We're told by governments, scientists, medical practitioners and demographers, that we're all living longer, and our progeny and their descendants, can expect to live EVEN longer still ? Think of all the benefits, the advantages we can expect by enjoying a longer life span ? A bit like 'daylight saving' really ? A few extra hours of daylight, that allows us to enjoy our garden longer, or an extra hour or so at the beach ?

Or are there more negatives, adverse effects of a prolonged life than there are benefits ?

This Topic was the original idea of FOXY, she was even kind enough to outline the points for discussion, as it were ? Almost a non-medical 'sequela' of my own feeble effort, dealing with mandatory euthanasia of the aged ?

What are the 'positives' of aging ? In my own case, I feel more judicious even calmer than when I was still at work. What about you ? Do you consider yourself smarter, wiser, more influential perhaps ? We'd all like to hear, I'm sure.

Is there a significant 'downside' to getting old ? Oh yeah, definitely ! We're all just 'pausing' in God's waiting room, each of us waiting our turn ?

Anyway, what are the adverse effects of aging ? Our health deteriorates, no matter how hard we try to look after ourselves ? Almost impossible to find meaningful work, if you're in that almost unemployable age group of 55 - 65 ? The prospect of prematurely loosing our life's partner ? Deterioration of our locomotion, consigning us more and more to our homes ?

Socially, we can suffer discrimination and intolerance, even from younger family members ? I was particularly intolerant of my dear grandmother when I was younger, despite everything she did for me ? I'll take that guilt to my grave, as I should and beyond, if there's any real justice, but I was a bastard ? In retail outlets, are older people actually 'seen' and treated with the respect they rightly deserve ?

Continued...

"growing old is nothing more than mind over matter, if you don't mind it doesn't matter" saying on a poster I saw recently

Working class people living now are fortunate to be living now compared to what media past non living generations histories describe. I pose an idea that our fortunate living conditions have been obtained due to some long ago policy to convince populations not to have too many children to support parents in their old age. Hence many countries having social security old age pensions and free health care. These social security luxuries being introduced without a working class rioting in the streets.
My belief is that federal government debt concerns over time will be used in removing many of these free social security benefits. Because modern human behaviours are not conditioned to large family unit self-serving support systems as past generations were, families will maintain fewer numbers of children without considering large family unit security as an alternative.
I maintain governments invent bank money credits because capitalist balance sheet ideology doesn't work. The 1930s depression used to repress consumption after which world war 2 has most everybody employed towards the war effort. Capitalist profit making tax receivables after expenses can not balance when capitalist companies receive money from governments expenditures providing non company profits making military hardware. After the war few concerns of the great depression remain. Even though money turnover is used as how the war was paid for the analogy is easily debunked.
I believe and will argue if given the chance, governments and centralised share market traded corporations invent bank credits to pay wages regardless of profits. Encouraging populations into saving money for retirement years, reducing consumption of limited resources.
I believe government expenditures are far greater than taxable incomes regardless how much economic corporation and private sector growth exists, income tax credits will never exceed government expenditures.
I believe the people whom select political candidates for elections are the real power in governments, such people using boom bust cycles and government budget expenditure propaganda to regulate consumer expenditures and accumulated working class savings. the longer wealthy people live, the longer their children wait to receive an inheritance to spend.

CONTINUED from my initial Post...

As we age we encounter many more obstacles to inhibit the preferred way we live and enjoy our lives ? Moreover, should we wish to take a holiday as an example, we're more restricted to where we go and what we do ? This is before we even consider the cost.

Despite Medicare we can all rely upon, when we become unwell, there's still considerable out of pocket expenses to be found. Just getting to the Doctor, pharmacy costs, out-patient expenses, waiting time for elective surgery (unless we pay into a health fund). It's generally accepted younger people have far less costs associated with health than we older folk ?

Research has shown older people living alone, including some of those residing with families, often experience periods of depression, feelings of isolation and abandonment ? Some who are seemingly surrounded by family, claim their opinions are neither heard or appreciated. And many of the younger family members treat their elderly relatives quite dismissively, claiming they're generationally impotent on many topical and contemporary issues ?

Sure we elderly no longer need to rise early in order to get ready for work ? Sadly some even question the need to get up at all ? Particularly many of those living alone. Seems no point in getting up, without any reason ? No one to see and nothing to do ?

We hear all too often, an elderly neighbour has been found deceased in their own flat or home, not having been seen for four of five weeks ? Only then being found because of the repugnant miasma of advanced decomposition emanating from the dwelling. Just another legacy of being old ? Anyway nobody will miss them, therefore they'll die alone ? With their NOK eagerly clamouring around, in the vain hope they've been favourably mentioned in the Will ?

The whole sorry episode can be best described as morally despicable even loathsome - a glaring example of the odious seduction of 'filthy lucre' !

Growing old just puts us a little closer to meeting our Maker. For those who have found forgiveness in Christ they have much to look forward to. To others, they are taking their chances (which are not good).

God what a lucky life I & most of my generation have had.

We are just young enough to have missed the dreadful wars, & reached puberty when a really good education was available to any smart enough to grab it. Jobs were plentiful, houses cheap, & health care available for a few shillings a week.

Personally I was young when the taxpayer wanted young blokes to fly off aircraft carriers, but we did not have to get shot at while doing it. In my prime racing cars were cheap, & simple enough for a simple bloke to maintain. Anyone who really wanted to could afford one, or a yacht if that was your preference. People with normal incomes could do it all, if they avoided grog & gambling.

For a young person to live my life today would require an indulgent millionaire father, or the ability to rob banks without getting caught.

With simple tastes, [don't smoke, drink, or like clubs, restaurants, or gambling], I can afford a couple of reasonably nice old cars, & the odd trip to visit old friends in distant places. Thank heaven that none of my aches are aggravated driving my cars. All in all, it is a great life, if a little slower today.

Hell I even timed it right to take advantage of the net in my old age. I can still learn new things, share some loves with like minded people, & fight with a few too. It would get lonely with out all my friends around the world on my motoring sights, & places like this.

Continued.