How long do you expect to live? Until the age of 80? 100? If you had asked your parents the same question, they would surely have felt that a life expectancy of 70 was around average. Your grandparents, meanwhile, might have felt fortunate to live for 60 years. It is clear that people are living longer than ever before, but is this a positive or negative development?
On the one hand, increased life expectancy brings many opportunities later in life to try things that you could not do in your youth. Going on a world cruise, taking up a new hobby, even going back to university to get a degree: all of these opportunities are available to retired people nowadays. What is more, while many parents find raising children to be a stressful experience, spending time with grandchildren brings far more pleasure. Therefore, a more elderly population generally means a happier population with more time to enjoy life.
How long do you
expect
to
live
? Until the age of 80? 100? If you had asked your parents the same question, they would
surely
have felt that a
life
expectancy of 70 was around average. Your grandparents, meanwhile, might have felt fortunate to
live
for 60 years. It is
clear
that
people
are living longer than ever
before
,
but
is this a
positive
or
negative
development?
On the one hand, increased
life
expectancy brings
many
opportunities later in
life
to try things that you could not do in your youth. Going on a world cruise, taking up a new hobby, even going back to university to
get
a degree: all of these opportunities are available to retired
people
nowadays.
What is more
, while
many
parents find raising children to be a stressful experience, spending time with grandchildren brings far more pleasure.
Therefore
, a more elderly population
generally
means a happier population with more time to enjoy
life
.