What's wrong with Elizabeth's age?

I can understand people objecting to Ross dating a student and breaking the rules of the university. But why are some people upset about Elizabeth's age? She's 20, making her legal by at least 2 years in every American state. Therefore, Ross wouldn't be breaking the law if he were to hook up with her. I know plenty of college girls around this age that are mature women. So what's immoral about this union (or am I misreading the upset over this topic)? I'd really like to know what the problem is.

Technically, this is a spoiler for some people overseas...

some space here...

I don't have a problem with the age difference (if I did, I'd be a hypocrite). I don't really even have a problem with Ross's dating a student, since she's not in his class anymore.

Lauran

SPOILER SPACE

There is no problem with Elizabeth's age that is any more serious than the age difference when Monica was dating Richard. Rachel will date ELizabeth's father; the age difference is not a huge moral issue there, either. I just think Ross dating a student is awkward and unwise. I don't dislike him for it.

Claire Abraham wrote:

OMG CLAIRE! did u read that in a spoiler????? ~Act

"Activia" wrote in message news:[email]...

breaking the

Elizabeth's age?

state.

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So what's

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i think the problem the university has is that the teacher may develop a favourtism, especially in her marks.

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I don't think that many people are upset with the age difference. Though I do think that in Ross' situation, he is being a bit unwise.

"Dr. Briefs" wrote:

I would feel the same. But the time to stop the relationship would have been before the first date. Once one is infatuated, it's very hard to stop.

Actually, to be more accurate, one should compare ages as a percentage of their current age. In other words, I'm assuming Ross is 30 and Elizabeth is 20, so the difference is 10 years, which make Elizabeth 33.3% younger than Ross. So if you are 24, then you should be comparing that situation to someone who is (hmmm lessee (24)(.666) =~ 15.98) about 16 years old.

Of course there's a limit to this type of comparison, and we might be close to the lowerbound age where it makes sense.

of their

so the

So if you are

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close to the

The standard rule of thumb for *optimum* age gap is "half the guy's age plus 7", with a margin of up to 5 years higher (but not lower). (This doesn't make sense until you're 14, and holds up roughly until you're into your 50s.) Which means any of the guys could reasonably date 22yos and up (24 for Ross), and the girls could look at anyone up to mid 40s before it gets weird. Monica and Richard were on the very edge of "acceptable" - did we get his actual age? - if he's late 40s or v early 50s. Of course there are plenty of RL couples where this doesn't hold true (my mum's older than my dad and they've been married 31 years) but it also can act as a pretty good rule of thumb (e.g.16yo girls shouldn't be dating anyone older than about 21)

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

What do you mean by "margin"? Are you saying that she can be half his age plus 7 to 12 years, or are you saying the age gap cannot exceed 5 years?

I've decided to ignore the margin in what follows...

So Phoebe should date a 50 year old guy. (50/2+7=32)

The age gap between Monica & Richard is 21 years, so they will not become "acceptable" for another four years (56/2+7=35).

ROSS: I don't know, I don't think Mom and Dad would mind.
      Remember when you were 9 and Richard was 30, how Dad
      used to say, 'God I hope they get together.'           (216)

Chandler & Monica are the same age, as are Ross & Phoebe, so they should have got together at 14 - Ross & Rachel should have waited until 16 & 15.

The age gap between Frank & Alice is -26, so their optimum moment came when Frank was -38 and Alice was -12.

Many thanks for doing an unspoilt version, Jacqui.

Tennant

Monica had a fling with someone who was MUCH younger than her, like a senior in high school, in one of the early episodes. She misled him about her age and he misled her about his. When she found out, she said something like "I feel like Joan Collins" and he said "Who?".

Does anyone remember this?

~cs-nerd

In article , cyberspacenerd wrote:

I do. Edited from 122 "TOW the Ick Factor"...

ETHAN: Wow! You know, you read about it, you see it in the movies. Even when you practise it at home, it is nothing like that!

MONICA: Listen, uh, I'm not 22. I'm, I'm 25... and thirteen months.

ETHAN: As we're telling stuff, I'm a little younger than I said.

MONICA: You're not a senior?

ETHAN: Oh, I'm a senior... in high school.

MONICA: Okay... What we did was wrong, you shouldn't even be here,
        it's a school night. Oh god, oh god. I'm like those women
        that you see with shiny guys like Chad. I'm Joan Collins.

ETHAN: Who?

Tennant

Tennant Stuart wrote

age

age

years?

The margin applies in the sense of 16yof with 21 yom is ok, even though 16yof shouldn't date anyone older than 18 ((16-7)*2). Up to 23 would be just about acceptable. 13 would most definitely not. ;) It's only a rule of thumb, not a law!

22yos

40s

She *could*, not *should*.

become

But when they dated it was 52/2 +7, which was 33 - the "acceptable" age gets further away as you get older. I did say it only worked until the age of 50 or so! ;)

should

15.

when

Lol.

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

Okay, fine. :)

Like all such rules, it cannot cope with the vagaries of human nature...

Tennant

become

Actually, this illustrates my "margin" thing anyhow. She's 31 now. 35-31=4 which is less than 5, so therefore acceptable. ;) (Going the other way, the calculation is 24*2 which would be 48, with the margin that would be 53. I think that's close enough not to quibble with (besides, Richard was Schexshy so we can forgive him anything)

Jac

In article , "Jacqui" wrote:

Yah - even we guys can recognise this, and he could outwit Chandler:

CHANDLER: Kick, save, and... denied.

RICHARD: But... he gets it back, pass to the middle, lines it up and... BAM! Yes! Could that shot BE any prettier?

JOEY: Man, you are incredible!

RICHARD: Well, we had a table in college.

CHANDLER: Oh really, I didn't know they had foosball in the 1800's.

RICHARD: Nice moustache by the way. When puberty hits that thing's really gonna kick in.

Tennant :-)