Deciding how valuable a good life is

[relm]

If you had a choice between living a really good life (whatever that means to you) but that would mean you would die just 10 years from now or would you prefer to have a mediocre life but live 20 years or a lame life but live to ripe old age, which would you choose and why?

[Cognitive_Canine]

An exciting life that only lasted 10 years.

[jettison]

My first response is "10 years", but I'm not exactly sure I'd be willing to provide the exact same response 9.5 years later. ;-)

[Traveler27]

Absolutely the first choice - 10 years. At this point in my life I would have no problem with that whatsoever.

[COtuner]

Would need examples of those. I'm too big on beating my way out of paper bags to freedom so I'd pick the third option right now.

[relm]

I am really surprised by the answers. Just to push the scenario a little bit further, does this translate to some of you are saying pleasure is more valuable than health? So eat the tastiest unhealthiest foods whenever you wish because the joy those cookies/cakes/martinis will give you with the resulting high blood pressure and heart attack is better than a long life by exercising, eating salads and other boring foods? The intense pleasure of doing heroine outweighs the impact on shortening lifespan? I am just trying to understand a bit more why you think a good life is so much more important than a long life. Spending money like crazy for nice toys, great vacations, massages, fine meals, etc., is better than saving money for retirement (because where is the fun in that)? Having extremely risky but wild and pleasurable sex is worth the risk of disease?

[Cognitive_Canine]

I am really surprised by the answers. Just to push the scenario a little bit further, does this translate to some of you are saying pleasure is more valuable than health? So eat the tastiest unhealthiest foods whenever you wish because the joy those cookies/cakes/martinis will give you with the resulting high blood pressure and heart attack is better than a long life by exercising, eating salads and other boring foods? The extreme joy of doing heroine outweights the impact on shortening lifespan? I am just trying to understand a bit more why you think a good life is so much more important than a long life. Spending money like crazy for nice toys, great vacations, massages, fine meals, etc., is better than saving money for retirement (because where is the fun in that)?

 

Well, for me, being super healthy, travelling to see the world, learning new languages and instruments would be living a fulfilling life.

 

Spending every day trying to enrich my life and going out there and making a difference is an exciting life to me.

[grymoire]

even if it is just 5 more years... i would go with the good life

[relm]

you said whatever it means to us, what you mentioned above isnt meaningful for me)

For me it is meaningful relationships, travel, happiness, contributing to the world, being true to myself, expressing my creativity, helping animals etc. I would rather spend 10 years of meaningfulness, than years and years of being miserable and never living my life to the best of my potential

 

fair enough

[staircase]

Have you been reading the Iliad?

[relm]

I LOVE the Iliad, but how did you deduce that?? I'm impressed!

[staircase]

I LOVE the Iliad, but how did you deduce that?? I'm impressed!

 

Because the scenario that you describe is similar to the predicament that Achilles has to chose in his life destiny

[afc_2_dj]

If you had a choice between living a really good life (whatever that means to you) but that would mean you would die just 10 years from now or would you prefer to have a mediocre life but live 20 years or a lame life but live to ripe old age, which would you choose and why?

 

The 10 year option for sure!

 

lame life but live to ripe old age

 

The thing is, if you whole life consists of commute/work/commute/tv [or whatever] endlessly forever, if you are not out living your dreams, you are already dead! Its just that you chose to commit suicide by the longest most painful route possible.