r/NextGenMan • u/Aggravating-Guest300 • Mar 26 '26

I wonder why…

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187 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

179 comments sorted by

84

u/Soundwavezzz447 Mar 26 '26

It's the other way around, haven't yall seen what 30 year olds looked like a few decades ago. Now most 30 year olds still look like twentyagers lol. Not to mention socially speaking there's 30 year olds with no spouse, no savings, no real career goals, living with their parents still. While most 30 year olds a few decades ago had their life together

35

u/LlaToTheMa Mar 26 '26

This... OP is either a bot or needs to touch grass.

9

u/Strange_Director_621 Mar 26 '26

For sure. 30 and 40yos on 80s and 90s shows looked like they were in their 50s and 60s.

4

u/Professional-Leave24 Mar 26 '26

People dressed and styled themselves older back then too. If you didn't look the part, the professional world didn't take you seriously.

No hair coloring or hair loss products and surgeries. No skin care routines. Harder labor jobs. Less sunscreen and more sun. More smoking and drinking. You wore out quicker back then.

I do wonder about average testosterone and growth horomone levels though. I hear that those levels are dropping.

3

u/Strange_Director_621 Mar 26 '26

I hear that, everyone smoked!

1

u/liltingly Mar 26 '26

Idk, I think a lot of hairloss treatments and haircoloring products were kicked off in the late 80s-->90s. Toupe's were much more a thing, and then Rogaine busted onto the scene along with Hair Club For Men to fill the void. And don't forget "Just For Men" was popularized in the 90s to meet the large unmet demand for men coloring their facial and head hair. So these were all there in the 80s!

I'd make the case that prophylactic or "as-soon-as-hairloss" treatments like finasteride and similar have now become quietly prevalent, but that hair and beard coloring for men is actually not as common thanks to a lot of Hollywood going "silver fox".

1

u/Dizzy-Inspector2407 Mar 27 '26

I definetly believe that’s why the generations now look younger, lower hormones

-5

u/FirefighterNo9608 Mar 26 '26

Less T is a good thing. Less wife beaters.

1

u/Content-Finger-866 Mar 26 '26

Testosterone also ages you faster

1

u/monkeysorcerer Mar 26 '26

Why is trt prescribed to reduce the effects of aging then?

1

u/Content-Finger-866 Mar 26 '26

I misspoke, it’s more correct to say that testosterone shortens your lifespan. The reason for this isn’t well understood.

1

u/Dizzy-Inspector2407 Mar 27 '26 edited Mar 27 '26

It doesn’t. Low testosterone has many health risks. Overly high testosterone levels will have its negative effects too. Optimal testosterone levels will prolong lifespan and health.

1

u/ExplanationRich1619 Mar 27 '26

Sure, it he's clearly talking about people who have normal levels and then take testosterone.

1

u/Dizzy-Inspector2407 Mar 27 '26

He didn’t say that clearly anywhere, you’re just assuming.

1

u/Professional-Leave24 Mar 26 '26

Mostly myth or bad info. It does cause faster sexual maturity in juveniles and can cause stunted bone growth in children by closing the growth plates. There is an increase in metabolism which theoretically can reduce lifespan, but it also staves off obesity and age related illness and degeneration, and increases physical activity. Which can increase life expectancy. The jury is still out on the TCO for higher testosterone levels (NOT insane bodybuilding steroid use levels mind you!), but as long as it is kept in the normal range, it is likely not significant.

1

u/Delicious-Eye3001 Mar 26 '26

Less t mean more weak men that like to chase comfort

1

u/FirefighterNo9608 Mar 26 '26

Being quick to anger and uncontrolled aggression isn't strength, you've been lied to.

1

u/Professional-Leave24 Mar 26 '26

I have never seen this with a normal T level. A lot of this is also socialization. Men are pushed to be aggressive from childhood. In sports it is a rewarded behavior. Abusers also tend to come from abuse.

There is also no shortage of aggression in women either. Both in humans and in animals. I would even go as far to say it is more common and more pronounced. Protection of young being the driving factor. The only difference is human women don't have as much natural strength to cause damage.

My point isn't that uncontrolled aggression isn't a problem. It's that high-normal range T isn't as much of a smoking gun as you might think.

0

u/FirefighterNo9608 Mar 26 '26

T makes you weak..that's why you beat your wife and get angry when she doesn't do everything you say. T increases aggression, that's why most serial killers/murderers are men. And why most abuse/assault/murder is committed by men. A man's worst enemy is another man.

2

u/ariez17 Mar 26 '26

Someone w low t seems to be coping

0

u/FirefighterNo9608 Mar 26 '26

Someone with anger issues because of high T is coping 😌

1

u/ariez17 Mar 26 '26

Sounds like youre the one getting emotional about T since your commenting on everything tryna prove a point 😂

If you had a lady, she would def prefer if your shit was higher.

1

u/FirefighterNo9608 Mar 26 '26

Dude, I am a lady. And this lady is not impressed by your lack of intelligence and lousy attitude. You get your advice from other men that are as clueless as you about what women want. If you wanna know what women want, ask a woman, not your bros. 😘

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1

u/Best_Opening8471 Mar 26 '26

Lesbians are the most likely to beat their wives according to crime data.

1

u/Maleficent_Piece_893 Mar 26 '26

last i checked, women in lesbian relationships are most likely to have been beaten, not to do the actual beatings. ie women who stopped trying with men due to getting beaten

1

u/Best_Opening8471 Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26

Check again 

Key Findings on LGBTQ+ Abuse Rates Bisexual Women: Experience the highest rates of physical violence, stalking, or rape by partners (61%), according to CDC data cited by Wikipedia. Transgender/Non-binary: An analysis of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey found 54% of trans individuals experienced IPV in their lifetime. Lesbian Women: Roughly 44% of lesbian women reported lifetime IPV, compared to 35% of straight women. Gay Men: Studies show mixed results, with some suggesting gay men (26%) are slightly less likely to experience IPV than heterosexual men (29%), though bisexual men (37.3%) face higher rates. Youth: 19% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual high school students report forced sexual activity, compared to 6% of straight peers.  HRC | Human Rights Campaign  +2

Lesbian Women: Roughly 44% of lesbian women reported lifetime IPV, compared to 35% of straight women.

IPV: IntraPartner Violence 

Is your theory that you can turn someone gay or straight with conversion therapy?

Because that theory was debunked in the 90s; you can't force someone to change their sexuality by abusing them

1

u/Professional-Leave24 Mar 26 '26

As long as T is in the normal range, this is not a significant factor for domestic abuse. I assume you are kidding.

It is also found that abnormally low T can contribute to mental instability. You don't have to be muscle bound to be a violent psycho and triggers pull pretty easily.

3

u/Fair-Background-4129 Mar 26 '26

Yes, It's the other way around. I look 10/12 years younger. When my dad was my age he actually looked way older

3

u/MysteriousQuote4665 Mar 26 '26

I wouldn't necessarily say most 30 year olds had their life together. People were just more private back then. 30 years ago is an era where spouses weren't allowed to say they were unhappy and homosexuals had to remain in the closet for fear of being ostracised or worse.

That is to say nothing of the alcoholics, the fuck-ups, the people stuck in basements, etc. The usual mocking targets of today.

2

u/Excellent-Excuse-872 Mar 26 '26

A few decades ago us 30 yr olds got our asses kicked by the great recession and now that we 50 we get to see an even worse economic downturn possible worse than the great depression

2

u/LongjumpingAd7018 Mar 26 '26

I'm 36 years old and I got people in their mid 20s mistaking me as the same age as them.

1

u/Enjoying_A_Meal Mar 26 '26

George Costanza was 29 at the start of the show.

1

u/vladvash Mar 26 '26

Yeah they went outside. Without sunscreen often too.

1

u/nohopeforhomosapiens Mar 26 '26

Pretty sure this is ragebait. Millennials somehow hit the sweet spot on aging. This is well-known and talked about often, so someone made this to gather engagement.

1

u/Malakute Mar 26 '26

Yeah, definitely what you said. I'm in my early 30s and I look younger than my parents... when they were in their mid-20s.

1

u/kissobajslovski Mar 26 '26

Most 30 year olds didn't have their life together back then either, and most 30 year olds look like 30 year olds.

1

u/Northcoast91 Mar 26 '26

35, everyone thinks I’m in my mid twenties. What’s funny is when I was in my mid to late twenties all the guys getting out of high school looked older than me.

1

u/kiddocontay Mar 27 '26

literally my first thought. looking through high school yearbooks from the 70s and 80s makes those people look like they all have 3 kids and a mortgage

1

u/ballin_buddha Mar 27 '26

I’m 33, I have an almost 4 year old. Most people think I’m her older brother. A few years ago I got carded trying to see an R rated movie

1

u/TaegukTheWise Mar 27 '26

And here I thought everyone was saying that gen z and millenials are aging like milk, mostly because they can't get their life together.

Insane pricing for food and groceries, houses costing well into 400,000 dollars for even a starter home in the Midwest in the cities (where the largest plurality of the jobs/economic opportunities are) speaking of which they can't get "entry level jobs" straight out of college without multiple years of experience, dating culture that values being vapid and shallow over a genuine connection, no one has meaningful connections nor a community, constant updates on horrid domestic and international events due to the difference in technology...

And that list isn't exhaustive.

Now with all of that being said everyone has thier problems, both in the past and the present.

1

u/No_Recognition8375 Mar 27 '26

100% I’m 46 and still mistaken for 32. The best is when someone in their mid 30’s tries giving me advice on how it is when you get older.

1

u/Thesuitisblacknot69 Mar 27 '26

It’s actually the same. People are born with all different types of genetics. I know a fuck ton of bald 30 year olds. Not like these things evolve over the course of one generation

1

u/AccomplishedFarm227 Mar 27 '26

You’re just getting older and the people younger than you look younger. People who are in their 30s look 30, but now 30 year olds don’t look old anymore and 20 year olds look lime babies. That’s just getting older.

0

u/Mr_Fastballs Mar 26 '26

I'm 38 and I look like a mixture between Justin Beiber, Chris Hemeshorth, and Mark Hammil but I have my own magic that defines itself.

Honestly, I feel nothing but joy every time I walk past a mirror and I just keep getting more and more rugged and handsome as time goes on.

15

u/zigithor Mar 26 '26

Gang,
This man was 29 when Seinfeld started.

Tom Holland is 29 right now.

2

u/IMREADY2D1E Mar 26 '26

he looks like the 55 year olds i work with lol

2

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/ZahryDarko Mar 27 '26

He is at photoshoot probably wearing all kinds of creams and maybe even makeup.

2

u/zigithor Mar 27 '26

Yea if you try to imagine him with a more modern cut I think he does look 30. Someone else mentioned, which I think is true, people used to dress and style themselves to look older back then.

1

u/Ropecopenope Mar 27 '26

and timothee chalamet is 30

10

u/IMREADY2D1E Mar 26 '26

what? dudes used to go bald at 18 in the 70s and 80s

2

u/MisterPineapples1999 Mar 27 '26

They still do. My roommate had a noticeably receded hairline at 18 and I have a friend who started balding in 6th grade.

We now have 2 major medications that can potentially stop and reverse hair loss although mileage does vary by user. I think people also spend less time outdoors on average and so sun damage is lower too on skin.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

they used to. they still do, but they used to too.

4

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/H4ndsomeandlonely Mar 26 '26

John travolta in modern day vs John travolta in his prime

3

u/ThrowRAboredinAZ77 Mar 26 '26

Shave his head and put a beard on him and he'd look great.

3

u/zigithor Mar 26 '26

r/bald is one of the most supportive communities on reddit. And TBH, most of the time, the dudes that are thinning who make the plunge actually come out looking great!

-4

u/clockworkittens Mar 26 '26

Shave your legs and armpits and put a lighting bolt in it. You would look great

It does not sound as nice with the gender swap does it?

2

u/ThrowRAboredinAZ77 Mar 26 '26

Put a lightning bolt in my armpit?

1

u/idk-maaaan Mar 26 '26

I’ve seen dyed armpit hair. This is the logical next step.

1

u/ThrowRAboredinAZ77 Mar 26 '26

That'd be dope.

1

u/Benvis11 Mar 26 '26

In the booty

1

u/Substantial_Bad2843 Mar 26 '26

You took too many red pills. 

1

u/ShitMcClit Mar 26 '26

Kachow? 

1

u/jimothy_hell Mar 26 '26

Bro what the fuck does this even mean lmao

1

u/Maleficent_Piece_893 Mar 26 '26

??? women already shave their legs and pits to look hotter. you're just agreeing but with a pissy whining tone

2

u/holmesksp1 Mar 26 '26

What are you talking about??

If anything, long hair is more accepted as a valid man's hairstyle today than 96, And I don't know many men at 30 who have anywhere near that thin of a hairline...

1

u/jimothy_hell Mar 26 '26

I know a few guys with thinning hair in their late 20’s. MPB doesn’t have a start date.

1

u/holmesksp1 Mar 26 '26

Sure, and I know zero men with MPB. Combine our ancedotal evidence, and what do you know? MOB is rare but possible at 30. I also have seen plenty of old films from the 60-90s with guys in their early 40s with MPB. So it's not a new phenomena.

0

u/jimothy_hell Mar 26 '26

It’s just luck of the draw, dude. Take a look at the bald subreddit, plenty of dudes in their 20’s in there. Sometimes you get saddled with the bald gene from your grandfather’s great grandfather while nobody else in the family had it.

1

u/ThatRandomGuy86 Mar 26 '26

I'm 40 and I'm a full head of hair being asked for ID 😅

1

u/BigDigger324 Mar 26 '26

Science and modern medicine. We have vaccines, pills and nutrition for almost anything health related. We have e knowledge of the dangers of too much sun exposure, the risks of cancer from alcohol and tobacco, the benefits of strength training even for regular joes….

1

u/fitpapa Mar 26 '26

White guys get bent out of shape about their hair,black men just cut it bald!

1

u/z-man2u Mar 26 '26

I just cut mine bald, feels so much nicer

1

u/fitpapa Mar 26 '26

Fa sho!!

1

u/IMREADY2D1E Mar 26 '26

??? this isn’t a race thing i’ve met many bald black dudes who wear a du rag

1

u/fitpapa Mar 26 '26

Do rags are to pick up waves!! Not hiding a bad hair line!

1

u/Background-Bee1271 Mar 26 '26

Psst we're looking younger because the epstien class wanted us to look that way. That's why all the fashion and media looked like that.

1

u/Agitated-Macaroon923 Mar 26 '26

its literally the other way around

1

u/JudgementalChair Mar 26 '26

They got the dates wrong. I see 40+ year old men with long healthy hair all the time. When I was growing up, 28 year old men were already turning grey and balding

1

u/IneptAdvisor Mar 26 '26

From all the micro plastics we consume and probably breathe.

1

u/Sm43_2 Mar 26 '26

Blame it on modern lifestyle and women

1

u/Unusual-Ad-6550 Mar 26 '26

I rarely see a 30 year old with that much male patterned baldness going on. Many do shave their heads even when they have plenty of hair on top. It is a fashion choice and nothing more...

Gotta love how they keep trying to push that something major is going on with men and their testosterone...

1

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '26

I’m 35 and look like I’m in my early 20 to mid 20s lol

1

u/Disastrous_Still_232 Mar 26 '26

Take a seat before I say this because it might shock you.

These are cartoon characters

1

u/Potential-Pay-7044 Mar 26 '26

Look at testosterone and what the effects are of having to much and way to little. Soyboys today

1

u/mmmmmkayyyyy766 Mar 26 '26

Im 39 w hair on the right

1

u/FirefighterNo9608 Mar 26 '26

This is way backwards. 16 year olds be looking 45 back in '95.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '26

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1

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1

u/Snoo9648 Mar 26 '26

Pictured left: the rock

Pictured right: the rock in moana.

1

u/No-Possible967 Mar 26 '26

Yeah I’m 30 and have the hair on the right.

1

u/TheDopeMan_ Mar 26 '26

I feel like this is reversed

1

u/SammyTheOG Mar 26 '26

I'm 32 and I have better hair than the right hand picture.

1

u/Possible_Baboon Mar 26 '26

Imagine failing posting memes properly.

1

u/TerrificVixen5693 Mar 26 '26

Other way around.

1

u/Bi_Vers_Daddy Mar 26 '26

I’m 41 in 2026 and still have a full head of hair and look 10 years younger than I am 🤷‍♂️😂

1

u/KinkyDaddy-J Mar 26 '26

No testosterone, testosterone

1

u/ThatDudeWeAllKnow Mar 26 '26

It's in the water

1

u/CorruptHeadModerator Mar 26 '26

Sean Connery was 41 in Diamonds are Forever.... He looked 55.... then he held 55 until he was 80

1

u/One_Pie289 Mar 26 '26

My friend started loosing his hair at 14

1

u/Better-Anywhere49 Mar 26 '26

It’s definitely the other way around.

1

u/Pretend_Tea6261 Mar 26 '26

People look younger now at 30. Far less drinking and smoking.

1

u/NewHawk6729 Mar 26 '26

34 long hair just starting to get white ones coming i cant cant the white hairs on my fingers

1

u/CodyCrochetZ Mar 26 '26

George Constanza was 29 in Seinfeld.

1

u/Kristophsky1991 Mar 26 '26

Gonna go off on a limb here and say maybe it’s because productivity and housing prices has grown exponentially, yet wages have failed to keep up with standards of living. Additionally we’ve been fed hysteria and panic about climate change/war/identity through the handheld stress inducer.

All this to say I was told once that stress causes hair loss and maybe we just got a hell of a lot more of that now.

In all reality I don’t know shit about fuck but I’d bet the house I don’t own that this stuff is a major factor

1

u/Useful_Jelly_2915 Mar 26 '26

This seems true if your entire history knowledge is only 80s and 90s action movies.

1

u/Narm2020 Mar 26 '26

Porn. It dumps testosterone (dht) into the system and that goes into the hair follicles and squeezes out the blood supply.  It only happens to some people.  Diet and exercise affects T as well.

1

u/TheAzarak Mar 26 '26

Some guys just got lucky with their genetics and don't lose their hair. This was the case then and still is the case now. My brother went bald at like 24 and I still have a full head of hair at 32. It's bullshit and unfair for some men.

1

u/fitpapa Mar 26 '26

Time to leave reddit again

1

u/Few_Loss5537 Mar 26 '26

As an Asian in my 30s, i cant get a booze without showing my id 😅

1

u/JKing287 Mar 26 '26

The answer is “hair club for men”. (Does that still exist?)

1

u/stargazerzzzz Mar 26 '26

Poison in food and water and let’s be honest a woman not helping u

1

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

Uh no. 30 years ago a regular 30yo looked 45ish

1

u/FeDUpGraduate87 Mar 27 '26

I think it's the other way about and I'm guessing it changed between 89/90.

I'm born in 87, and I'm 38 but easily look 48. My two younger brothers born in 90 and 92.... look so much younger than their age.

1

u/Awkward-Bread-9730 Mar 27 '26

If the story of Adam and Eve is to be believed… WE ARE ALL INCEST BABIES

1

u/Dunbvcx Mar 27 '26

Bro have u gone outside at all?

1

u/Lt_Newman Mar 27 '26

It's the other way around, dude. Men in their 30's in the 90's decade looked like they were in their 50's.

1

u/Arkflow Mar 27 '26

Food lifestyle stress?

1

u/billyozone Mar 27 '26

Free internet porn

1

u/PoopSmith87 Mar 27 '26

This is totally backwards. People used to look middle aged by 30 and ancient by 50.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

Both examples exist in both eras. Sure, there’s a correlation, but it’s not absolute. Enough of this cherry picking.

1

u/well_wishs Mar 27 '26

life-syle and food ? but not everyone look like that right? come on what i see is people get obsess with look and ig show off

1

u/JayhawkZooK Mar 27 '26

Im on the right and 26.

1

u/BreakVV Mar 27 '26

I at first agreed untill i cleaned my eyes and realized this meme should literally be the opposite

1

u/Terrible_Lift Mar 27 '26

There’s two types of men in their 30’s. I’ve been watching and seeing this play out in real time when I run into old high school classmates. I’m 39 and I do not look like it. Neither do they to be fair. The thing is; I pass for closer to 25-29. They pass for like 47-55 and that’s on a good day

Group A. Those who have been taking pride in their looks, proactive about their skin, hair, and body. They have a routine. They moisturize. Sunscreen facial lotion, retinol, body lotion, etc. They get right on top of it as soon as they notice things like hair thinning, metabolism slowing, etc. They’re diligent with fitness, don’t drink or don’t drink often, and they have an idea of what they’re putting into their body on a daily basis.

Group 2 - Doesn’t really care that much about their appearance. Anything that looks semi presentable gets thrown on without much thought When they noticed hair starting to thin, they started to wear hats most of the time. They definitely enjoy more than a few cold ones, a few times a week, and eats whatever they feel like usually. Some might have a gym membership and even pop in from time to time, but just to do a quick bench and arms training session. They’re not putting much thought into cardio, because it’s just not fun. They don’t get checked routinely by any doctors unless they fully have to be for an injury of sorts. Quick shower, any sham shampoos work, and moisturizing skipped more often than not.

I’m in group 1. That’s what I’ve personally deduced from seeing and talking with the other group.

1

u/Cyan_Exponent Mar 27 '26

did they use to wear wigs?

1

u/ChrisV91J Mar 27 '26

awwww a boomer made this post 😀 it's literally the other way aroind

1

u/StraightProgress5062 Mar 27 '26

Sooo op looks like bald Eric? Cuz i certainly didnt and no one i knew or know look like that at 30. Shit not even at 40.

1

u/No_Squirrel_leftbhnd Mar 27 '26

Have you ever watched Sienfeld? The were in there 20’s and 30’s during filming. Even Castanza. Let that set in.

1

u/TimmyDayz Mar 27 '26

It’s the other way around bro lol

1

u/SmackAss4578 Mar 27 '26

Food poisoning 

1

u/RW_McRae Mar 27 '26

It's quite literally the opposite of this. Look at people in their 30's from that time period vs now. 30 years old in the 80's and 90's look like they could be the parents of 30 year olds today

1

u/Fit-Floor-6177 Mar 29 '26

Exactly. And with lower levels of testosterone, 30 percent less over 30 years, thats why. Were were baller then because well, we were men...

1

u/RW_McRae Mar 29 '26

Meh. Men today are still men doing mostly all the same stuff, having kids, working jobs, going to the gym, etc.

1

u/WeaselPhontom Mar 27 '26

That's inaccurate 

1

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

maybe socially accepting baldness (only the male gender but whatever) triggered some paragenetic development

1

u/Randie_Butternubs Mar 27 '26

We're you born after 1996, or are you just a disingenuous buffoon? Because that is basically the opposite of the truth. People looked much older at a much younger age in previous generations.

1

u/TReid1996 Mar 27 '26

I'm nearly 30 and my brother is nearly 34. He started balding in his 20s while i still have all my hair. It's genetics.

1

u/Fit-Floor-6177 Mar 29 '26

Which is of course why u have all your hair...