[delichon]

I seem to have become scarier in my old age. People seem to pay more attention and react more strongly to me than they used to, but all I did was get older and uglier. Whatever physicality I had has waned, but moral presence among strangers has waxed. Maybe it's a remaining respect for elders rather than something to do with me. But it has made me more careful with hiding my grumpiness.

[mapontosevenths]

Sometime in my late 30's or early 40's I noticed that groups started deferring to me as the arbiter of disputes and decision maker. They also stopped being as playful with me.

I hadn't changed my personality significantly, and I was baffled for a long time. Then I realized that I had become a 40 something man with a touch of grey and some gravel in his voice.

Somewhere along the way people had just automatically started thinking of me as the Boss archetype instead of the Bro archetype.

It was startling to me that my dumbass opinion was suddenly being held in higher regard due to the simple expedient of becoming old.

[esafak]

So earn it.

[therealdrag0]

Yep I hate it. I much rather interact with peers than subordinates. I want people to challenge me and my opinion. I hate making casual comments and everyone in the room is silent as if it was the word of god.

[_DeadFred_]

I find I have turned invisible. But if I die my hair suddenly I'm no longer invisible. Even with just a really bad partially grown out dye job I'm treated like I exist again. But grey hair/grey beard? Invisibility cloak.

[luckman212]

As someone who has basically no hair left, I guess I've achieved permanent invisibility. Nice.

[tomrod]

Hear hear.