotta laugh or you'd cry" school of humour.

Aldom Thu 25-Sept-25 09:55:17

I haven't lost my sense of humour (in spite of what life has thrown at me).
I chuckle/laugh out loud at things on Gransnet. Make friends laugh. One friend's husband remarked that when I'm there he hears us laughing a lot. smile grin 😀

TerriBull Thu 25-Sept-25 09:58:54

I think the reason why threads can be funnier on MN they're often without the filters we see here on GN particularly around use if expletives, which can be funny depending on context. Inevitably, amongst a younger demographic their life experiences are different, and as such, so are their perspectives to some extent.

AGAA4 Thu 25-Sept-25 10:12:12

I had a good laugh at a post on GN yesterday and do often find things funny in the outside world despite all the awful things happening.
My sense of humour has changed over the years but is still there.

TheWeirdoAgain60 Thu 25-Sept-25 10:13:29

There have been times when I've literally cried with laughter on some of the posts on here!

I'm 60 and have had one hell of a wacky sense of humour since before I was born!

It depends on the individual person, of course, but generally I find older people to have a wonderful sense of humour. Especially the Scottish and Irish!

I love the stand-up comedians from places like India and Nigeria, Trinidad and so on, such as Gina Yashere, Sindu Vee, Romesh Ranganathan, and Lenny Henry, etc., the older or middle-aged ones!

Doodledog Thu 25-Sept-25 10:15:20

I will say that I post on MN as well as here, and I censor myself a lot more on here. Not expletives, as I use those very sparingly when I don't know who will be reading, but I can be 'myself' more on MN, as there are more posters, so the ones who take offence at everything and nitpick are drowned out by those who assume the best. Also, so many posters mean that on the whole everyone is posting to strangers, so there is less of the point scoring that can happen here, and is restrictive.

I don't think any of that is age-related though.

nanna8 Thu 25-Sept-25 10:19:43

I think we’ve heard it all before, really and that is the issue.. Growing up in the 60 s there were some really good comedians but where are they now ? Outrageous comments are a thing of the past,too - can’t risk the awful social media or even a knock at the door from the plod. Slightly better here in that respect but not much.

kittylester Thu 25-Sept-25 10:24:41

But, don't you think that the world in general has become more 'worthy'?

Grannybags Thu 25-Sept-25 10:31:18

GN has become a lot more serious since I joined. We never used to feel we had to put ‘lighthearted’ after a thread title.

People seem to get offended a lot quicker than they used to

RosieandherMaw Thu 25-Sept-25 10:40:34

kittylester

But, don't you think that the world in general has become more 'worthy'?

Absolutely, Kitty
Looking back at old -really old- threads on GN we seemed to laugh a lot more and enjoy posts from wonderful grans like Phoenix. Saturday nights in particular could be hilarious - maybe even wine was taken. I have occasionally used the Search facility to reread them with fond memories.
Although in the wider world, TBF some of the “banter” type jokes of so called comics of a generation ago can be excruciating.
What I miss is wit, humour without vulgarity or cruelty, as typified by some of the TV sitcoms of a few years ago - The Good Life, Yes Minister and Prime Minister in particular.

nanna8 Thu 25-Sept-25 10:41:01

I tell jokes in a social club I am part of, as the chairperson. These days they are fairly weak so no one can be even remotely offended. Really funny jokes are often outrageous ( and I’m not talking about sexism or racism here ) but there is always a precious person who will twist meanings and take offence. Very sheltered lives some have led.

Whitewavemark2 Thu 25-Sept-25 10:50:05

Oh no😮. Just the opposite.

I think that as we age we are much more on top of life and can much more readily see the funny side of stuff.

When I get together with friends, I find us laughing and having enormous fun.

Don’t go by what you see on GN for heavens sake.

That absolutely does not reflect what life is really about, in fact the grumpiness we often see is also a cause for amusement I think.

Before the grumps start grumping, yes, I do think that there are elements of GN that are clearly valuable to those in need of help or in distress.

But there is an element whose default is always to nitpick - honestly - best totally ignored.

fancyflowers Thu 25-Sept-25 10:53:22

Society as a whole has become more 'woke' and there are many more 'professionally offended' people around.
When I think back, programmes such as 'The Benny Hill Show' and 'Till Death do us Part' were considered funny in their day. They couldn't possibly be aired now.

Elusivebutterfly Thu 25-Sept-25 11:14:29

I definitely find much less funny these days. I don't seem to have a laugh with friends much, though I enjoy their company. My son sometimes shows me videos from youtube which he says are funny, but I don't find them funny.

I occasionally have a laugh with a family member or something funny on GN, MN or FB. The only funny thing on TV is Yes Minister and occasionally HIGNFY.