When I was seventeen, I babysat a group of preschoolers for a few hours once a week. Sometimes, these four- and five-year-olds would try to guess my age: “Are you 12?” “Are you 40?” “Are you 9?” “Are you 100?” They had no clue what any age older than their own looked like, no concept of the difference between a 9-year-old, a 29-year-old, and an 89-year-old. Today, I don't have to spend time with a toddler to have that experience; I just have to open TikTok.

“Aging” filters have gone viral on TikTok at various points over the past few years. This summer's take on the trend is set to “Let Me Clear My Throat” by DJ Kool, and the trend goes like this: You begin the video with the “ aged filter ” on, then, when the beat drops, take the filter off to reveal your real, younger face. When acto

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