Is it normal to dislike people more as you get older?

I find that I hate almost everybody on this site. People come across so hateful and unlikeable. The exact opposite from the running community in real life, at least from my perspective. Generally most people are positive and likable. Not sure why this site attracts so many angry folks.

Close to 50, and from my limited experience, it comes and goes. When I have found myself having trouble relating to others, it often ran parallel to having my own troubles or hurts that I had trouble grappling with. That isn't to say there aren't generational divides (I work as university professor)--but when things feel decent for me, I tend to just shrug my shoulders and realize that I can't please all people and they can't all please me.

I feel the same way here in the US. I think there are many factors to this but yeah, I see society getting worse and worse. Thinking about moving to a quiet place in Asia when I retire and just live a quiet peaceful life away from all the drama here.

I’m in my 40s and feel the same way at times. I get annoyed by criminals, mean people, corrupt officials, the selfish, bigots, and idiots.

That said, I think rude and aggressive people come in all ages. Look at Elon Musk.

If you find that most people are rude to you face-to-face I'd consider moving area if you can. I've lived in areas like that and it was not pleasant.

The UK is variable. Some areas are not great, some are great. It doesn't necessarily split along the lines you think, rich/poor etc. Some of the nicest areas in terms of the warmth of the people are the poorest. Take as you find. I've found a lot of rude elderly people in some areas. But yeah, also rude young people. Even small countries are quite vast when you look at all of the different areas that you can live in. I know it's not an option for everyone, but if you're unhappy where you are, if you can, I'd consider a change. It doesn't have to be like this. Good luck.

If you hate others it can usually be traced down to a suppressed hatred of yourself or some type of deficiency in self esteem.

Signed Sigmund...

You get tired of dealing with BS, more selective in your expectations, and less concerned with people pleasing as you age. I find that I don’t hate people more rather, I have stopped the behavior of trying to make friends with everyone. I am polite but, unless you are compelling, I move on and feel no need to leave strangers feeling special.

I think I am less tolerant which is probably a good thing as in the past I just let a lot of BS slide, whereas now I don't (so much).

"It's so easy to laugh, it's so easy to hate. It takes strength to be gentle and kind"

I gradually grew to hate every last one of you.

If you start thinking everyone is a jerk, you have to question if it's the world that's so bad or is it yourself who has a distorted view of the world? That being said, there are some areas where people have a tendency to behave more rude than others. Overall, people are people. We can't control them. We can only control our reactions and who we choose to interact with.

I tend to be the same as the OP; I assume the worst about people and generally avoid socializing when possible. But, I find that once I do talk with people, that most people are really genuinely pretty nice and friendly. I guess it takes me a bit to warm up, but I can also acknowledge that I am mostly the problem, not other people.

No. Because as you get older you gain wisdom. And with wisdom you realize that most people and things are nonsense. You also realize not to argue with immovable idiots, except to amuse yourself at their incoherent, flailing attempts at rebuttal.

Maybe your own quote: "I find that I hate almost everybody on this site. People come across so hateful and unlikeable" helps explain why you find so many people hateful. A little compassion may go a long way to address that.

If you run into one or two a-holes a day, then that's just bad luck. If everyone that you encounter in your daily travels is an a-hole, then chances are that you are the actual a-hole.

"Make peace, be kind, be gentle" --- Ajahn Brahm :)

I'm 63. I find myself being less tolerant of stupidity. But for me, it's the older generation because of the Trump hatred that's become acceptable.

I actually like most people more as I understand the world better. I forgive their shortcomings and corrupted views as a product of our society.

However, I stay the hell away from blowhards and chauvinists, I have no time for people who want to push an agenda of greed and prejudice.

For me (63 years old, American) I find its not so much that I dislike other people as finding myself with VASTLY less tolerance for idiots who ruin things for everyone else with their crappy behavior. I find in my daily life and travels most people aren't too bad, but just despise, for example, idiots who leave their dogs outside to bark for hours on end. Idiots who run generators all night in campgrounds despite signs at the entrance saying "No generators after 8pm", there y wrecking the night for the people following the rules. People who fire up leaf blowers at 7AM on a gorgeous fall morning. People who abuse service workers who can't fight back. A**holes who don't pick up their dogs sh*t in parks, or let their dogs run off leash despite signs stating. I could go on and on and on but you get my drift. So even though most people are pretty decent, the ones who arent tend to have a very outsized impact and it's very difficult to escape their impact, thus coloring my desire to be around other people in general. So though I don't 'hate' other people more, it's sometimes hard not to lump all homo sapiens into the bucket of things that big the sh*t out of me. If that makes any sense... ;)