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youth

Norm was only in his 30s?

Ever look at your parents' high school yearbooks and think people looked so much older back then? All of the teenagers look like they’re in their mid-30s and the teachers who are 50 look like they’re 80. When we watch older movies, even those from the 1980s, the teenagers appear to be a lot older as well. Why is it that they looked so much older? Was life harder? Did people act more mature? Did they spend more time outdoors and less time playing video games? Is it their sense of fashion? Were they all smokers?

Educator Michael Stevens, who runs the super-popular Vsauce YouTube channel, explains the phenomenon in a video called, “Did people used to look older?” In it, he explains that people in the past appear a lot older due to retrospective aging.

This is how it works: when we see people in the past, they are wearing outdated styles that we associate with older people; therefore, we think they have aged rapidly. For example, a teenager in the 1950s may have been in fashion while wearing thick Buddy Holly-style glasses.

anti-aging, youth, why do i look older, how to look younger, treatments for looking younger, anti-aging productsBuddy Holly was 20 years old in this photo. upload.wikimedia.org

But as people age, they tend to cling to the fashion of their youth. So many people of that generation continued to wear the Buddy Holly-style glasses into their 50s. So when younger people see those glasses they see them as old people's glasses and not a hip kid from the '50s.

So in the photo from the '50s, the teen appears to look a lot older because our perspective has been tainted by time.

anti-aging, youth, why do i look older, how to look younger, treatments for looking younger, anti-aging products30 going on 60…media3.giphy.com

But it isn’t all just an illusion. Stevens also points out that people did age faster back in the day due to differences in nutrition, lifestyle and medicine. In addition, he also does a deep dive on how a person's name can affect their appearance, referencing the Dorian Gray effect, which theorizes that cultural stereotypes linked to a name come to be written on the faces of their bearers, as well as the name matching effect, in which people whose faces "match" their names tend to be better perceived.

Basically, this 22-minute video is chalked full of fascinating tidbits. Give it a watch below.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

It might be worth noting that, in addition to healthier lifestyle options, younger generations have more access to anti-aging procedures than ever before. "Tweakments," like fillers and botox, are less expensive and more readily available than ever—not to mention every anti-aging cream, serum, and cleanser known to man. And many millennials and Gen Zers take advantage of that, whether prompted by selfie anxiety, a growing obsession with youth, or some other motivation.

Plus, millennial and Gen Z fashion often honors their inner child. Nostalgic cartoon tees, colorful prints, cutesy accessories, etc. Granted, under the retrospective aging theory, even those styles could one day look dated, but they are so youthful that it's hard to imagine that being the case. That said, can't wait to see bunch of geezers sporting those broccoli haircuts.

This article originally appeared three years ago.

Dads on Duty are transforming a Louisiana high school that has been plagued by violence.

The incidents of students fighting at Southwood High School in September were overwhelming. CBS News reports that in just three days, 23 students were arrested for violence toward one another at the Shreveport, Louisiana high school. One student was even accused of battery after punching an assistant principal, according to KTBS News.

A group of dads decided enough was enough. They took matters into their own hands—by taking themselves into the school hallways.

Dads on Duty is a group of around 40 fathers who organize in shifts to have a daily presence at the school. They show up clad in matching t-shirts with their bad dad jokes and stern looks at the ready, engaging with the student body in a way that only dads can. With a mix of tough love and humor, they make sure students get to class on time and keep everyone in line.

Michael LaFitte founded Dads on Duty to bring a fatherly presence to the students who might not have good examples at home.


"We're dads. We decided the best people who can take care of our kids are who? Are us," LaFitte told CBS News.

That tough and tender care seems to be working. Since Dads on Duty started their shifts, there have been no more fights at the school.

"I immediately felt a form of safety," one student told CBS.

"We stopped fighting. People started going to class," said another.

"The school has just been happy—and you can feel it," said a third.

Dads help curb violence at Louisiana high schoolwww.youtube.com

Principal Kim Pendleton told KTBS that students love having these father figures at the school. Many of the kids know the dads from church or from their own neighborhoods, and Pendleton said she hopes more parents will join the effort.

"Because not everybody has a father figure at home—or a male, period, in their life," one of the dads told CBS. "So just to be here makes a big difference."

Dads on Duty told KTBS that they saw an opportunity to set an example and to show the community their love for the school. They hope to establish more chapters throughout Louisiana and perhaps around the country as well.

The CBS segment on the group has been well-received. People are loving what these dads are doing, from the universal understanding of "the look"…

Amazing how transformative a simple, strong, caring presence can be. Way to go, dads.

California teen quarterback Jasen Bracy

Jasen Bracy always wanted to play football, but retinal cancer he developed as a toddler took his eyesight by the time he was age 7. How could he play a fast-paced contact sport like football if he couldn't see?

"No way," his father, Jasen Bracy Sr. thought. "How is this going to be possible for him to get out there and play?"

But young Bracy was determined. As soon as he got his own phone, he started calling around to youth football teams and talking to the coaches. Eventually, he connected with David Nichols, the coach of the Modesto Raiders. Nichols was impressed with Bracy's attitude.

"The way he was on the phone, I just said, 'Come on we'll figure it out,'" Nichols told CBS News.


After playing last year as a running back, Bracy is now the starting quarterback for the Raiders, throwing passes and running in touchdowns himself—all without being able to see the other players on the field.

"It's all memory," he told CBS. "It's all about having trust in the player, the receiver and the team. I have to trust them 100%."

Bracy's teammates guide him into position on the field and his dad coaches him from the sidelines using a walkie-talkie that transmits to his helmet. "After the play starts, I may tell him, 'Hey, run to your right, let's get upfield,' or 'Watch out, somebody's coming to hit you,'" Bracy Sr. said.

It seems to be working out well. Bracy led the Raiders to a 33-6 win just last weekend.

Bracy's perseverance and the support from his family and community offer a beautiful example of how limitations don't automatically have to hold someone back.

In fact, Bracy has his hopes up for a shot in the NFL. "We'll see how far this career can go," he said.

Blind Youth Football Player Makes Big Moveswww.youtube.com

Naomi Osaka was only 20 years old when she won the U.S. Open tournament, and she is the first Asian player to hold the highest singles ranking. The tennis star moved to the U.S. from Japan at age three and she has held both Japanese and American citizenship.

Her U.S. citizenship has been a topic of discussion as the Japanese exemption that allows her to hold both passports expired at age 22—which Osaka turned in 2019. At that time, she announced she would choose to give up her U.S. citizenship to keep her Japanese citizenship and compete for Japan in the 2020 Olympics. However, Osaka has said that she feels "more like a global citizen" than one particular nationality—a sentiment supported by her latest endeavor.

In partnership with Nike and Laureus Sport for Good, Osaka launched a program to support girls in sports in Japan last year. Her Play Academy is committed to leveling the playing field for girls through physical play and sports, giving girls opportunities and encouragement to get moving.

Now, she is expanding Play Academy to Los Angeles, where she currently lives and trains, as well as to Haiti, where her father is from.


"The beauty of Play Academy is that it reflects all of the communities where Naomi has a personal connection," says Caitlin Morris, Nike VP, Social & Community Impact. "We share her belief that play is for everyone. Young girls in places like Los Angeles and Haiti may have different social and cultural reasons for why play and sport have been difficult to access, but in the end, they all need an opportunity to play – as well as authentic role models like Naomi, who fully embrace who they are and what they believe in."

Osaka is working toward the goal to make play and sports more accessible by partnering with local organizations dedicated to youth engagement who can bring Play Academy to communities that could benefit most from it. According to a news release from Nike:

In Los Angeles, Play Academy will partner with organizations that support young girls' participation in play and sport, especially those from Black, Asian and Latino communities. The Expression of Interest from organizations is now open (Click here to learn more). The first group of partners will be announced later this summer. In Haiti, Play Academy is partnering with GOALS Haiti, a grassroots organization working to advance youth leadership through soccer and education to create stronger, healthier communities in rural Haiti. The funding will specifically be applied to sport accessibility for girls, the hiring of more female coaches and the introduction of nuanced curriculum on how to encourage girls to create positive, healthy habits.

"We believe that all kids — especially girls — deserve a chance to play, no matter where they come from or what they look like," Osaka told PEOPLE. "The more we provide girls with opportunities to get active, the more opportunities we are giving them to become leaders in their communities."

How great to see a truly global endeavor to uplift and empower girls in various countries. Also great to see someone so young and talented taking up a leadership role for upcoming generations and using her fame and resources to create greater opportunities for young people. Keep up the inspiring work, Ms. Osaka.