Is living to 90 such a great deal, or would you prefer to pass onto the next stage of existence a tad earlier, say around 75?

Fifteen years out of 90 – almost 17% – is hardly “a tad”, and when “the next stage of existence” is a strong likelihood of “infinite void”, then yeah, I guess as things stand – that is, while I can still stand, and chew, and generally enjoy life (“this stage of existence”, as you’d style it), then I would just as soon keep shuffling under this mortal coil, thanks.

If I could remain relatively independent, I would be happy to live to my mid-80’s or early 90’s. If I were senile and in diapers, then take me asap. LOL.

If I was in tolerable health and could keep my deadly memory, I’d love to live to be 90 or more. It would be so satisfying to outlive certain people and see what happens next in the world. In the short time I’ve lived, I’ve seen things come and go and surprisingly come back again. Everything from flipping one’s collar up in the fifties, to it being extremely unpopular in the sixties, to it becoming popular again in the eighties; to art, authors, ideas and political trends becoming extremely popular, then unpopular or just die away, then roaring back again under another guise or for totally different reasons, as in the case of Ayn Rand’s latest resuscitation a few years ago. Society has such a short collective memory, it’s astonishing. I think I would make quite an interesting 90 year old. An “even century” would even be better.

The next stage is of non-existence. I want to live as long as I can if I am not in great pain. We have only this one life, so make the most of it.

My mother did not enjoy the last five years of her life very much. Up through 85, she was very active, drove, had a large group of friends. Once she was hospitalized with pneumonia she was never the same. Her life became, of necessity, very proscribed. She did not adapt happily. I think she was tired of living when she passed away.

See above. Seeing that the next stage is non-existence/oblivion I would under reasonable circumstances take the 15 years.
What is the “the next stage of existence” by the way.

I don’t want to live to 90 but I’m sure by the time I get to 89 i’ll have changed my mind.

I have zero interest in living to 90.

There’s nothing wrong with living to 90 if your health is holding up reasonably well. As I roar toward my declining years, I am coming to appreciate the one advantage to a long life and that is having the perspective to appreciate the changes both good and bad that can occur in a long lifetime. The one aspect that troubles me most in the rush toward oblivion, is the inevitable acceleration of names falling on the casualty lists. I’m beginning to suspect that old age might consist primarily of a life visiting rest homes, hospitals, funeral parlors and hospice joints. The other thing I find troubling is the nearly overpowering pressure toward cynicism regarding the future of the society in which I find myself. It probably is a good thing that old people get out of the way. The great thing about being young is that you don’t know enough to realize just how bad things are.

If I could be of sound mind, relatively sound body, still able to feed, bathe, clothe and speak for myself I would gladly live 1,000 years.

Once my penis becomes unemployed, then i’m happy to “retire” to the land of the dead, wherever that is…Cleveland?

@ucme

East St. Louis actually.

From 65, it doesn’t look too far to get to 75. I’ve recently ad acquired a friend who at 92, goes dancing with his lady friend several times a week. If that’s the kind of lifestyle that awaits me, let me stay.

@josie The next stage of existence is neither oblivion nor non-existence. It works like this; your earthly existence right now is the next stage of existence from the life you lived prior to coming into the earth plane for this round of fun and games. Where do we go from here? Well, I don’t want to spoil the fun, especially for the folks who think it is just a deep dark hole in the ground/oblivion.

I do think being in good mental and physical condition will make the future much more palatable than the alternative.
My dad recently turned 84 and still rides his bike 30 miles a day, starting at 4 or 5 am.

And do you even really concern yourself with it? I just make it month to month so thinking ahead a whole year is nearly impossible. But dang, thirty more years. Imagine the changes coming! I want to see what gizmos will become sewn into some consumers’ heads.
Will I fly my car? Will it submerge, too?
Will GMOs be outlawed when it is discovered that they kill a certain percentage of user? Will GMOs become accepted and all natural foods soon vanish from the giant agrifarms?
Will the price of gas reach $40 a gallon?

I’d like to live as long as I’m relatively healthy, independent, and happy. But, really, not many 90-year-olds are all of those things. I wouldn’t be devastated if I knew I was only going to live to be 75.

I’m 63½ now and I’m in excellent shape (not on any meds). I definitely think that I would like to live past 75. The definition of “live” for me is being is being mentally sharp and physically fit and active and healthy. Sitting in a wheel chair all day in an old-folk’s home is not living for me. If I can no longer feed myself or wipe my own butt then I’m already dead. I would be very lucky to be alive at age 90.

There is so much to be said for quality of life. We have made great leaps and bounds extending life span while nothing in the way and often the means are so undignified and inhibiting… Whatever happens there ia a life death cycle that each of us have to complete. Let the suffering be short and those who remain behind remember the best of times and not the living decline that renders us helpless and is so very costly; emotionally and finacially.

That said the longer we use it the more we have to use… Take care but have fun.

Ultimately, I’ll be financially comfortable, in a comfortable home and fairly independent. Then it would be ok.

It’s all relative to my health, loved ones in my life and ability to even create happiness for myself. I disagree with many overly positive people, being that there’s a happy button you can merely push, and just be happy. The fact is we are all different creatures despite being the same species, and our individual happiness does depend on certain requisites being in place that match our personality mechanics. Merely making best of a situation does not equal true happiness in my opinion.

Personally for me, I’d rather a shorter quality life over a longer miserable one. I’m open to the concept of there being another stage of existence after this life is up too, but even if I wasn’t my answer would not change here. I’ll take quality over quantity any day.

I’d much rather leave behind my children and grandchildren with fond memories of me and have them wishing I’d been around longer, than leave them breathing a sigh of relief that the hard work is over.

Whatever age gives the ideal balance of long life span and quality of life (hopefully without too much financial burden) is cool by me.

My family isn’t especially long-lived, anyway. None of my blood relatives have made it to 70 yet, and the one who made it to 69 was an outlier.

I’ll be counting everything after 55 as bonus years.