Twitter has erupted into a furious debate over the definition of middle aged.
Age is just a number, the saying goes – which is true but not entirely accurate. Age is at least two numbers: your chronological age and your biological age.
Your chronological age is the number of candles you blow out each year. Biological age, also known as physiological age, is a feeling – or some may argue a science – determined by lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise and sleeping habits.
So, what is considered middle aged?
It depends on who you ask, as it's mostly subjective – but perhaps don't ask a Gen Zer if you're over 25.
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According to a 2018 YouGov study, Brits consider middle-aged to be 48. "Old age" doesn't set in till 70.
The dictionary definition defines it as: "The period of your life, usually considered to be from about 45 to 60 years old, when you are no longer young but are not yet old."
But now, middle-aged is apparently considered those between the ages of 22-25, according to a viral tweet that has caused chaos online.
middle aged twitter (22-25) is so interesting— .jbed\ud83d\udd2a (@.jbed\ud83d\udd2a) 1648475585
The (assumingly) joking 19-year-old didn't elaborate on her bold statement, but fellow users were on standby to offer their take.
One joked: "Can't wait to start screaming at kids to get off my lawn when I turn 26," while another added: "Twitter users view ageing the same way as people who lived in the 14th century."
"I will never get over how 18-19-year-olds will treat anyone over the age of 20 like they're on the verge of requiring life support," a third jested.
Others insisted on keeping the age debate on TikTok and leaving Twitter alone.
So much admiration for how much chaos this has caused with so few words. It's a masterpiece of economy.https://twitter.com/fujacc/status/1508442053985906698\u00a0\u2026— Eddie Robson (@Eddie Robson) 1648561285
Twitter in the 1800shttps://twitter.com/fujacc/status/1508442053985906698\u00a0\u2026— Mustard (@Mustard) 1648556866
finally this midlife crisis is justifiedhttps://twitter.com/fujacc/status/1508442053985906698\u00a0\u2026— anna \ud83e\udee7 (@anna \ud83e\udee7) 1648560757
Retired twitter (26-30) has some hits sometimes— cheeky wee scamp (@cheeky wee scamp) 1648511488
Idk about you guys in middle aged twitter but things over here on elderly twitter (25+) are pretty fun toohttps://twitter.com/fujacc/status/1508442053985906698\u00a0\u2026— \ud83c\udf97Jearelle\ud83c\udf38\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\udded (@\ud83c\udf97Jearelle\ud83c\udf38\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\udded) 1648542826
hon...hon, the human brain doesn't fully develop until you're 25. this is a shining example.— \ud83c\udf39 (@\ud83c\udf39) 1648518326
if that's middle aged twitter wtf am i I'm already dead https://twitter.com/fujacc/status/1508442053985906698\u00a0\u2026— \u039b \uff52\uff4b\ud83d\udd8a\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\u2728 KAITO TIME\ud83e\udde1\ud83d\udc9b\ud83e\udd0d (@\u039b \uff52\uff4b\ud83d\udd8a\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f\u2728 KAITO TIME\ud83e\udde1\ud83d\udc9b\ud83e\udd0d) 1648543981
My 35 year old ass being told 22-25 is middle agedpic.twitter.com/pkeHoyHfvf— Sora Muscles (@Sora Muscles) 1648512734
I just crumbled into a fine powderhttps://twitter.com/fujacc/status/1508442053985906698\u00a0\u2026— {LIVE\ud83d\udd34} Captain Dandyfloss \ud83c\udf0a\u2693 \u226aEN Vtuber\u226b (@{LIVE\ud83d\udd34} Captain Dandyfloss \ud83c\udf0a\u2693 \u226aEN Vtuber\u226b) 1648553599
literally gonna throw up bc i was just called middle agedhttps://twitter.com/fujacc/status/1508442053985906698\u00a0\u2026— \ud83e\udd38\ud83c\udffd\u200d\u2640\ufe0f (@\ud83e\udd38\ud83c\udffd\u200d\u2640\ufe0f) 1648556897
ANDBBDJSJS MIDDLE AGED TWITTER I AM DECEASED GOODBYEhttps://twitter.com/fujacc/status/1508442053985906698\u00a0\u2026— court \u2022 (@court \u2022) 1648544395
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