If the average human lifespan was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
Perception has a lot to do with the way that we live. We all walk through life with no real idea when the game is going to be over and our flame will be snuffed out.
I think that when you are young you don’t often think about death too much because in all likelihood you are going to have many years before that becomes relevant to you. Yet there is no way of knowing.
I would like to think that I would not change very much because since I am already over that span, I think each day would be just awesome. I feel that way now. But what might have changed earlier in life?
Would Life have Meant More?
There is no doubt that the time that we spend growing up or finding ourselves would have to be somewhat shorter. I know of others who are like me, and found that it takes some skill to play this game called life. What your think and do for and to others matters.
I doubt that people would put off the experience of becoming parents, because there is no time to put it off to. Those days in your twenties now when you can spend time just partying and letting everything take care of itself would have to be reduced or maybe even eliminated. The days that you do have would be more relevant and meaningful. So much more would need to be packed into less years.
I know this because I can feel it myself right now, as I look ahead and realize how fragile life is and that mine could be over any moment. This realization becomes clearer and more imperative as each day passes.
I think I would cherish each and every day as I aged through my thirties, making sure I was at peace with the world and at peace with myself.
Below is a video about The Oldest Man in Pilgrim Village.
Change in Education
Rather than continually groom us to be ready some day to contribute to society, I think the system would have to be streamlined in order for those who are gifted and motivated to actually start to accomplish something as soon as they can.
Rather than be forced through a system that is outdated and antiquated, young people and parents would have a real motivation to find a purpose for their life at least twice as fast as they do now. We would still need doctors, yet it would seem counter productive by using our current system, by the time they graduated, many would simply die. People would have to rethink the cookie cutter education and brain washing we current perpetuate.
Would Conformity be Important
I wonder is people would worry about fitting in so much if lives were about half as long as they are now? Personally, the feeling that I have developed over the past two years, that life is too short to worry about what somebody else thinks about me, would have occurred to me much earlier on in life.
Perhaps the whole enlightenment that many people experience in their 40’s would be moved up because what would be the point of life, if we never realized there was a point to life?
On the other hand, conformity may be your best chance to thrive and survive a bit longer. Fitting in can fool a lot of people for a long time.
Wisdom at a Premium
Finally I think that wisdom and the thoughts that lead to an understanding of life, whether through the spoken word or through art would be non-existent Even though many people are very intelligent, early in life, few of these have any understanding of the deeper questions in life.
Who are you? What is heaven? Why is love important? How should you treat others? I can’t say I am an expert in any of these questions, yet I can clearly state that they are things I contemplate now which I never even conceived of back before I turned 40.
Since this is my writing and I only have my experience to go by, I believe that the thoughts of the wise in this society where 40 was the average lifespan.
To conclude this little dream, I would simply state that the average lifespan is in the 70’s. You may be close to this or far away. It is your responsibility to yourself to decide how you will live your life. I hope that whatever those decisions entail, family, friends politics, law school, or whatever that you pursue them with all of the enthusiasm and vigor that you possibly can.
If the average human lifespan was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
Live like you were dyin’
If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?