40-Year-Old Man Claims He Only Dates Women Under 24—'Too Much Baggage When They're Older'
Baggage and mileage could also just be called life experience.
Twitter A Twitter user named Ben, who tweets under the handle @shadesofgame, made his problematic dating tactics clear in a tweet announcing his age requirements for his girlfriends.
“I’m 40 and I don’t date girls over 24,” Ben announced of his own free will. “My girlfriends are 20, 21, and 24. The 24-year-old I’ve been with her since 2 years.”
One has to wonder what happens to Ben’s golden rule of dating when his girlfriend has her next birthday, but Ben didn’t stop his unsolicited insights there.
He claimed girlfriends over the age of 24 have 'too much baggage.'
"Too much mileage and baggage when they’re older than that," Ben said, of any woman older than 24 years old. "Trust me, I’ve tested it extensively." He kept going, saying, “So, I recommend you do the same. 18-24 only. Understand the game.”
Ben kept referencing “the game” without explaining exactly what game he was referring to. It almost goes without saying that thinking of romantic partnerships as a game creates a lack of emotional connection and a major power imbalance.
But Ben seems to appreciate that kind of power imbalance; in fact, he seems to court it. But Twitter followers weren’t going to let him get away without a healthy critique of his statement.
“‘I’m 40 and I only date women young enough to be my daughter,’ fixed it for you,” commented one follower. “You are the baggage,” said someone else.
A Twitter user named Ivy Wilder noted, “I was thinking about how the guys who have these accounts regularly hire us (sex workers) and take photos with us and then post them on social media and pretend that we wanted to hang out with them just because. Sir, you gave me 2 thousand dollars to sit here in this dress.”
“Andrew Tate already said this,” noted another person.
Under Ben's original tweet, an announcement read, “Readers added context they thought people might want to know: According to this AI image detector, the second picture is AI-generated fake.”
Yet the more commenters called Ben out, the more he doubled down. “What exactly is toxic about this?” Ben asked. “Having preferences is misogyny now?”
Ben openly admits to ditching his girlfriends after age 24, making a clear statement about the level of maturity in his partners.
Ben continued to defend himself in the comments, saying, “There are many who like me. I would say that the older I’ve gotten the better of a partner I’ve become. More balanced, more calm, more confident, more empathy, etc.”
“It’s not a game, you’re a predator,” one person mentioned. “This is so predatory. Younger women are easier victims to abuse and manipulate,” a different person affirmed.
According to a 2013 study published by the National Institute of Health, humans’ brains aren’t fully developed until 25 years old. The study states that “the prefrontal cortex is one of the last regions of the brain to reach maturation… [it] offers an individual the capacity to exercise good judgment when presented with difficult life situations. The prefrontal cortex… is responsible for cognitive analysis, abstract thought, and the moderation of correct behavior in social situations… The fact that brain development is not complete until near the age of 25 years refers specifically to the development of the prefrontal cortex.”
While it’s possible to have a consensual relationship featuring an age gap, the fact that Ben refuses to date women after their brains have fully developed feels hugely toxic.
It’s also important to note that everyone has some level of baggage; it’s part of being a sentient person in the world. That Ben doesn’t want to date women with their own histories and life experiences tells of a larger toxic narrative of men not seeing women as having equally valid consciousnesses as them. Yet one hopes that the public outcry over his dating practices leads to some sort of change.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers celebrity gossip, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.