If only....
Maybe it's just me....
I'm strongly attracted to women in their mid 40s to late 50s. And all I ever hear is how what they really want is a younger man.
"If only you were younger"
It seems to boil down to chronology. I don't think I look that 'old', and given the opportunity, I don't function like I'm that old. If they know me, I'm not about to have a heart attack on them in the middle of .....
But there's something about an age number. That really bugs me because I'll turn 70 later this year, and I expect the attitude will only get worse.
Maybe people (and in this case I'm referring to older women) just look for excuses not to be happy. They're still comfortable somehow--with the devil they know.
It's counterintuitive, certainly. However, I've fallen victim to other's self-sabotage about 4 or 5 times in my life to this point, and I'm really don't mind saying that I'm sick of it.
When I was 26, I was too young.
When I was 30, I was too young.
When I was 40, I was too young.
And now I'm in my mid-40's, and I'm still too young. To have a serious, committed relationship.
I'm freaking grey haired and balding!

But I'm still too young!
Eventually, I do expect what will happen is exactly what you're saying; that the excuse will suddenly turn on its own head. I'll be too old, in someone's eyes; or precluded for some other reason (so-called).
Because when people aren't using a number against me, they are blaming God, or citing some illogical religious conviction.
Granted: humans are complicated. But they also don't mind hurting other people, just to maintain the normalcy of their life.
Maybe misery is just good and reliable; it's predictable.