Do you want to be old when you die???

Deus Ex Machina

The desire to live a long life seems to be universal. Modern medicine is capable of negating the risks of many illness which in the past restricted length of life significantly. It seems to me, however, that a long life is not necessarily desirable.

People can live to 80 or 90, but at that age it is likely that at least some, if not many, of one's faculties, mental or physical, will be in a significantly poorer state than one would like. To my mind I don't want to have my life extended into years of infirmity when I could die before their onset. Also, I don't want to live in envy of the youthful, wishing I had their vitality and energy. I think if I were told that I am going to die when I reach 50, if I even reach that age, I would be more than happy.

Quality not quantity holds when it comes to years of life.

phasers

depends on my mental and physical state tbh

alwaysadub

I don't want to be too old, where i can't look after myself.
Once i feel like i've lived a full and happy life, i'm not too bothered bout when i die.

perri winkles

My granny just turned 80. No bother on her, lives with my grandad who is 85.

They are both completely independent, my grandad still holds down a gardening job which he loves, My granny still does the flower arranging for her church.

I personally would love to have what they have at their age. They are a perfect example of how age shouldn't, in most cases, hold you back.

There was a show on about England's oldest people and the only happy one was a guy stil working as a mechanic at 105.. Most said they'd be happy to pass on.

Hank_Jones

I'd have no problem being old if I was fit and well.
I certainly don't want to spend the final years of my life worrying about whether I am going to crap my pants.

perri winkles

Deleted User wrote: »

Most said they'd be happy to pass on.

I always think about this, becuase I know that my grandad is terrified of death, he hates thinking or talking about it.

It makes me sad because when he (in the distant future!) passes on, I'll know he didn't want to :(

sarmer

I'd love to live to be really old but as long as I was fit and well and could still live my life pretty much as I do now.

I was at the full moon party in Thailand a few years back and there was this old granny partying with her family - I want to be her when I'm that age!

weldoninhio

I'm 27 and wouldn't have a problem passing on now. I'm not particularly morose, i have my ups and downs, i'm pretty intelligent, but i've gotten to a stage where i think, if this is it whats the point??

old hippy

weldoninhio wrote: »

I'm 27 and wouldn't have a problem passing on now. I'm not particularly morose, i have my ups and downs, i'm pretty intelligent, but i've gotten to a stage where i think, if this is it whats the point??

Trust me, my friend. There is more to it than 27 years. The point? To live, love, travel, experience and be good to your fellow man and woman (even the crap ones).

I've lost dear friends and loved ones & it's then when it really kicks in - life is precious & needs to be cherished.

weldoninhio

old hippy wrote: »

Trust me, my friend. There is more to it than 27 years. The point? To live, love, travel, experience and be good to your fellow man and woman (even the crap ones).

I've lost dear friends and loved ones & it's then when it really kicks in - life is precious & needs to be cherished.

Thats a very romantacised version of it. We basically plod along until we die.

old hippy

weldoninhio wrote: »

Thats a very romantacised version of it. We basically plod along until we die.

And that's too jaded an outlook for a 27 year old. It will pass.

If you are happy just plodding along, so be it. But you can choose your destiny and grab life by the balls.

Or you can allow yourself to be lazy and apathetic & be dragged along.

The choice is your, brother.

Deus Ex Machina

old hippy wrote: »

The point? To live, love, travel, experience and be good to your fellow man and woman (even the crap ones).

I am not sure there is a point. We as humans are predisposed to search for such a thing, but the nature of the universe is not tailored to our desires. As for those things which you mentioned, while they may provide a transient state of happiness, I don't think they qualify as a point or purpose, they are more like glorified modes of loitering, passing this existence in a less unpleasant way than some others.

I think a very strong case could be made for terminating one's existence as soon as one comes to the conclusion that continuing is not desirable. Nietszche and others have in fact been advocates of this view.

old hippy

Deus Ex Machina wrote: »

I am not sure there is a point. We as humans are predisposed to search for such a thing, but the nature of the universe is not tailored to our desires. As for those things which you mentioned, while they may provide a transient state of happiness, I don't think they qualify as a point or purpose, they are more like glorified modes of loitering, passing this existence in a less unpleasant way than some others.

I think a very strong case could be made for terminating one's existence as soon as one comes to the conclusion that continuing is not desirable. Nietszche and others have in fact been advocates of this view.

Nietszche is not the master of me, I am. He had plenty of views - do you agree with them all or are you cherry picking to tailor your outlook?

weldoninhio

old hippy wrote: »

And that's too jaded an outlook for a 27 year old. It will pass.

If you are happy just plodding along, so be it. But you can choose your destiny and grab life by the balls.

Or you can allow yourself to be lazy and apathetic & be dragged along.

The choice is your, brother.

In what way does saying i'd be happy to pass on now convey happiness to plod along??

And as for "choose your destiny and grab life by the balls". Thats fairytale Hollywood BS. Will destiny pay my bills, or maybe life will because i have him by the balls??

Deus Ex Machina

old hippy wrote: »

Nietszche is not the master of me, I am. He had plenty of views - do you agree with them all or are you cherry picking to tailor your outlook?

Absolutely not, I don't adhere to many of this veiws, and I don't think the fact that he advocated this necessarily makes it any more valid, I am merely mentioning it to illustrate the point that there have been serious thinkers who have held similar veiws, dude.

old hippy

Deus Ex Machina wrote: »

Absolutely not, I don't adhere to many of this veiws, and I don't think the fact that he advocated this necessarily makes it any more valid, I am merely mentioning it to illustrate the point that there have been serious thinkers who have held similar veiws, dude.

And I imagine quite a few of them have been fatalists, too. It's very easy to be negative but a right old slog at being positive. Trust me, I know

I'm just sad that someome of 27 can think that life is not really worth it. It is & it can be but one must be pro-active, rather than expecting it on a plate...

Kasabian

I don't care as long as I am asleep or having an orgasm.

quicklickpaddy

I wouldn't be able to put a year on when I'd like to die. But I definitely wouldn't want to live any longer than I could move about and be completely independent.

Sounds a bit weird, but if I am to get some disease in my old age I'd prefer it to kill me than to debilitate me. If I got cancer after 70/75 I think I would decline treatment. Then again that's easy to say now... Ask me again when I'm 70/75

Ali Babba

I couldn't care less if I dropped dead now to be honest, I've no attachments to this planet, the only sadness i'd feel is leaving my family, dog and friends.

brummytom

I want to die after I'm old enough to say anything and get away with it; but before I'm so old that I have to rely on other people for everything/get alzheimers.

quicklickpaddy

brummytom wrote: »

I want to die after I'm old enough to say anything and get away with it; but before I'm so old that I have to rely on other people for everything/get alzheimers.

Brilliant. A new perspective. You're a visionary, Tom

old hippy

Ali Babba wrote: »

I couldn't care less if I dropped dead now to be honest, I've no attachments to this planet, the only sadness i'd feel is leaving my family, dog and friends.

This attitude is not uncommon during periods of economic downturn. Suicides increased after the collapse in the 90s of the Asian Tiger and further back, many people took their lives during The Great Depression (what a tragic misnomer).

Not saying you're suicidal but this feeling of being tethered to this existence - well, there has to be a reason for it?

Ali Babba

I've always felt this way, it's got nothing to do with the downturn, no point in getting attached to things when your going to picked off someday anyway.

old hippy

Ali Babba wrote: »

I've always felt this way, it's got nothing to do with the downturn, no point in getting attached to things when your going to picked off someday anyway.

Ok so you're not a materialist - very commendable. But what about those you love and love you?

Kasabian

brummytom wrote: »

I want to die after I'm old enough to say anything and get away with it; but before I'm so old that I have to rely on other people for everything/get alzheimers.

I am that age

Deus Ex Machina

old hippy wrote: »

And I imagine quite a few of them have been fatalists, too. It's very easy to be negative but a right old slog at being positive. Trust me, I know

I'm just sad that someome of 27 can think that life is not really worth it. It is & it can be but one must be pro-active, rather than expecting it on a plate...

Doesn't the statement that it requires a right old slog to be positive force you to question your conclusions? If a belief requires active reinforcement it is likely that it is based on something other than logic, one only has to look at the world's religions to see that.

I don't think the ease with which one holds a belief has anything to do with its veracity. I would also contend the point that this position is negative, realism is often branded negative because it doesn't fall in line with a mindlessly optimistic outlook.

Ali Babba

old hippy wrote: »

Ok so you're not a materialist - very commendable. But what about those you love and love you?

Like I said in my first post, i'd only be sad to leave my family, my dog and my friends, couldn't care less about the rest of the place of people for that matter. I'm sick of trying to achieve anything anymore.

McChubbin

If at first you don't succeed, reincarnation is the way to go.

To be perfectly honest, I don't see myself living past 50.
Between health problems (both physical and mental) along with having absolutely no idea what generational defeats or hierditary conditions I might have been dubiously blessed with, it's just a hunch I have.

As long as I get the chance to meet my offspring, I'll be happy.

Some day, Ronnie James Dio McChubbin shall enter the world. Someday...

Seachmall

I don't really care when I die, it doesn't really make a difference. I can say I want to live till I'm 80 but if I die tomorrow so what, I'll be dead.

Not sure if that makes much sense but I'm sure ye get it.

old hippy

Deus Ex Machina wrote: »

Doesn't the statement that it requires a right old slog to be positive force you to question your conclusions? If a belief requires active reinforcement it is likely that it is based on something other than logic, one only has to look at the world's religions to see that.

I don't think the ease with which one holds a belief has anything to do with its veracity. I would also contend the point that this position is negative, realism is often branded negative because it doesn't fall in line with a mindlessly optimistic outlook.

Existence is not easy, so yes - it can be a slog, happy or unhappy. The key to existence, though, is to embrace it. And it's easier to embrace with a smile on your face. I'm not advocating Stepford Wives, rather a positive approach to the rollercoaster of life.