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Would you want to live forever if it were possible?

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    #62
    The Dagda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭The Dagda


    HHobo wrote: »
    I understand economics as well as most economists, that is to say not very well :)

    I took the poster to be suggesting that you are unique in this living forever bit. In that scenario I give you Einstein


    “The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest”

    Compound interest has no effect on time...


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    #63
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Duggys Housemate wrote: »
    What doesn't he understand. If you live forever and economys continue to grow, a small bit of investing would make you rich.

    All wars and economic collapse could harm it a bit, so diversify.
    A small bit of smart investing could make you rich.

    Regression to the mean, the house always wins, etc basically means that in the long-term game €1 invested even across a wide range of things will still only mature in line with inflation.

    The trick is getting your money out when the going's good and potting it. If you could play the long term game over hundreds of years, then you can spend pennies and sit on things until they're worth something, like some bogland in the backarse of nowhere. However, simply throwing a few euro into long-term bonds won't make you a multi-millionaire 150 years later.


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    #64
    The Dagda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭The Dagda


    Duggys Housemate wrote: »
    Both. Compound interest. Maybe you should explain why we are wrong.

    I initially responded to a poster who stated it would "be impossible to not be rich".

    I disagree. You're wrong if you think the only prerequisite for wealth is time.


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    #65
    The Dagda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭The Dagda


    seamus wrote: »
    A small bit of smart investing could make you rich.

    Regression to the mean, the house always wins, etc basically means that in the long-term game €1 invested even across a wide range of things will still only mature in line with inflation.

    The trick is getting your money out when the going's good and potting it. If you could play the long term game over hundreds of years, then you can spend pennies and sit on things until they're worth something, like some bogland in the backarse of nowhere. However, simply throwing a few euro into long-term bonds won't make you a multi-millionaire 150 years later.

    This.

    Immortality would only be an advantage if you already had a talent for generating wealth.


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    #66
    HHobo
    Registered Users Posts: 298 ✭✭HHobo


    The Dagda wrote: »
    Compound interest has no effect on time...

    Did you tell me I didn't understand economics :)

    Time has an effect on compound interest!


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    #67
    MaxSteele
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,109 ✭✭✭MaxSteele


    Too right I would. Imagine how many different lives you could lead.

    Spend one lifetime here, another in Brazil, another in Australia etc etc. Why not try experience all the different cultures and lifestyles around the world ?

    Once your dead, your dead. That's it. There's no coming back. Your dead for eternity. Why end your life when you've only seen or visited 1% of the Earth ?


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    #68
    Burky126
    Registered Users Posts: 476 ✭✭Burky126


    What would be the point of immortality? It's not like you'd get any taller.


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    #69
    The Dagda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭The Dagda


    HHobo wrote: »
    Did you tell me I didn't understand economics :)

    Time has an effect on compound interest!

    The compounding of interest only occurs when there is a principle amount to which interest is being applied.

    You need more than time, compound interest, or any combination of the two, to generate a principle sum. :rolleyes:


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    #70
    Caliden
    Registered Users Posts: 5,982 ✭✭✭Caliden


    Once the fix cell regeneration we'll all be living forever. The Russians reckon it will be possible by 2025


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    #71
    HHobo
    Registered Users Posts: 298 ✭✭HHobo


    The Dagda wrote: »
    The compounding of interest only occurs when there is a principle amount to which interest is being applied.

    You need more than time, compound interest, or any combination of the two, to generate a principle sum. :rolleyes:

    I was assming until now that you were arguing your case in good faith. It was assumed by everyone else that nobody was suggesting sitting in a room all day and magically expecting wealth to appear. It was presumed that you would still be doing most of the things the lot of us currently unwealthy people would be doing. These things are not enough to make you wealthy in the average life span. They would guarantee it if longevity were not a factor.


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    #72
    BrokenArrows
    Registered Users Posts: 7,500 ✭✭✭BrokenArrows


    If I could be immortal but able to ensign when I choose then yea.


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    #73
    The Dagda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭The Dagda


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    It would be impossible not to get rich.

    This is what I originally responded to. It most certainly would be possible to not get rich.
    HHobo wrote: »
    I was assming until now that you were arguing your case in good faith. It was assumed by everyone else that nobody was suggesting sitting in a room all day and magically expecting wealth to appear. It was presumed that you would still be doing most of the things the lot of us currently unwealthy people would be doing. These things are not enough to make you wealthy in the average life span. They would guarantee it if longevity were not a factor.

    Whilst I find it strange that you think you can speak for everyone, I'm going to try and make my point one more time.

    The only alternative to getting rich is NOT "sitting in a room all day and magically expecting wealth to appear" it takes more than time to generate wealth. People do not get rich by simply working a very long time.


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    #74
    FloatingVoter
    Registered Users Posts: 6,133 ✭✭✭FloatingVoter


    You'd be quite rich by buying an iPad or a Black and Decker drill, leaving in original wrapping and "discovering" it in 10/100/1000 years time. The antiques route.

    Writing definitive histories for forthcoming generations would be a nice little earner - but with that would come fame.


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    #75
    Cionád
    Registered Users Posts: 2,000 ✭✭✭Cionád


    The Dagda wrote: »
    This is what I originally responded to. It most certainly would be possible to not get rich.



    Whilst I find it strange that you think you can speak for everyone, I'm going to try and make my point one more time.

    The only alternative to getting rich is NOT "sitting in a room all day and magically expecting wealth to appear" it takes more than time to generate wealth. People do not get rich by simply working a very long time.

    You'd want to be a bit of a simpleton if you can't figure out how to get rich with potentially millions of years experience. Maybe not impossible, but certainly extremely improbable that you couldn't do it.

    Of course time isn't everything, but when time = ∞, it doesn't really matter.


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    #76
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Cionád wrote: »
    You'd want to be a bit of a simpleton if you can't figure out how to get rich with potentially millions of years experience. Maybe not impossible, but certainly extremely improbable that you couldn't do it.
    Well, this is true. After 50 years, even the biggest eejit should be able to spot boom-bust cycles and buy low, sell high with reasonable accuracy/confidence.

    People tend to be overly obssessed with getting in exactly at the trough at selling exactly at the peak for maximum profit, but when you're not concerned about time, you'll be happy enough if you buy close to the trough and sell close to the peak rather than trying to get it spot on.


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    #77
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,830 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    pmcmahon wrote: »
    It would be impossible not to get rich.
    LOL

    Until recently only a tiny percentage of the population have been able to accumulate wealth. And in many cases there are periodic downturns that erode any wealth at the bottom and transfer it to the very rich.


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    #78
    Duggys Housemate
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,298 ✭✭✭Duggys Housemate


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    LOL

    Until recently only a tiny percentage of the population have been able to accumulate wealth. And in many cases there are periodic downturns that erode any wealth at the bottom and transfer it to the very rich.

    I don't think anybody wants to live longer by taking a trip to the past.


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    #79
    candy-gal1
    Registered Users Posts: 6,568 ✭✭✭candy-gal1


    Yes, just absolutley yes! :)
    Who wouldnt want to live forever though tbh, within reason obviously, if you just stopped ageing etc at a certain point whatever point that was wouldnt matter to me as long really, just to never stop existing or feeling etc and to go on forever would be awesome!!! :D


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    #80
    gnfnrhead
    Registered Users Posts: 12,478 ✭✭✭✭gnfnrhead


    Provided I dont keep ageing, damn right I would.

    Just think of all the stuff you're going to miss when you die. Live forever and you wont miss it.


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    #81
    wendell borton
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,336 ✭✭✭wendell borton


    Meh, I'll do it tomorrow.


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    #82
    Omackeral
    Registered Users Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    The Dagda wrote: »
    How would one get rich?

    Well ya couldn't die tryin'


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    #83
    Duggys Housemate
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,298 ✭✭✭Duggys Housemate


    Just buy a prize bond - sorted.


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    #84
    pragmatic1
    Registered Users Posts: 5,573 ✭✭✭pragmatic1


    Hell no. Everything gets boring after a while. Death is a blessing.


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    #85
    Son Of A Vidic
    Registered Users Posts: 32,370 ✭✭✭✭Son Of A Vidic


    dd972 wrote: »
    Would you want to live forever if it were possible?

    No way, the average life span would do me just fine


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    #86
    Cheerful Spring
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,893 ✭✭✭Cheerful Spring


    If i was multi-millionaire i probably be fine with living a bit longer. But come on does it matter, in 100 years, nobody will even know you were here living and raising a family. And if there is no afterlife after you die? Your basically just living the moment. Its depressing stuff i'm saying, but its just reality face up to it.

    Having to care for myself on a ok wage is tough enough, living more than 85 on a **** pension doesn't really appeal to me, personally.


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