Who said “When you're 50 you start thinking about things you haven't thought about before. I used…”?

Verified

Joyce Carol Oates. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceInterview in The Guardian (18 August 1989)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“When you're 50 you start thinking about things you haven't thought about before. I used to think getting old was about vanity -- but actually it's about losing people you love. Getting wrinkles is trivial.”
VerifiedInterview in The Guardian (18 August 1989) · evidenceAge and Aging
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Interview in The Guardian (18 August 1989).

APA

Oates, J. C. (n.d.). When you're 50 you start thinking about things you haven't thought about before. I used to think getting old was about vanity -- but actually it's about losing people you love. Getting wrinkles is trivial. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/440-when-youre-50-you-start-thinking-about-things/

MLA

Oates, Joyce Carol. “When you're 50 you start thinking about things you haven't thought about before. I used to think getting old was about vanity -- but actually it's about losing people you love. Getting wrinkles is trivial.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/440-when-youre-50-you-start-thinking-about-things/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Oates, Joyce Carol. “When you're 50 you start thinking about things you haven't thought about before. I used to think getting old was about vanity -- but actually it's about losing people you love. Getting wrinkles is trivial.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/440-when-youre-50-you-start-thinking-about-things/.