Growing strong - fans not so young, come out of your closets!

[jons nissa]

Poor Lummel. He is still so young and yet worries like he's a pensioner.

Myself, mid-thirties. The interpretation of characters is certainly be influenced by age. But also by culture, class, political views and country of origin and then of course our own personal outlook on life, and of course reading habits.

might be his dutch connection. i swear i cannot keep a straight face anytime i see his name :P

and i agree, rapsie, lots of things influence interpretation, especially age. it's the one of the few things that changes about a specific individual (culture, origins, gender, etc remain the same) so it is interesting for each of us to see how our opinions have changed or not changed by rereading a favorite or hated book.

When I read certain posts, I am inclined to check their age as it helps me understand more where they are coming from. Are they 16 and in the flush of first love and feeling invincible? Are they 45 and a little more cautious about the stated motives of certain characters because they've experienced the pain of betrayal?

I would be interested in knowing if the younger people here (teens - 25) see Robb's actions with Jeyne differently than the more elder (I refuse to say older) members. When I was 18, I did all sorts of things (dropped out of school, ran away from home) for the sake of "love". Yeah, that didn't work out too well. Thank goodness a war didn't hinge on it. But I might have understood Robb's actions a little better back then. Now, at a more experienced and world-weary age, I think Robb acted selfishly.

The forum will be at its best when it has a diverse cross-section of ages. Every age group has its own perspective and is equally important.

i always wish there was more info on posters in the profile but hey, the masses won't even answer the few questions that are there now :shocked: so i've followed suit. a while ago, there were a few posts about starting a survey to find out about how some of this stuf affected people's specific ideas about some of the theories, characters and behavior but we never got very far with the project. still, i agree with you here, age, nationality, etc is very interesting to look at whey we read a post. it really helps me to understand better where someone is coming from. and since there is so little of this info available, i often try to guess the information from a poster. sometimes i find out i'm right with my guesses, sometimes i'm wrong.

[Light a wight tonight]

I'll be 70 in a few months. Anybody have that beat?

Reading posts on this forum I can see that different age groups extract different meanings from the same passages in the books. Age, gender, national origin, faith or lack thereof, all of our life experiences go into how we perceive stuff. And that adds flavor to the forum.

[1234567]

I would be interested in knowing if the younger people here (teens - 25) see Robb's actions with Jeyne differently than the more elder (I refuse to say older) members. When I was 18, I did all sorts of things (dropped out of school, ran away from home) for the sake of "love". Yeah, that didn't work out too well. Thank goodness a war didn't hinge on it. But I might have understood Robb's actions a little better back then. Now, at a more experienced and world-weary age, I think Robb acted selfishly.

Depends, Show!Robb definitely selfish. In the book however, I saw him more as a young man who was caught between two conflicts of honour and was trying to do the best thing, knowing it was going to conflict both ways, and not having the best advisors. Obviously he liked Jeyne and didn't want her reputation ruined, so I suspect his feelings also clouded his judgement, but he also felt conflicted over dishonouring the Freys. Show!Robb however was not even vaguely bothered about breaking his arrangement with the Freys.

The forum will be at its best when it has a diverse cross-section of ages. Every age group has its own perspective and is equally important.

Very true. It provides a balance and good range of perspectives.

might be his dutch connection. i swear i cannot keep a straight face anytime i see his name :P

I need to do some Google translate I think. Funnily enough his name always reminds me of the Lums you had to collect in Rayman (computer game)

I'll be 70 in a few months. Anybody have that beat?

Doubt it. Besides 70 ain't old.

[Silent Sparrow]

I would be interested in knowing if the younger people here (teens - 25) see Robb's actions with Jeyne differently than the more elder (I refuse to say older) members. When I was 18, I did all sorts of things (dropped out of school, ran away from home) for the sake of "love". Yeah, that didn't work out too well. Thank goodness a war didn't hinge on it. But I might have understood Robb's actions a little better back then. Now, at a more experienced and world-weary age, I think Robb acted selfishly.

The forum will be at its best when it has a diverse cross-section of ages. Every age group has its own perspective and is equally important.

At least for me, I still see Robb's actions as selfish and very shortsighted. I'm 19 now and over the few years I've spent reading and rereading, I've always thought that Robb was really an idiot to do what he did. I understand the impulsive side of his choice, but even at 16, I thought about things before I acted. At 16, Robb married a girl days after meeting her despite the fact that it would jeopardize his relationship with the Freys and his war effort.

[Theda Baratheon]

I am amused when I see some people think 50 is elderly. :P Isn't 50 middle aged these days?

[Miodrag]

Great thread, Woman of War.

I’ll be 39 in few weeks, and in my country – Serbia – quite a few people of my age read and enjoy ASOIAF. And the TV show isn’t that much popular here, so the books are still the main vehicle for Martin’s story, probably. (I hope I did contribute in that regard, since, as a professional journalist and an ASOIAF addict, I never miss the opportunity to at least mention Martin’s magnum opus in my articles, even if they aren’t about art/literature at all.)

Anyway, I consider ASOIAF to be great/high literature, and as such, it’s probably best to be consumed not before 30. Yeah, a lot of younger people read a lot of great books, Martin’s novels included, and some of them probably enjoy them, but I’m of the mind that, once you’re over 30, it’s probably good to go back and reread some of the things you liked when you were younger – there may be some layers that you’re yet to uncover. I do that often with Russians like Dostoyevsky and Zamyatin and Gogol: read them some 15 years ago or so, and loved them greatly, but whenever I visit them again, I find some new love and respect and appreciation for them.

It depends on the person, of course, as there are readers half my age who understand some classics better than I do. There are similar cases on this very forum, too; I’m often impressed, or somewhat intimidated even, with the revelations some kids come up with, revelations I missed. But, I guess even those kids will benefit if they reread this stuff in ten years. Personal experience is perhaps the only advantage you have over your younger self, but, since you gain it anyhow, then use it at least. To use it on understanding great literature is one of the better purposes experience can serve.

And personal experience can help one a lot, when dealing with a story as rich as ASOIAF. Like some earlier posters hinted, it’s probably impossible for a 30+ reader to hate Catelyn or to find her boring, regardless of the gender. I’m a male with no kids, and yet, I sympathized with Cat to no end: not sure it would’ve been the case some 15 years ago. With age, you get more accustomed to the fact that not everything in life can be viewed through the 2+2=4 lens. Hence, it’s probably much easier to understand Cat’s actions, or Robb’s, or Ned’s, and especially Davos’ and Theon’s and or Cersei’s, without calling them stupid or something, even if something they did was utter stupidity indeed.

[straits]

At least for me, I still see Robb's actions as selfish and very shortsighted. I'm 19 now and over the few years I've spent reading and rereading, I've always thought that Robb was really an idiot to do what he did. I understand the impulsive side of his choice, but even at 16, I thought about things before I acted. At 16, Robb married a girl days after meeting her despite the fact that it would jeopardize his relationship with the Freys and his war effort.

You led a host against a neighboring kingdom when you were 16?

[Bad Hound!]

I am loving this thread, and the one thing that brings warmth to my heart is to realise that older people enjoy ASOIAF too!

To me, it validates my own love for that series. I move amongst my age peers (30 since you ask!), and basically I don't personally know anyone older who enjoys this series. Me, I have just started my early 30s but I've had to mature earlier (though for different reasons than Mladen: no wars, just kids - and 3 of them!). I have a cool job but the kids are a lot of work and so after a hard day looking after them, ASOIAF is my escapism, my guilty pleasure if you like.

So I was thinking "oh well, it's just fantasy for, you know, tweenagers, nothing serious". But reading this thread, I'm now thinking: "awesome! Older people enjoy it too, so maybe I was right, there is depth in this series, there is literature, there is philosophy, there is social studies, there is history, there is everything!". So thank you guys - you have made my day.

Thank you!!

[Silent Sparrow]

You led a host against a neighboring kingdom when you were 16?

I would have, but I was a little busy graduating high school. Besides, I don't think Canada would appreciate it.

[Sansa_Stark]

I'm 20 and recently discovered the books.

[Grail King]

Wow over 50, are you not scared you won't live to see the end of the books? :P

Well I'm a year younger then GRRM and it does bother me. :frown5:

[Grail King]

I am amused when I see some people think 50 is elderly. :P Isn't 50 middle aged these days?

60 is the new forty.

[gande51]

I am amused when I see some people think 50 is elderly. :P Isn't 50 middle aged these days?

To me that age group is just a different sought of people , not elderly but different :P

[bent branch]

I have just thought of a big difference that being say 35+ could make in how people read the books. The issue is marital rape. I can only speak to what was happening in America, but the concept of marital rape is something that has developed in my lifetime. Until the mid to late 70's, rape laws contained an exemption for spouses. When I was in high school in the late 70's, marital rape laws were coming into being. I remember class discussions about the issues being debated around these new laws. I looked it up on Wikipedia, and the first state to remove the exemption in rape laws for spouses was South Dakota in 1975 and the last US state to remove the spousal exemption was North Carolina in 1993 (only 20 years ago). So when some of us oldsters talk about how it was before we are talking about something we remember, not approving of marital rape. Yes, marital rape is a bad thing, but those times are not that far behind us.

[TalalOfDorne]

I am amused when I see some people think 50 is elderly. :P Isn't 50 middle aged these days?

I think it gets lower by time. Who knows? Maybe in 10 years 35 might be considered old...

[Woman of War]

I think it gets lower by time. Who knows? Maybe in 10 years 35 might be considered old...

"Old" is always at least fifteen years away from what you are at the moment...........:D

[SeanF]

I have just thought of a big difference that being say 35+ could make in how people read the books. The issue is marital rape. I can only speak to what was happening in America, but the concept of marital rape is something that has developed in my lifetime. Until the mid to late 70's, rape laws contained an exemption for spouses. When I was in high school in the late 70's, marital rape laws were coming into being. I remember class discussions about the issues being debated around these new laws. I looked it up on Wikipedia, and the first state to remove the exemption in rape laws for spouses was South Dakota in 1975 and the last US state to remove the spousal exemption was North Carolina in 1993 (only 20 years ago). So when some of us oldsters talk about how it was before we are talking about something we remember, not approving of marital rape. Yes, marital rape is a bad thing, but those times are not that far behind us.

I think the spouse exemption for marital rape in England and Wales was brought to an end in 1991. But long before then, English judges treated marital rape as a form of assault. I don't know if that was the case in the US.

[gande51]

"Old" is always at least fifteen years away from what you are at the moment...........:D

Wow , so yes 35+ , oh bog .... That's a baby !!

[Light a wight tonight]

60 is the new forty.

Last year at a pumpkin-launching contest I was congratulated by a 50-something for showing that the mature crowd could defeat teams of engineering students. I got a laugh with "70 is the new 50". Gray hair rocks!

[The Dornish Direwolf]

I'm 25, but alot of the time I feel much older. I joined the Marines straight out of high school and did a tour in both Afghanistan and Iraq before coming home at age 22 and starting a family. Maybe not planned but I started it anyway lol :dunno: . My first favorite character in the books was Sandor, I felt I could identify with him on some level. His speech to Sansa about how he was burned chilled me on first read. The man is obviously suffering from some form of PTSD.

Also, Septon Maribald(sp?)'s speech to Brienne about broken men in war is the only time I've ever cried reading a book. He hit home on almost everything. War is stupid and solves nothing.

I enjoy reading(mostly) forums like this, it gives me a sense of connecting with people without the tediousness of social media sites like Facebook. What happened to having a sense of privacy in our lives? Everyone does not need to know everything about you, it cheapens the real life relationships you choose and develop, IMHO.

P.S. I'm pretty sure my 3 year old son is Rickon IRL. The kid is a wild man! :D