In my personal observation so far, the majority of old people are not wealthy, too conservative, and have many sources of bitterness.
There are many risks in taking chances, but there is also the possibility of gain, a gain which will not likely come unless the chance is taken.
I’m so drunk and I feel like I’m talking out of my ass, but I would like to ask the question: Would you rather live short and accomplish something, or grow old and regret?
That’s not really a sporting question. I doubt anyone is really going to say, “Oooh! Regret! Regret! THAT’S for ME!”
Uhh, it’s not that kind of an either-or thing. Personally, I like the idea of growing old while having accomplished something.
I plan on spending my doddering years sticking out my tounge at the younger folks and saying “neener-neener-neener, I’ve-got-more-than-you-do.”. 
Of course, I’ll be really pissed off watching them drive their tee shots 275 yards down the fairway while mine wobble out 50 yards or so, but I guess you can’t have everything…
I don’t know about living fast, but I’d like to die fast. When it comes time for body to start giving up I hope Kevorkian has a few followers hangin around for me.
As far as regrets go, hell I live a pretty “fast” life as it is and I still have regrets. Never a factor in my decisions.
The people who live fast accomplish nothing and die old:)
I definitly wanna die old, bitter, and full of regret. I also want to live in a weed filled place with pink flamigoes all over the place, and a poodle with pink dyed hair following me around wherever I go. And i want kids to be afraid to go into my hard whenever they throw a frisbee/ball in there. :o
Live fast, die young, leave a good looking body when I do
Some people cannot be killed by conventional means and manage both.
I’m trying to read the OP with both the Wise Eye of Seein’ Plenny Friends Die, and the Ol’ Encrusted Eye of I Really Don’t Wantta Yet…
I’ve had a wonderful time so far on this planet, spending most of my time with musicians and artists I love. I’ve also seen plenty of them live fast, and have cried to see them go back down less than happily into the earth. From that longstanding standpoint, even seeing my friends mourned and lauded for their many accomplishments, I’d rather be alive and take my chances with growing old. After seeing their less than painless deaths, from alcoholism, heroin addiction, AIDS complication, and just plain poverty: most being artists in the Blues tradition who chose a “fast” life over the regular hell of a hardship of a life that was the alternate at the time… I don’t know. They had times of accollade, but many spent their last hours in pretty dire circumstances. As to the original question, most of these guys had amazing lives, with the best stories you could imagine, but that was coupled with the worst shit you could imagine too.
I guess it all boils down to what you mean by “accomplish”.