On Living Longer: Life and Death Decisions
70
Do You Want A Longer Life?
How long would you like to live?
How important is it to you to live a long life?
How much would you sacrifice if you could live an extra day, an extra month, an extra year, an extra decade or even an extra quarter century -- or longer?
Think about it.
If the creator came to visit you -- say, at midnight tonight -- and offered you an opportunity to live a longer life, what sacrifices would you be willing to make for some extra time?
What if the creator told you that it is written in "The Book" that you are scheduled to expire at the age of 60?
What if your lifespan could be extended . . . if only you would agree to one or more of the following conditions:
Give Up Ice Cream?
(1) You could extend your life by a full year to age 61 . . . if only you would give up eating ice cream.
Give Up Nightclubs?
(2) You could gain five additional years and live to 65 . . . if only you would give up carousing at nightclubs -- perhaps like this one (Davitts Nightclub) in Dungarvan, County Waterford, Ireland?
Give Up Drinking Coffee?
(3) You could live an additional 10 years to 70 . . . if only you would give up drinking coffee.
Give Up Steak and Lobster?
(4) You could extend your life by 15 years to 75 . . . if only you would give up steak and lobster.
Give Up Traveling?
(5) You could gain an extra 20 years and live to be 80 . . . if only you would agree never to travel beyond 100 miles from home -- perhaps to see to a scenic area like this one in Dungarvan, Ireland.
Give Up Eating Out?
(6) You could gain 25 years and live to be 85 . . . if you only would give up eating out -- perhaps at a good Chinese restaurant or maybe at Archie Moore's Restaurant and Bar in New Haven, Conn.
Give Up Drinking?
Give Up Illegal Drugs?
(7) You could live 30 years longer to 90 . . . if only you would give up drinking (booze, that is.)
(8) You could live another 35 years to age 95 . . . if only you would give up illegal drugs.
Give Up Religious Or Political Persuasions?
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(9) You could live to the ripe old age of 100 . . . if only you would abandon your political or religious views.
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Give Up Sex?
(10) You could live to be an incredible 130 years of age . . . if only you would pledge to give up sex.
Give Up All These Things?
(11) You could live to be 150 . . . if you would agree to give up all these things!
How old would you choose to be when you shuffle off this mortal coil?
If the truth be told -- and this is the truth -- I believe many people would make the trade and gladly make some or all of these sacrifices in exchange for a longer life!
How about you?
Why not tell us what sacrifices you would be willing to make?
Here's my view on the subject.
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How Old Will You Be When You Shuffle Off This Mortal Coil?
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I'd like to be a lab rat
Thanks, Tom. It was a fun hub to do.
I've already given up some of those. The ones left I would not willingly give up. Even if doing so did extend my life, the days of that life would be much reduced in pleasure/interest, so what's the point???
Very thought-provoking hub. Interesting to see what other Hubbers have to say on the topic.
There are somethings I could not give up, but other things I would, I enjoyed this hub.:) I would like to be 85 add and subtract a few things but 85 is my number. :)
I think lab rats would prefer to be just about anywhere but a lab, goldentoad. Thanks for commenting.
I won't ask you which ones you've given up, Mighty Mom. I hope everyone responds to the poll because I, too, would be interested to see how people will respond. Thanks.
a year in a lab for an additional fifty, might be worth it, I'd consider it like jailtime, just read some tolstoy and before you know it, you're free. But all in all I don't foresee me giving up red meat, stress, beer, sex, illegal drugs, or coffee, might as well be dead at that point.
I won't ask you what you've given up, either, AEvans, but I'm glad you enjoyed the hub. I'd say 85 isn't bad, though.
I suspect you have a lot of company, goldentoad, in saying you "might as well be dead." Nevertheless was ROFL when I read your list of things you don't expect to give up!
I will say this. Unless the stock market bounces back, I'm gonna have to adjust my exit number downward, as I won't have any money to finance any of these vices, let alone shelter, leisure suits, hair dye, or denture cream:-).
GT: You can give up stress re-focus and I say you can add 20 years I have just giving it to you. :)
I'd be happy to give up the stress AE, just don't see it happenin, maybe I should increase my consumption of the other things to eliminate that factor
Aww, I can only live up to be somewhere around 80 if I don't give up ice cream and eating out. Man, I'm already living 25 years of life!?
GT: I think that may be a good idea...You know what I mean...Lolo:)
Good hub. I do not think I would like to have my life extended because God has weighed you and decided that you should go at a particular age. Be prepared and happy to meet your Maker. Your task on earth is complete. There is only one instance recorded in the Bible when life is extended and that is King Hezekiah whose life was extended 15 years.
It is ridiculous wishing for the moon or the stars. Live well, be happy with your lot in life and thank God for everything. God bless.
I decided several years ago not to die.
I appreciate the comments everyone. I'm sure the stock market and the creator will factor into the decisions of many of us.
EYEAM4ANARCHY, I made that decision myself some years ago, but we won't know if it works until Judgment Day. If we're still around then, I'll pick up the tab for lunch.
Dang! The only thing on your list that I do is drink coffee! In addition to that, I exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, drink lots of pure water, eat mostly whole foods, and give myself plenty of quality time to pursue my interests. But I only want to live to be seventy! I'm going to have to take up some unsavory habits!
Hmmm...most interesting! I'm going to pretend I never saw this list...and hope for the best! :P
lol @ your comment " the stock market and the creator will factor into the decisions of many of us." You never know!!;)
William, On a serious..ish note. Maybe this is how our life span is already calculated and in fact it is a reality that if one could give up certain things !
Knowing my luck, if I was given the chance to live my life again choosing to abstain from all the above, I would more than likely get run over by a bus at 30! lol~
Based on your comment, justmesuzanne, you may live well past 70 -- maybe even over the Century mark. You don't have to give up anything (apparently you already have.) Thanks for commenting.
You don't have to give up anything, Feline Prophet. My guess is that you don't have any vices.
Hehe...how did you arrive at that conclusion? And 'vice' is a very relative word! :P
You're right, as usual, compu-smart. Our lifespan is dependent on our behavior to a large extent. I have only one piece of advice: Stay away from buses!
After all, Feline, you are a prophet, right?
And some might call that a vice! :P
Eat right. Exercise. Don't smoke. Don't drink. Die anyway.
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions! The pictures look so tempting! I'll have to really think hard about giving up steak and lobster. Well I did give up smoking last summer so that should give me a few extra years. I'm shooting for 90's but to make that attainable what about that pill you can take to live longer that I saw in the video? Where can I get those pills?
Bill , If I have to give up Steak and Lobster to make 75 is it worth it ? Have to give it some thought. You know my Mom made 102 , but so far the only thing I know for sure that I inherited from her was her arthritis.
Sometimes you just can't win, hot dorkage, no matter what you do!
If most of hate to actually "think" every once in a while, we find it even harder to make "decisions." Que sera sera! You may have to settle for living into the 90s, Dottie1, because that pill you're looking for is still on the drawing board.
You shouldn't have any trouble giving up steak and lobster, Bob. Apple turnovers is another thing!
Love this Hub.
I'm with HD...die anyway. LOL.
My mother's into life-prolonging things, and she's doing great. Good food, exercise, a more than rigorous visitation schedule with her physician.
For me, when it's time to go, it's time to go. I might eat right, sleep right, and do all those things, but I might get run over by a car.
Thumbs up in every way.
No question about it, Sally's Trove. You can do everything right but there's never any guarantees. Nevertheless it's probably wise to make the effort. I'm glad you liked the hub. Thanks for the thumbs up.
Bill, sure you might as well be dead! or perhaps if you adhere to all of those...perhaps you are dead ALREADY...
Seriously, enjoying your offerings...keep it up
Eddie cantwell
Thanks, Eddie. As they say in computerland, I was ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing) when I read your comment. I glad you liked the bit.
I dunno Willliam--I don't trust statistics--especially not the part about the ice cream LOL
I don't have a clue when I will die-- I may live to be 100 or, like Compu-Smart says, get hit by a bus tomorrow. I'm rather fatalistic about the whole thing.
I had a relative who smoked a pack of cigarettes a day and drank two cocktails before dinner every night of her life and lived to be 92. On the other hand, I have a first cousin who does yoga, takes vitamins, and is an absolute diet and health fanatic down to running the marathon and high colonics. Ironically she has had cancer, back surgery, and was recently diagnosed with rheumitoid arthritis. She's in her early fifties and odds are she won't make 92.
Soooo I figure moderation in all things, as llittle stress as possible, and I'll hang around till I'm ready to leave or till I get hit by a bus. I think all these statistics just give us the illusion of control and anyway-- it's not how long you live, it's how. One thing is for certain-- the leading cause of death is birth :-) Thumbs up for you. It was a fascinating read.
"Everything in moderation; nothing to excess," is a good philosophy, robie2. Socrates and Ben Franklin said the same thing, so you're in good company. I find the early poll results interesting. People seem to range all over the lot. I guess that's par for the course.
William,
This is an interesting topic. I’m not sure how I’ve missed it, but I have an idea. Among all the joking, I must add something serious.
I’ve had to face this decision recently.
But my choices were not the same. They were more like; Do I want to give up time with my wife, family, children, grandchildren and perhaps time in ministering to others for an untimely death?
Although I’ve been packed and ready to go for a long time my answer was no,
I’m not ready to give up these things that I hold dear. I didn’t bargain with my creator either. I simply took prudent steps to live longer than 6 more months if it was in His will.
If not, I’m still ready.
Thank you for the thoughtful article. ~ eddie
Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die!
Thanks, Eddie. Our time on this earth is short -- no matter what age we finally reach. The important thing, I think, is that we live it to the fullest; that we do the best we can, and that we never lose our sense of humor.
I know a few people who have that philosphy, Ivorwen. Or, "Die young and have a good looking corpse." It seems lots of people look at the question differently.
Neat, but then there is science to cure all our ills we make ourselves, lol
:) Sheri
Easy answer on two of these because I have never indulged in smoking or illegal drugs. Nightclubs would be my next thing to give up as I hardly ever go there anyway. As to the rest...........I'd rather keep them for frequent or occasional use. You can guess which is which! LOL
There are some, Peggy W, who undoubtedly would find it very difficult to give up smoking, illegal drugs and nightclubs, so you're off to a good start. But I wouldn't want to guess which of the others you would want to keep for frequent use. Thanks for commenting.
Geeze, is there anything left to do? I think we just gave up life. LOL
-)) some things we could surely do without, however. Pick and choose....yes?
If you choose the option to give up all 10 temptations, marisuewrites, some would agree that you just about gave up life. On the hand, you could still play chess -- or watch "Dancing With the Stars" on TV.
I enjoyed the voting part. Nice to be a 100.
Thanks for voting, Kulsum. I hope you get your wish.
William..enjoyed this hub!I agree with hot dorkage and I also think that it's tough on me to give up icecream just for a year! :)
I'm glad you enjoyed the hub, Laila Rajaratnam. And thanks for reminding me that I have to pick up some more Klondike vanilla ice creams with dark chocolate at the grocery store.
William..now that you have mentioned..Klondike vanilla ice creams with dark chocolate..I'm positive that I'll forego the extra year!LOL!
Oh wow - now do I have to give these things up in the exact order displayed on the hub? Wow...I'm hangin' on to the coffee just for a few more days
You can't get off that easily, mythbuster. You can't wait a few days or a few years to make your decision. This is serious business. It's now or never! According to early poll results, most people are willing to give up quite a bit to extend their stay here on Earth.
Thought provoking hub. Some things I am willing to give up and some I am not. I am hoping for the best. Good hub.
I'm glad you found this interesting, Smireles. I think most of us are willing to make some small compromises, but not too many. Thanks.
Cool hub! But my grandmother lived to 90 and she smoked for 67 years of her life. Never exercised and drank coffee by the pot. I suppose someone has to go against the odds!
I love the story the late comedian George Burns used to tell when he was asked about smoking cigars. He said he smoked three cigars a day. The inquirer asked, "What does your doctor say about that?" Burns replied, "My doctor's dead." Thanks for the comment Betsy.
I ain't sacrificing a dam thing. My life has been extended several times after having things taken from me by cancer and its many side effects. Manys the time I prayed for death I tell you and now I enjoy any dam thing I want and can do after sixteen years of shiit. I smoke and still drink but sex is gone as well as the ability to do anything very manly. So if god or satan wants me now, I just don't give a shiit! No deals!
Live life to the fullest, ralwus. Nobody gets out of here unscarred. They say it's not what happens to us that counts, it's how we react to what happens to us. It's our choice. I know it's not easy, but I sincerely believe that happiness is a choice. We don't have to give in to the hits we take. I'm with you: No Deals!
thanks for understanding. I am happy with my life and continue to live. I'm thankful for that. peace CC
Hi William:
I am 60.
I was told by a very wise friend: "If a man were to live 1000 yrs, on his death bed he would say:...'hey!...wait a minute!...I just got here!"
One must live "intelligently." By that I mean that one should live a rich and joyfull life, gain wisdom and use that gained wisdom to "LIVE" for as long as one's genetic programming will allow.
Qwark :-)
Whether one live 10 years or a thousand years, Qwark, life will always be too short, I agree. But we apparently will never agree on capital punishment. I appreciate your comment.
Hi William:
Fair enuf...:-)
Qwark
Some things would definitely be worth giving up to live longer!
I won't ask you, SweetiePie, which ones... Thanks for commenting.
Great hub but the responses were the clincher. I loved reading all of it! Give up? The number isn't my game but what I do want is to outlive my mother and my spouse so that I can continue to care for them - then I'll live life to it's fullest until it's time - a day, a year, 10 years whatever I have...Enjoy each and every moment.
I like your philosophy, The Rope. Living life to the fullest and enjoying every moment is undoubtedly the most important thing. Thanks for commenting.
Great hub, William - very funny! Don't have to give up some things - don't do them anyway - do we get to pick and choose? If I give up all but two does that get me to 100? LOL
William, good, very good hub. So true and so many different levels and I am thinking about it all. Mostly, every day...enjoyed it.
I'm glad you enjoyed the hub, Ladybird33. I enjoyed putting it together. I'm finding the poll to be very interesting. Thank you for commenting.
So Cool, very creative and I loved it!!! So enjoyed it, Thanks.
PS; I bookmarked this one...that is why I keep visiting it over and over. You have a gift my friend. My best to you.
You're very kind, Ladybird33. I'm glad you enjoyed this hub. It does make you think, doesn't it?
Well, Mr Torpey, To be frank, I would like to live on and on and on!
I guess that means your vote was 150 on the poll, quicksand. Thanks for commenting.
If I had to give up the things I enjoy doing, I think Id rather be dead.
I'll bet you'll live to be 100 anyway, lisa. I notice in your profile that you've been to a botched execution -- so I think you might be interested in this hub I wrote way back in 1993: http://hubpages.com/hub/Ask-Not-for-Whom-the-Bell-
i will read it right now, in fact that was already the next one i was going to read. Did you see the hub i just wrote on the guy Mark Brown who just got executed?
Your hub on Mark Brown and capital punishment is very interesting. I knew it was expensive to execute criminals, but I didn't know it ran into the millions of dollars until I learned about it from your hub. Thanks.
Thank you so much. I am always honored to get a compliment from a seasoned pro and wonderful person such as yourself
I am ready to go... :-) I do not want to see my loved ones go first, and living to 150 will certainly ensure that... Nahhh... I'll go now it it is my time :-)
I know how you feel, De Greek. The truth is that we don't really have much choice. We live. We die. And life goes on. Thanks for commenting.
these are all things that fill life with joy. give3 them up and your just a 150 year old mormon
I've given up many of the 'activities' you listed above, but I'm afraid I'll never give up ice cream. No chance.
The other thing is, William, I'm not so sure I really want to live all that long...it's tiring, don't you think?
I have the same problem with ice cream, lorlie6 -- especially Klondike, or Carvel sugar cones. I guess it's natural that life gets a bit tiring as we approach old age. Based on the poll results so far it seems there's a wide variety of views on the subject. Thanks for commenting.
I really enjoyed this Hub, William. I'm with Charlie on this one, really don't give a shit when I die so not really prepared to give anything up to live longer! I enjoy the life I have and when it's over it's over. Thanks for a great ride! Sure as hell don't want to be hooked up to any machines. Seen too many of those. Just let me go with some dignity!
Love and peace
Tony
We're in the same ballpark, tonymac04. I'm glad you enjoyed this hub. Sometimes it's nice to have a little fun with a deadly serious topic.
I very much enjoyed this hub...let say we call it even - i give up some things and keep some thing and stay the same age :)
I'm glad you like this, mtsi1098. I won't ask which options you'd keep and which you'd give up. Thanks for commenting,
Tom Cornett Level 3 Commenter 3 years ago
Cool Hub...very well done....thanks! :)