No disrespect to oldsters, this isn't meant to depress you and you can live a good long life in health like Ray Peat, but this is written by a 19 year olds perspective. My friend and I were discussing when we want to die and of course I said I want to live a long life, I wanted to catch him off guard with that since I eat and live with the goal of staying healthy all of my days. But he surprised me with his reply, simply "you really want to live that long? don't you want to die before you get old, I just want to live to like 45"
I want to die young too. He changed my perspective that I had all my life in a few words. The reality as I see it: though people don't want to admit it, there's not much wisdom you can gain in old age that a teenager hasn't figured. After age 20 I think most people have peaked and will only experience the same thing over and over again. Only in the 1900's did people start living longer. Before then people were actually healthier in general, they died in their 40's-60's. Cavemen are said to have lived into their 30's maxium, poets killing themselves in their 20's because they're "bored of living" was seen as a very noble thing to do back then. I am not suicidal but I just don't want to live long. I want to live to my 60's or 70 maximum, 50's would be okay too. It's not just about health, one of the most enjoyable things in life is friendship and mutual attraction, both go down as you age. People are most social in their teens and 20's, coincidentally when we're most attractive. Health does deteriorate too, but I suppose if you're dedicated to eating well and exercising you won't spend your twilight years suffering in a hospital.
My parents are also not people I want to be like. They work overtime to save money for retirement I guess, seriously their bills do not cost nearly enough to justify the money they earn and don't spend by now. The catch is they're deteriorating, they don't go on vacation, don't talk to old friends, don't always eat healthy, are stressed, getting slower, fatter, older. In contrast my ex-girlfriend is living homeless, singing in bars for money, travelling the country with a band, she's only 19 and well aware this lifestyle is bad for health (but she is an extreme, she was in a group protesting capitalism and police showed up) but it's fun.
I think some youth today are truly not planning for the future and are okay with dying young. I think getting old would drive them crazy, you were once vibrant and now you're feeble and deteriorating. A healthy lifestyle only slows it down but nobody at 50-60 can act 20. It makes sense to me. I'm glad Ray Peat's diet suggestions are delicious because I would've quit any "diet" that didn't taste good after what my friend told me. I want to maximize my enjoyment otherwise there's no point to being health-obsessed.
What do you hope to do, live long or die young?
I want to die young too. He changed my perspective that I had all my life in a few words. The reality as I see it: though people don't want to admit it, there's not much wisdom you can gain in old age that a teenager hasn't figured. After age 20 I think most people have peaked and will only experience the same thing over and over again. Only in the 1900's did people start living longer. Before then people were actually healthier in general, they died in their 40's-60's. Cavemen are said to have lived into their 30's maxium, poets killing themselves in their 20's because they're "bored of living" was seen as a very noble thing to do back then. I am not suicidal but I just don't want to live long. I want to live to my 60's or 70 maximum, 50's would be okay too. It's not just about health, one of the most enjoyable things in life is friendship and mutual attraction, both go down as you age. People are most social in their teens and 20's, coincidentally when we're most attractive. Health does deteriorate too, but I suppose if you're dedicated to eating well and exercising you won't spend your twilight years suffering in a hospital.
My parents are also not people I want to be like. They work overtime to save money for retirement I guess, seriously their bills do not cost nearly enough to justify the money they earn and don't spend by now. The catch is they're deteriorating, they don't go on vacation, don't talk to old friends, don't always eat healthy, are stressed, getting slower, fatter, older. In contrast my ex-girlfriend is living homeless, singing in bars for money, travelling the country with a band, she's only 19 and well aware this lifestyle is bad for health (but she is an extreme, she was in a group protesting capitalism and police showed up) but it's fun.
I think some youth today are truly not planning for the future and are okay with dying young. I think getting old would drive them crazy, you were once vibrant and now you're feeble and deteriorating. A healthy lifestyle only slows it down but nobody at 50-60 can act 20. It makes sense to me. I'm glad Ray Peat's diet suggestions are delicious because I would've quit any "diet" that didn't taste good after what my friend told me. I want to maximize my enjoyment otherwise there's no point to being health-obsessed.
What do you hope to do, live long or die young?