How long do you want to live?
By mattman27
@mattman27 (25)
United States
February 19, 2012 2:07am CST
I was thinking about this a few years ago when I attended my great aunt's 90th birthday, and after seeing the movie "In Time" it kinda brought it to mind again. How long do you really want to live? Some want to have as much time as possible and live until they are 100 no matter what the cost. Others don't want to see their loved ones all pass as their own body and mind fade away. I will withhold my personal opinion until I see what some others have to say. Think about these other popular issues/cultural items when you respond: health insurance, overpopulation, pensions, social security, "The Green Mile", assisted suicide, the Make a Wish foundation, terminal illness, "The Bucket List", the afterlife, holistic medicine, religion...
1 person likes this
18 responses
@almond24 (1248)
• Hungary
19 Feb 12
I can't say any age, but I want to live as long as I can stay somewhat physically and mentally active, and can take care of myself. I don't want to die at a very old age if that means I have to lie in bed and cause trouble for my loved ones for the rest of my life - but that's just me.
@almond24 (1248)
• Hungary
21 Feb 12
I keep thinking about it and can't exactly tell. If I couldn't get out of the bed, couldn't go to the bathroom or wash myself, couldn't think clearly or couldn't be conscious, I would consider myself 'causing trouble'. Yes, I know, anyone can get there at any age. If I was there, maybe I would think differently. This is when I'm not sure I would appreciate life, but it's not under my control. And I can imagine that even in this case desire for life is stronger than anything.
@mattman27 (25)
• United States
21 Feb 12
i have heard many people say this. but think about people that are relatively young and become disabled or require assistance for an extended part of their life... what degree of disability to you consider to 'cause trouble'?
@mattman27 (25)
• United States
21 Feb 12
spend some time with people who can't get out of bed or wash themselves and see how unimportant those things are to them and how important the other parts of their lives are.
being conscious is another story though... i don't know what to think about having no brain activity, haven't read enough to know the stats and stuff. i'm not much of a faith person, but a some point the 'soul' comes into play. is it still there? or is it the souls of the people around that person that everyone is concerned with?
@jkct02 (2874)
• Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
20 Feb 12
Of course we don't have the power to make the decision on the length of time we want to live. But artificially we can end our days in this world, and then what? Go to the next world? I feel this is not something we have to think very deeply. We are alive, and so we must live. There is no reason why we should abandon life as we don't know what is in the next stage. If we kill ourselves because of some sickness or physical pain, there is no guarantee that we won't feel the same or even worse when we are in the next world if there is one. Although seeing one after another your loved ones pass away before you is heart-broken, it is just a process. When your turn comes, you will go too. There is no hurry to go early as definitely your time is marked too and it is just a matter of time. I feel we all should just live. Keep living well. Let the nature take its course.
@BlackAmaranth (275)
• Romania
22 Feb 12
First, I didn't say it's easy, just say "I want to live 80" and it's done. It's harder, and I can't explain you how this works, but trust me, It's up to you!Here is another example: It's like you get a spaceship, but you don't know what to do with it. And now think that you're a small baby that can't even walk. Now you get the idea? It's up to you, but it's very hard.
And second, the "reset" thing is true. Can't prove you and don't want to, but it's true. And if this life it's nasty, you shouldn't take your life. This is the greatest sin and if you tought that this life was nasty, wait to see the next one.
@mattman27 (25)
• United States
21 Feb 12
even if you are the only one? what would you do with all that time and experience? at what point do you want to 'stop aging'?
@olliekobra1 (1825)
•
21 Feb 12
There should be no such thing as over population, countries such as Australia and Africa are sparsely populated so if other countries get over populated people will have to migrate, that's a solution
@mattman27 (25)
• United States
21 Feb 12
so what are some of your solutions for overpopulation. i think this is a completely overlooked issue in the world, socially, politically, and economically.
lol @olliekobra1 (1825)
•
19 Feb 12
If I have a nice family around me and I am fairly healthy I think I would like to live as long as possible as life is a precious gift and should be shared and cherished.
@olliekobra1 (1825)
•
21 Feb 12
That's true I think that when their loved ones go they lose the will to live
@mattman27 (25)
• United States
21 Feb 12
i think this is a question of personality. you see some elderly people pass away shortly after their spouse, the whole 'where the red fern grows' broken heart idea. others seem to be able to keep on truckin' and enjoy independence, solitude, and peace long after their loved ones are gone or have forgotten about them.
@Graceekwenx (3160)
• Philippines
19 Feb 12
Welcome to Mylot Mattman. This is a very interesting question; in fact, it is one of the question that i defer replying because i kinda find it macabre hahahaha. Anyway, my answer would come around selfish actually. I want to die young. I dont want to see my loved ones going ahead of me one by one; it would really break my heart.
@mattman27 (25)
• United States
21 Feb 12
thanks for the welcome! i have heard this response before, and my first thought is that it is a lose-lose situation, but how do you feel knowing your loved ones will suffer the pain you say you want to avoid?
@digidogo (444)
• Philippines
19 Feb 12
It does not matter how long I live. All that matter for me is how I lived my life. Quality over quantity 
It would be meaningless living a long life if you made a hell out of it. When I die, I would gladly accept the fact because everyone will leave when the time comes. It is all part of the cycle of life.
It would be meaningless living a long life if you made a hell out of it. When I die, I would gladly accept the fact because everyone will leave when the time comes. It is all part of the cycle of life. @olliekobra1 (1825)
•
19 Feb 12
Some good points and your right while your here you should live life to the fullest.
@nurzaira (128)
• Indonesia
22 Feb 12
Ummm.. i think.. how long we live in this world is not the main thing, but the most important thing is how we live. It's about happiness, the quality of live, how much singnificant we are in the eyes of the people around us (family, friends etc), about the problems in our lives that is resolved.. ummm about our worth in God's eyes
@juggal0Xx420 (509)
• United States
19 Feb 12
i wanna live as long as i can carry on and try to succeed a lot before i die
@olliekobra1 (1825)
•
21 Feb 12
So do I and that's the right idea. You should live to the fullest strive to achieve great things and pass it on to the next generation
@brainplusbeauty09 (79)
• Australia
19 Feb 12
Hi and a happy day to all!
As long as God still want me alive for his purpose, then i am willing to live until 100 or so. Sure, there are lots of problems arising especially nowadays, but its part of the trials in life. I wish that no one wants to end their own lives. It is really a valuable gift. For several reasons, we forgot how valuable it is when we get angry, emotionally drained and devastated. But for wonderful reasons, we always find a way to move on and never surrender. Life is full of trials.
Enjoy your day!
@mattman27 (25)
• United States
21 Feb 12
the thought of the afterlife really changes the direction of the question. since the true nature of the afterlife can't be understood during our time on earth, is there ANYTHING that you would understand as a reason someone would considering taking their own life?
@Extourmed (191)
• Bulgaria
12 Apr 12
I want to live as long as I am consciously aware. I don't really care about the exact number of years I am going to live, but I definitely want to be aware of the entire period. Even if I get sick, I would like to stay conscious and aware of what is going on as long as possible. My personal worst nightmare would be to turn senile, and don't know any more what I am doing, where I am, etc.So, I would prefer to live 60, but to my full awareness than be 100, and be unaware of the last ten years of my life. However, life doesn't ask us when we want to die. It just happened.
@megamatt (14291)
• United States
19 Feb 12
As long as I feel like I can still do many of the things I enjoy. Now granted, one or two of the things that I enjoy, not being able to do them, depending on what they are, I might be rather frustrated, but rather life does in fact go on. It is inevitable with age that sometimes we are not going to be able to get the very most out of life like we had hoped.
But when many of those things get swiped away from me and should my mind go from me, that might kind of dampen the will to live. I seem to think that many people sadly, mentally give up when they get to a certain age and are unable to do certain things. It is rather fascinating in many ways to think about. But hopefully I have many, many, many, many more years ahead of me before I get to that stage in my life. I don't think I would want to live too long, as people I care about die around me.
@deodavid (4150)
• Philippines
19 Feb 12
Hi there mattman,
I think if I can live comfortably in an isolated forest with clean water air, yet i do have internet and cellphone signal a powerful digital camera, gears skill, knowledge about the forest, animal, plants, weather, tracking, fixing a car, cooking whatever for survival i think i would love to live as a 100 yer old man but if not and i would live in the city maybe 70 will do or 60 i wanna see my grandchildren yet don't wanna stay too long if i have a health risk and i don't wanna bother anyone with my health and mentality when i get old.
@loloiu1989 (1)
• Romania
19 Feb 12
greeting. we all want to live longer. but we must be healthy first. to reach a respectable age must take care of our health , we must take our sport to keep fit and have a balanced diet.
