Aren’t childless men in their 60s often condescending toward women while ignoring their own circumstances? An older man I met today told me, “Have children soon. Once you get older, you won’t be able to compete with your youth anymore, so you need to move on to the next stage. Raising children is wonderful,” but I almost said, “You didn’t have children because you and your wife were no longer intimate, remember? LOL.”

Since this is anonymous, I’ll say whatever I want. When it comes to men in their 50s and 60s, if you ask whether there are more “sexist, insensitive ‘asshole’ old men” or “gentlemanly, attractive older men,” it’s definitely the former. So if that’s what the questioner meant by saying there are more of them, I agree. Even at Universe Club, I think there are more of the former as well (though the largest group is probably people who are neither). And although I’m only saying this based on rumors, it seems that the respondents themselves aren’t all in the latter category either. As for the comment that there are more gentlemanly men in their 30s and 40s, I agree if it’s about the proportion rather than the absolute number—meaning that in the papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) market, they’re more likely to be gentlemanly than men in their 50s and 60s. That’s because they’ve seen and dealt with so many “asshole” old men that they think, “There’s no way I can act like that.” And, of course, the sexism among people in their 50s and 60s and older is even worse in situations where there are no women around. So I think there’s probably much more going on behind the scenes than we can see. Regarding the children, I think that was an overly broad generalization. As others have commented, there were quite a few insensitive remarks, so I think some reflection is in order. Otherwise, you’ll end up lumped in with the “asshole” old men. Also, I don’t think the prevalence of sexless relationships differs all that much between generations. I’m in my 30s, have several children, and am not sexless. I have fairly decent financial freedom compared with men in their 50s and 60s—or even people my own age. I don’t constantly switch between lots of women, and I can still put on a gentlemanly front. I’m proud to say I’m probably a pretty fortunate person（笑） That said, even if an old man is sexist and insensitive, if he’s innocent and easy to manage, then he isn’t necessarily an “asshole.” Hopefully, you can find a way to get along well with that kind of person. Since this is anonymous, I said whatever I wanted.

If you hope to get married and have children someday, you should do so in your late 20s or early 30s. Pregnancy changes your body rapidly, and it’s truly exhausting. Even after giving birth, you won’t be able to sleep much, so it’s best to do it while you still have the stamina. Perhaps that gentleman was infertile, or one of them had an illness that prevented them from having children. Did you say in your reply that you don’t have children because of a sexless relationship? Back then, apparently, many people would say cruel things to couples who couldn’t have children, such as, “They’re useless,” without knowing anything about their circumstances… I don’t think it was because they were sexless. Maybe he had gone through some painful times and didn’t want you to have to suffer like that, either.

I apologize for the inconvenience I’ve caused. As a representative of those approaching their 60th birthdays, please accept my sincere apologies. Just a little excuse. When I was a new employee, I used to look at the executives and think, “I never want to become an old geezer like that.” But once I became one myself, the times had changed so much that everything gets labeled sexual harassment or power harassment, and I feel like I’m walking a very narrow one-way street. Please go a little easy on us. Also, if you ask me, men in their 30s and 40s are just kids! They only put on a gentlemanly front. Do be careful out there… Wait—maybe this is exactly what’s not okay? Yesterday, I went to Hakataza to see *Miss Saigon*. Afterward, the college student with an F-cup who watched it with me asked, “Where is Saigon?” and my knees nearly gave out. Naturally, that night, I had her place both hands against the window of a suite at a certain hotel and kept thrusting from behind while saying, “I want to see your parents’ faces if you got into a national university without knowing what Saigon is.” I only thrust from behind, so I wasn’t being condescending from above, right? P.S. For the role of Kim, my favorite is Natsumi Kon. Her rendition of “I’d Give My Life for You” gives me chills.

That old man is being unnecessarily nosy, but handling people like that smoothly is part of a papa-katsu woman’s skill set. If the words are practically spilling out, your feelings will show, so that’s not a good approach. It’s not really a matter of lumping generations together and calling it a sign of changing times. Quite simply, you just don’t like men in their 50s and older.

I’m Potassium, a female member. When I happened to read this question, I wondered whether you lumped men in their 50s and 60s together based solely on what the old man you met today said. If men in their 50s and 60s had told you exactly the same thing before, then I feel that preachy comment—“Once you get older, you can’t compete with youth anymore”—would carry a lot more weight. Also, I don’t know anything about that man or how deep your relationship with him is, so forgive me if I’m overstepping, but his wife could be infertile, among various other possibilities. So I don’t think you can categorically say that they don’t have children because of a sexless marriage. Anyway, if you don’t like being lectured by an incompatible older gentleman, you can simply cut him off. You could even try saying, “If you think raising children is so wonderful, then since I’m your papa’s girl, why don’t you treat me more like a child and give me a bigger allowance?” Times may be changing, but it’s also possible that both sides are looking down on each other simply because of their age. Incidentally, there aren’t any insensitive old men in their 50s or 60s around me—not even among the single men at my company—so you could say the questioner just had bad luck. Mixing in my current favorite three-choice format somehow turned this into an opinion packed with all sorts of meanings.

Some people don’t have children for a variety of reasons, so children are truly a blessing. Also, even if you want children, it can take a year to conceive, so perhaps they brought it up as something to keep in mind as you prepare for the next stage. I think it’s best to try to take what people say from different perspectives.

You could’ve just said it outright, lol. I also think the person asking the question was being insensitive by calling him an old geezer, so they’re both as bad as each other—and probably a perfect match as a couple. I think it’s simply a difference in the social norms of the eras they grew up in. By the way, is this even a question?