Trading years of life

[TinyBubbles]

if it were possible to trade years of your life for money (or something else you want), would you do it? naturally the healthiest years, say <30 would sell for the most; the demand would decrease as your age increased. what's 10 years off if it meant you were set for (the remainder of) your life?

just imagine you're 28 years old, on the streets, with no family or income, but are reasonably healthy. someone offers you a fully paid off house in a good suburb, for 5 years of your natural life. you'd instantly turn 33 if you accepted, but you'd own your own house. Is it worth it?

 

[middle1]

Nope, I'd rather have the satisfaction of earning what I have. And nothing is worth the limited amount of time we have in this life.

 

[rawr]

no IMO life experiences are invaluable and priceless.. not worth money. great question

 

[TinyBubbles]

Nope, I'd rather have the satisfaction of earning what I have. And nothing is worth the limited amount of time we have in this life.

i've heard people say similar things, but if you think about it, we waste a lot of time on things we don't really enjoy or benefit from, for example sitting in traffic, or holding the line on the phone, or sitting through ads on tv. such time adds up. why not trade that time for some more immediately valuable?

 

[under skies]

I am not very motivated by money. Sure, I spend it quickly when I have it, but when I think of it objectively, it doesn't seem all that appealing.

I am more motivated by aging/age, and as middle1 pointed out, I wouldn't enjoy the house as much, anyway, knowing that I didn't earn it.

 

[TinyBubbles]

no IMO life experiences are invaluable and priceless.. not worth money. great question

all life experiences? surely there are some experiences you'd rather not go through? i'd say paying off a mortgage isn't exactly the highlight of most people's lives, for eg.

(btw im not really disagreeing, just trying to see the other side of the coin

 

[TinyBubbles]

I am not very motivated by money. Sure, I spend it quickly when I have it, but when I think of it objectively, it doesn't seem all that appealing.


I am more motivated by aging/age, and as middle1 pointed out, I wouldn't enjoy the house as much, anyway, knowing that I didn't earn it.

ok, forget money. if you could give 5 years of your life to your elderly grandmother who is dying of bone cancer? would such an incentive be strong enough for you to part with your years?

 

[middle1]

i've heard people say similar things, but if you think about it, we waste a lot of time on things we don't really enjoy or benefit from, for example sitting in traffic, or holding the line on the phone, or sitting through ads on tv. such time adds up. why not trade that time for some more immediately valuable?

Well in that case if it was idle time only or moments I'd rather not live then sure lol.

 

[under skies]

ok, forget money. if you could give 5 years of your life to your elderly grandmother who is dying of bone cancer? would such an incentive be strong enough for you to part with your years?

Well, I actually don't have any grandparents, but I understand the concept. Anyway.

I would give 5 years of my life to almost any person, relation or not. I don't see my life as being any more valuable than the next person's, and refusing to give those years would almost feel like murder.

 

[rawr]

all life experiences? surely there are some experiences you'd rather not go through? i'd say paying off a mortgage isn't exactly the highlight of most people's lives, for eg.

(btw im not really disagreeing, just trying to see the other side of the coin

well all life experiences teach you stuff. whether you see it at that point in time or not. besides, i would feel weird having a mortgageless house just because i sold years of my life 70 onwards...it wouldn't feel right.

 

[TinyBubbles]

Well, I actually don't have any grandparents, but I understand the concept. Anyway.

I would give 5 years of my life to almost any person, relation or not. I don't see my life as being any more valuable than the next person's, and refusing to give those years would almost feel like murder.

interesting. i'm guessing there would be a limit, otherwise you'd basically be sacrificing your whole life? and in this scenario everyone else would be able to trade their years too, so if it would feel like murder to you to not share, then perhaps they'd feel that way too (which would balance things out. lol idk).

 

[TinyBubbles]

well all life experiences teach you stuff. whether you see it at that point in time or not. besides, i would feel weird having a mortgageless house just because i sold years of my life 70 onwards...it wouldn't feel right.

say you could give that house to your parents, or someone else who needs it?

middle1 said she'd do it if it was only idle time, and to help her (hypothetical) grandmother. if her's is a common motivation, then it means there is a definite demand for time, and it's simply not possible to service this demand since we can't trade years. but i think if it were possible, it'd be a booming business. perhaps the biggest business, since what on earth is more valuable than time?

 

[under skies]

interesting. i'm guessing there would be a limit, otherwise you'd basically be sacrificing your whole life? and in this scenario everyone else would be able to trade their years too, so if it would feel like murder to you to not share, then perhaps they'd feel that way too (which would balance things out. lol idk).

I'm not sure where the limit would be or if there would be one. It is easy to say on an internet forum that you would willingly sacrifice yourself. It is very different when the situation actually presents itself, I'm sure.

I just don't consider myself important enough to see myself deciding that living my life were more important than sparing another's. If I sacrifice myself, I know I've given someone many years to live. If I keep those years for myself, how much better will I really make the world for everyone else in it?

Ideally, the person I would be sacrificing my years for would be willing to spare my life to a reasonable extent. I don't know how likely that would be. I'm sure it would differ from person to person, that some people would be very generous and others not so much. That doesn't much change my willingness to sacrifice years. It's more about the principle, really.

 

[Gaze]

There are many lessons which can't be learned or growth which doesn't take place unless you go through a series of experiences, good and bad. One day of life can make a huge difference in someone, so to think 5 years can be easily disposed of is a bit off.

 

[TinyBubbles]

I'm not sure where the limit would be or if there would be one. It is easy to say on an internet forum that you would willingly sacrifice yourself. It is very different when the situation actually presents itself, I'm sure.

I just don't consider myself important enough to see myself deciding that living my life were more important than sparing another's. If I sacrifice myself, I know I've given someone many years to live. If I keep those years for myself, how much better will I really make the world for everyone else in it?

it's a gamble, that's true. perhaps you'd benefit the world more with those extra five years than would the person you're offering them too. maybe you just think you don't benefit the world as much as you actually do. or maybe you don't. depends on your perspective!

Ideally, the person I would be sacrificing my years for would be willing to spare my life to a reasonable extent. I don't know how likely that would be. I'm sure it would differ from person to person, that some people would be very generous and others not so much. That doesn't much change my willingness to sacrifice years. It's more about the principle, really.

i think it is very noble of you that you'd do this, especially for a stranger (even in a hypothetical situation). i know i wouldn't. call me selfish, whatever, but i'd take all the time i can get, because time imo is the only thing that really matters in life. without that, you have no options, no possibility of doing anything at all.

it's kind of like that saying, how can you take care of someone else's happiness, if you don't take care of your own? i feel like your own longevity should come above others, since YOU more than anyone else are going to feel the effects of its absence. maybe i just don't want to die, lol

 

[TinyBubbles]

There are many lessons which can't be learned or growth which doesn't take place unless you go through a series of experiences, good and bad. One day of life can make a huge difference in someone, so to think 5 years can be easily disposed of is a bit off.

that's true, good and bad experience both teach us things which help us develop as human beings. but what's to say the experience of handing over your time won't teach you things also? such as not to do it again? lol. maybe it'll teach you to appreciate time.
one day indeed can make a big difference, but there's no guarantee that that difference will be good. those 5 years could just as easily be the worst 5 years of your life, after which you'd WISH you'd gotten rid of them.

 

[bamf]

Nah. I only have so much time to spend living, I'd rather use all of it.

 

[Gaze]

that's true, good and bad experience both teach us things which help us develop as human beings. but what's to say the experience of handing over your time won't teach you things also? such as not to do it again? lol. maybe it'll teach you to appreciate time.
one day indeed can make a big difference, but there's no guarantee that that difference will be good. those 5 years could just as easily be the worst 5 years of your life, after which you'd WISH you'd gotten rid of them.

Even if those are 5 bad years, this wouldn't necessarily mean those years won't have a positive impact on personal growth and development. I may want to forget what happened but the experience may've made me stronger, smarter, or tougher because of it.

In any case, whether good or bad, those years are mine. They are a part of my life and existence. Personally, i would feel as if part of myself is missing if i gave up 5 years of my life, because so much can happen in that period of time.

 

[Afrelen]

I already run on the assumption that I'll be dead in 5 years, so no.

 

[Blind Bandit]

I would rather live a wonderful life and it be short than a long life filled with misery and no joy.