These kind of threads have been around lately so I want to ask OzBargainers a question, would you rather live 70 years and lead an average* life, or live 40 years rich*?
*You are to determine what an average or rich life is.
70 years Average Life, or 40 Years Rich?
Comments
I have a feeling blopd is about 18 years old - back then I thought "40" was some kind of date in distant space, suddenly considering death @ 40 seems a bit scary.
Would have to be, using 70 as life expectancy, as that generation's average life is less than previous which is around 85.
Problem that is faced, like you say, is after 40 years of rich life, which I would guess they are really enjoying, its going to be a hell of a lot harder to give up.
Meaningless question, too many unspecifieds. What if 40 years are in a wheelchair from an accident payout? Or average means world average which is quite a bit lower than Oz average?
70 years with no regrets thanks
dying at 40 is prob the biggest regret when you realised that you should have picked 70 average yrs
an average ($) life can still be rich (not monetarily rich)
This
I like asking the question of live as normal, or very wealthy (let's say $10M per year) and you live 10 years less than you would have otherwise. The question is, you don't know what you would have lived otherwise! So if you were going to die at 60 of a heart attack, you would now die at 50, etc.
I'd rather live any way, even super povo, than die at 40. I worked once with a guy, super dooper rich who lost his life to cancer relatively young. Money couldn't help. You cannot buy perfect health or good luck.
Being rich or even the desire to be rich probably shortens peoples lives in reality ie. high living, drinking, indulgent food, risky hobbies, stressful high-end jobs.
I'd rather live an average life with my lovely partner and our family. That's not to say we have to accept our lot in life and can't improve it and be above average.
Even if you are in an above average situation, make sure you appreciate what matters most and never lose sight of it.
With the rate Medical Technology is advancing, I'd go for the 70 because there is every chance that by the time I get there there will be medicine to extend me even further. Google Aubrey de Grey and have a read of some of the Transhumanist and life extension stuff going on around the world. In the future age will simply be a measure of how long we have been around. Frailty and degenerative ability related to ageing will be defeated by medical technology.
One day it will be possible to turn back the biological clock and live forever in the body of a 22 yo, it will probably be possible to reinvigorate and repair frail old bodies back to their youthful and healthy states. The key now is staying alive long enough to catch onto the beginning of the medical revolution that is coming.
Average life = earn about $2 million over working life. ~$60,000/year from 28-60 years old. Marry while in your 20's, have kids in late 20's to late 30's, go on annual family holidays, watch your kids grow up. Help them here and there financially without spoiling them. By late 50's, see my kids marry and have children of their own. Retire at 65 (or is it 67 now? Eek!) Look after the grandkids. Die at 70.
Rich life = earn over $1 million/year without really doing anything. Do all the things an average life would provide except start earlier. Marry at 18 for example. Kids by 20. Your life IS a holiday. Spoil your kids, spouse. OR maybe you won't get married. Just go from place to place, spending money on expensive items, have kids with multiple partners. Spoil those kids. Or never have kids! Spend all your money on yourself or others. First Class? Pffft. Where's my private Jet! Sleep around. Explore the world. Eat at fancy restaurants. Hang on, where my personal Chef! Die at 40.
I think I'd rather an average life of 70, provided I'm healthy up until that point and I just instantly drop dead at 70 haha.
Only problem with the rich life…
When waiting for your private jet, luxury boat, Limo, sports car, some other bastard pulls up beside you and has a bigger and better one… so you dont feel so rich anymore
70 years is nothing if your health is still good.
(plenty of people mountainclimb,marathon etc in their 70s)
trouble is knowing what your health is going to be by that stage of life.