# How old is "too young to die"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 10, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871 "2013-02-10T14:28:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/21 "2013-02-10T23:34:25Z")
Anything under 70, I think, although it would also depend on the person. ---
**Author:** ![vix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a88e4f/32.png) [@vix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vix)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/22 "2013-02-11T01:16:36Z")
Anyone younger than my parents, who are 70 and 76. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/23 "2013-02-11T02:15:18Z")
I’d say anything under 70. Even though people in their 60s are not spring chickens, they often still are in the process of seeing how their children turn out in life, probably haven’t had much chance to enjoy retirement, play with their grandbabies, etc. After 70, I’d say that people have probably had a pretty good run in life and while it’s still sad when they go, it doesn’t seem like there is as much unfinished business as there is when (for example) a 45 year old with young children dies. My dad died at 57 years old and my mom died at 63. Even without my obvious personal desire to spend more time with them, I would say it was too young for both of them because they didn’t get to enjoy a lot of the things in life that I know they would have liked such as seeing me get established in my career, my wedding, etc. Even though they were more fortunate than someone who dies at 18, I definitely think they had unfinished business left. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/24 "2013-02-11T05:46:30Z")
Slightly off-topic, but when I turned 30, my first wife told me that if I dropped over dead, people would no longer say that I “died young.” ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/25 "2013-02-11T06:58:33Z")
These days, with people routinely living into their 80s, and beyond, “too young to die” would still apply to someone in his 70s. I’d better be right; I’m 67 and WAY too young to die. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/26 "2013-02-11T07:43:46Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > These days, with people routinely living into their 80s, and beyond, “too young to die” would still apply to someone in his 70s. Word. Since people on average reach ~ 80 years of age, anyone younger than that is “too young to die” in my book. Pre-octogenarians do not die “of old age” in this day and age, they die from tragic illnesses, accidents, substance abuse, suicide etc. - too soon. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/27 "2013-02-11T15:04:34Z")
The most important thing: let’s make the most of the night like we’re gonna die young. ---
**Author:** ![steviep24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f9b8f/32.png) [@steviep24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steviep24)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/28 "2013-02-11T16:02:59Z")
Last week I went to a friend’s funeral. He was only 42. That’s too young to die. I voted 70-79 in the poll but with today’s life expectancy rates some would say even this is to young. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/29 "2013-02-11T16:20:18Z")
I have noticed a distinct change in my outlook on this question as I edge up there too. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/30 "2013-02-11T16:42:19Z")
Sorry, but this quote (regarding the late Irish writer Brendan Behan) came to mind: “too young to die, too drunk to live”🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/31 "2013-02-11T19:25:13Z")
This epitaph is on a Scottish tombstone: Here lies Ezekial Aikle/Aged 102/The good die young. I was in a cemetary a few years ago when I heard a little girl ask her mother what the numbers on gravestones meant. Her mother explained. Moments later, the little girl said, “Look Mommy, this one’s wrong. It says 1900-1905. That can’t be right.” The mother knelt down and whispered to her daughter. Then the little girl let out an outraged shout, “What?!” I knew what she meant. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/32 "2013-02-11T19:52:51Z")
Babies and kids who die, die too young, sure. But once you’ve reached the age to know the difference between right and wrong you ain’t too young to die anymore. I’m 26 and I certainly don’t think I’m too young to die. If I died tomorrow I wouldn’t want people lamenting me saying, “oh he died too young! He had so much left to live for!” rather, I’d want people to say, “He lived his life well, treated people kindly, and helped make the world a better place.” I’m _blown_ away by the opinion that 60’s or 70’s is till too young to die. If you make it into reproductive age and maybe a little longer, you’ve lived long enough. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/33 "2013-02-11T21:17:31Z")
I chose 80+. No one’s too old to miss, and to wish they were around longer. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2013, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871/34 "2013-02-11T21:32:23Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Whatever age I am when I die. > > Never saw any point in dying, myself. Seems counterproductive. So I’ve decided not to. Sokka: “I’m too young to die!” Old Fisherman: “I’m not, but I still don’t wanna!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-is-too-young-to-die/649871.md?page=1)