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[LessinSF]

I have "dated" women with up to a 12 year difference younger (31 to 19 when we met and 36 to 25 when I see her now) and 8 years older (30 to 38), and most of the generalizations expressed here are just that - something with an element of truth, but exceptions abound.

I couldn't date most college age girls for any length of time now because the cultural differences interfere - different music (though not as bad as most my age), different ideas of whether a big ugly tat across the entire small of her back is attractive, different drugs (give me coke and mushrooms, not meth and extacy) - and because of the level of maturity and life experiences. That said, I have met some over the years and continue to do so. A 21-year old I know through a political group has dated a friend of mine, and I would date her in a second - incredibly mature, intelligent, and self-confident.

Moreover, it is a no-brainer that the eye-candy is better on hot younger women. This is offset, however, by my continuing experience that the next generation is flabbier and wears unflattering fashions. I still don't know whether they are just fatter with more bad body art, or whether the thrity-something women are trying harder to look good. It is also true that older women are more comfortable with their sexuality, their bodies, knowing what they want and asking for it, and less hung-up about what their friends think and whether their number is going too high. On the other hand, I am finding that that is changing too. The next generation seems to have healthier attitudes towards sex that ours, because they grew up with porn as mainstream instead of AIDS and Nancy Reagan.

The upshot is I don't think dating up or down in age neccessarily means there are psychological issues, but I do think that women who get as pissy about it as purse junkie have their own issues. Face it - the younger ones are probably more attractive than you and definitely more fun to hang out with (at least based upon your uptight reaction here).