I dread my Birthday.

[ThisEmptySoul]

koopabrat

This site is marketed toward teenagers and made for teenagers.

Marketed toward teens? Yes. Made for teens? No. There's a difference. As Azami pointed out, if you look around at some of the content on the site, there is definitely adult humor in there and some of the items are a bit more adult as well. I believe the website was originally created with no specific audience in mind. As you might remember, given how long you've been with the site, there was even a "personals" type forum for people to try to hook up. {If you look at the Barton world map, that pink building with the heart on top that says "love" used to link to the "personals" forum} That was taken away and the site started to market more toward teens when it was discovered that's the type of audience that was flocking to it the most.

There's also a difference between saying you're afraid of what others will think of you for enjoying this site and saying that you definitely need to grow up because this site is below your age. In the first, that is talking about your insecurity. In the second, that is you saying this site is only for teens and therefore adults shouldn't be on it. I didn't personally take it as an insult, but rather was making you aware that it was an insult even if you didn't mean it to be. It is important to be mindful of what you say if what you're really looking for is support, because believe me, there are far harsher replies you could have gotten for what you said.

Also, for you to say you think it's a little weird but not wrong is a bit contradictory. To find it weird indicates that you feel something is wrong with it, but there isn't. Different people have different tastes. That's just a fact. Some things that are specifically made for adult audiences don't necessarily appeal to all adults, such as your example of Grand Theft Auto. At times, teenagers seem more into these supposed "adult" things than actual adults because it makes them feel mature for their age.

Being an adult doesn't mean you have to like everything "adult", nor does it mean you're limited to only "adult" things. When things are marketed toward a certain audience, it's usually because that's the audience that is most likely to take to it or the audience that was already receiving it with the most enthusiasm... {or because it's the only audience they can legally market certain content to}. It's not {usually} to exclude other audiences from it {though sometimes pandering too much to a certain crowd can alienate all others. I don't think Gaia has gotten there completely}.

Now... if I was going to feel insecure about being here, rather than it being something regarding age, it would be the fact that it's marketed more toward girls. As my spouse once put it, "What kind of guy likes playing dress up anyway?" rofl Spouse figures this is a girly website and likes to tease me about being here pretty regularly, but I keep coming back anyway because I enjoy it and I've got an ego that's hard to deflate.

{In case this wasn't obvious, Ryzan and I are one in the same.}  

[purpleravenhawk]

Azami_Kuroi

purpleravenhawk

Turning the big 3-0 in less than three weeks. gonk

It'll be okay! : D
Life goes on afterward, I promise.
And hell think of it this way...you'e old enough to be past the BS of your teens and 20's, but young enough to still have plenty of fun!

Early Happy Birthday!

Thank'ee muchly! whee I do hope there's more fun in my future. Doesn't feel like it today, but I suppose there's always hope, right? Eeehhh, I'm not too sure about that either, actually. Guess I'm feeling old and depressed today. *stabs coworkers*