# Women live longer than men, why is this life expectancy gap not scandalous? Why is it not a big deal **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 17, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597 "2013-02-17T16:00:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/41 "2013-02-18T00:14:22Z")
Although I wouldn’t dismiss the impact of testosterone poisoning, I think it’s quite obvious that a woman lives longer than a man because she didn’t have to marry a woman. Seriously, I’ve long felt that although men may have the upper body strength, over the long term women are tougher. My cite: I thought it, I believe it, that settles it. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/42 "2013-02-18T00:15:22Z")
> [@doubleminus](#): > > It is a known fact that castrated men live longer. Maybe it just seems like it. ---
**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/43 "2013-02-18T01:42:08Z")
According to [this paper](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1071721/), it is mainly because men are **bigger** than women - the same thing is observed in many other species (although the inverse is generally true across different species); bigger = shorter life expectancy (men and women): > [@](#): > > Women average about 13 cm (∼5 in) shorter than men and have considerably lower rates of CHD. Although hormones are assumed to explain this advantage, they may play only a partial role. For example, based on 1,700 deceased people in Ohio, Miller found that men and women of the same height had about the same lifespan. > > Longevity studies of deceased US veterans found an inverse relation between height and longevity.13Evaluation of height and longevity of deceased professional base-ball players and 19th century French men and women also showed an inverse relation, as shown in figures ​figures11 and​and22.14In a review of literature on height, body size, and longevity, we found several studies that showed a negative correlation between height and longevity. > > Many studies have found a positive correlation between cancer, rapid growth, and height.2 For example, Albanes reported that rapid growth during adolescence is tied to increased cancer risk in adulthood, with a 3- to 4-mm increment in leg length above average resulting in an 80% higher risk in nonsmoking-related cancer,based on a 50-yearfollow-up Interestingly enough, it also claims that is why men have higher rates of cancer and cardiovascular disease. (I have a personal interest in this because it suggests that I should easily outlive most of the members on this board) ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/44 "2013-02-18T02:03:18Z")
I think we’re conflating two seperate but important factors here. These things often confuse longevity discussion. There’s “what’s the average lifespan of X” and there’s “what’s your likely lifespan if you survive until Y age”, whch can be entirely different. For example, let’s say there was a population of people who had a 50% chance of dying during the first 5 years of their life, but if they managed to survive past that, they’d live to be 150. The average age would still be 75 years old (well, a little more, but you get the point), but if you were a 6 year old of this group, you could count on living for another 144 years. Now, I don’t know how this difference applies to that discussion, but some factors like whether men die in work-related accidents would not heavily impact the “if you’re a healthy 60 year old man, how much longer can you expect to live?” question, which is seperate from the “what’s the average life expectancy of men?” question. But I thought this issue should be raised to clarify the discussion. A better question may be “to people who manage to live into old age, what is their life expectancy difference?” ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/45 "2013-02-18T03:05:17Z")
> [@JamesQueue](#): > > Imagine if the reverse were true, imagine if most men lived longer than most women do. Don’t you think there would be many writers and TV personalities and academics and people of all stripes theorizing about the political, social and economic forces that keep women down? It would be a big stink, it would be a national problem, there would be a lot of consciousness raising about it. There would be scrutiny about our sexist health care industry. I’m sure people could come up with all kinds of theories about sexism and discrimination at all levels of society. > > In any area where women enjoy an advantage, it’s accepted as natural and even good. Maybe it is. I don’t know. Where is the challenge? Why is it shocking? Women are more health conscious, are less likely to engage in a number of risky behaviors, and, in general, take better care of themselves. Similarly, I suspect have Mormons longer life expectancies than say Catholics, but that’s not because the US somehow favors Mormons over Catholics. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/46 "2013-02-18T03:07:02Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Ah, that old line. > > Translation: Men are by preference used as experimental animals because they are more expendable, which is somehow sexist against _women_. Killing men just shows how _privileged_ they are. :rolleyes: > Garbage. Women have long received much more funding for female-specific research, and men have preferentially been used as experimental subjects because people simply care less if they are hurt or killed. This thread certainly helps demonstrate that disdain for male life. This is ignorant, sexist bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/47 "2013-02-18T03:50:06Z")
> [@ReticulatingSplines](#): > > Actually, I feel quite the opposite. Having intact mental faculties and appropriate metacognition would only make me feel worse about my situation because I could deeply ponder my lack of purpose, poor driving, creaky hips, and the knowledge I could drop dead at any second. Though I should mention I’m only projected to live 82 years anyway, so I’m not giving up a whole lot of hypothetical life here. None of my lived-beyond-75 relatives had lack of purpose or creaky hips at that age. Those who did drive were happy to stop doing so, but I realize they lived in places where stuff was within walking distance, which is probably not your case. And you can drop dead any time _now_. My grandma is at the stage where she can say “so young!” of people who are 98. She complains of a (one) creaky knee, has four teeth she did not pay for and lives on her own (there is a part-time caretaker who goes M-F and my cousin lives 400m away). ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/48 "2013-02-18T04:04:39Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > Print this off and put it up on your refrigerator. Years from now, you’ll tear it down in embarrassment at the young fool you used to be. How do you not already realize this? Realize what? That I’ll be so happy at 75 that I’ll desperately want to eke out fifteen more minutes of life? Well guess what? I probably won’t. And neither will anyone else, if suicide rates are any indication. The over-75 set has the highest rate of any age bracket. > **[Suicide Statistics at Suicide.org! Suicide Statistics, Suicide Statistics,...](http://www.suicide.org/suicide-statistics.html#death-rates)** > > Suicide Statistics. Suicide Statistics. Suicide Statistics. Suicide Statistics. Suicide Statistics. Suicide Statistics. Suicide Statistics. Suicide Statistics. Suicide Statistics. Suicide Statistics. Suicide Statistics. Suicide Statistics. Suicide... That’s because life sucks at that age. But hey, if we just tell ourselves they love being alive, we don’t have to feel guilty for all the times we ignored grandma’s calls. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/49 "2013-02-18T06:57:29Z")
> [@ReticulatingSplines](#): > > Realize what? That I’ll be so happy at 75 that I’ll desperately want to eke out fifteen more minutes of life? Well guess what? I probably won’t. And neither will anyone else, if suicide rates are any indication. The over-75 set has the highest rate of any age bracket. > > [Suicide Statistics at Suicide.org! Suicide Statistics, Suicide Statistics, Suicide Statistics, Suicide Statistics, Suicide Statistics!](http://www.suicide.org/suicide-statistics.html#death-rates) > > That’s because life sucks at that age. But hey, if we just tell ourselves they love being alive, we don’t have to feel guilty for all the times we ignored grandma’s calls. Print it off and put it up. I look forward to hearing from you when you tear it down. ---
**Author:** ![Doggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Doggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doggo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/50 "2013-02-18T10:09:31Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > You’d be singing a different tune if you reached 75 with intact mental faculties. Who cares about the mental faculties? It’s the physical faculties that concern me, and having had to look after aged people in hospital, I long ago decided that I’d rather commit sideways than exist like that. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/51 "2013-02-18T12:43:30Z")
> [@Doggo](#): > > Who cares about the mental faculties? It’s the physical faculties that concern me, and having had to look after aged people in hospital, I long ago decided that I’d rather commit sideways than exist like that. That’s one of the more morbidly amusing autocorrects I’ve seen. I tend to agree with you, mainly because the thought of relying on others for basic everyday activities is pretty horrifying. I reserve the right to change my mind at any time. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/52 "2013-02-18T12:45:51Z")
> [@ReticulatingSplines](#): > > And neither will anyone else, if suicide rates are any indication. So… because life sucks for some you extrapolate that to all? Try not to make this a self-fulfilling prophecy. Myself, I have every intention to living into the triple digits. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/53 "2013-02-18T12:51:45Z")
> [@colander](#): > > This is because prostate cancer, far and away the most prevalent male-specific cancer, is not particularly acute or deadly. It occurs largely in the aged population and is slow enough to progress that most men with untreated prostatic cancers die of unrelated ailments long before the cancer becomes fatal. Breast cancer is very, very different. > **[Cancer mortality statistics](https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/mortality)** > > The latest cancer mortality statistics for the UK for Health Professionals. See data for sex, age, trends over time and more. Notice the pie chart at the top, breast and prostate both on 7% of cancer deaths. Breast cancer is 15% of cancer cases, according to another page on the same site, prostate cancer is 13%. IN short, prostate cancer is more likely to kill you than breast cancer. Men are also more likely to die of all other common cancers other than pancreatic cancer, breast cancer and those cancers which only effect women. The shorter male life expectancy isn’t because men tend to die a couple of year earlier at the upper end, though, it’s largely because men are more likely to die at every age before senescence, right up until an age when men are heavily outnumbered by women. Men are more likely to die from pretty much every cause at younger ages. Illness, suicide, combat deaths, deaths from crime, congenital illnesses, on the job accidents, pretty much anything other than childbirth. And the most common response, as WhyNot says, is “blame men”. Just like when there is violence against women, or female health concerns or any other women’s issues the response is always “blame men” too. If you want to do something about it, then a lot of things need to be done. Women need to be pressured into doing dangerous work to support their families while men stay at home and look after children. Women need to be sent into combat instead of men. People need to be taught from youth that hitting men is wrong, rather than hitting women, which will hopefully cause criminals to start preferentially targeting women rather than men. “Well Women” clinics and the like need to be shut down and the resources targetted towards men instead, that being the most effective use of healthcare resources. Awareness and fundraising for breast cancer and that sort of thing need to be replaced with campaigns for male cancers, and gender neutral cancers while mostly effect men. And none of that is going to happen while we have a female dominated society where the first response when a male problem is mentioned is “Oh, another “We poor men have it so rough” thread.” or “blame men”. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/54 "2013-02-18T14:12:59Z")
> [@blindboyard](#): > > [Cancer mortality statistics | Cancer Research UK](http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/mortality/) > > Notice the pie chart at the top, breast and prostate both on 7% of cancer deaths. Breast cancer is 15% of cancer cases, according to another page on the same site, prostate cancer is 13%. > > IN short, prostate cancer is more likely to kill you than breast cancer. Men are also more likely to die of all other common cancers other than pancreatic cancer, breast cancer and those cancers which only effect women. > > The shorter male life expectancy isn’t because men tend to die a couple of year earlier at the upper end, though, it’s largely because men are more likely to die at every age before senescence, right up until an age when men are heavily outnumbered by women. Men are more likely to die from pretty much every cause at younger ages. Illness, suicide, combat deaths, deaths from crime, congenital illnesses, on the job accidents, pretty much anything other than childbirth. > > And the most common response, as WhyNot says, is “blame men”. Just like when there is violence against women, or female health concerns or any other women’s issues the response is always “blame men” too. > > If you want to do something about it, then a lot of things need to be done. Women need to be pressured into doing dangerous work to support their families while men stay at home and look after children. Women need to be sent into combat instead of men. People need to be taught from youth that hitting men is wrong, rather than hitting women, which will hopefully cause criminals to start preferentially targeting women rather than men. “Well Women” clinics and the like need to be shut down and the resources targetted towards men instead, that being the most effective use of healthcare resources. Awareness and fundraising for breast cancer and that sort of thing need to be replaced with campaigns for male cancers, and gender neutral cancers while mostly effect men. And none of that is going to happen while we have a female dominated society where the first response when a male problem is mentioned is “Oh, another “We poor men have it so rough” thread.” or “blame men”. Try the next page: [Cancer mortality statistics | Cancer Research UK](http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/mortality/cancerdeaths/) In the US according to the CDC in 2009 40,676 women in the United States died from breast cancer. 28,088 men in the United States died from prostate cancer the same year. Prostate cancer tends to strike men older than breast cancer strikes women. And it moves very slow. Finally, private funding for breast cancer research has been significant. Women and men have been choosing to spend their own money on funding breast cancer research. Want prostate cancer funded? - get a few million people to walk every year at a minimum of $25 a pop. That’s one of the biggest reasons that breast cancer has made the strides it has - there is a very public face to breast cancer and a huge private funding effort - and its been in existence now for 30 years. ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/55 "2013-02-18T14:33:12Z")
> [@JamesQueue](#): > > Imagine if the reverse were true, imagine if most men lived longer than most women do. Don’t you think there would be many writers and TV personalities and academics and people of all stripes theorizing about the political, social and economic forces that keep women down? It would be a big stink, it would be a national problem, there would be a lot of consciousness raising about it. There would be scrutiny about our sexist health care industry. I’m sure people could come up with all kinds of theories about sexism and discrimination at all levels of society. > > In any area where women enjoy an advantage, it’s accepted as natural and even good. Maybe it is. I don’t know. Where is the challenge? IMO, this unnecessarily minimizes some real equality issues women face, and doesn’t carry much substance as an argument. This is not some type of unique social construct, but that withstanding, I still can’t summon the outrage. Women also have to bear children and deal with menstrual cycles…having a few more years, is the least nature can do for them (provided they are good ones). ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/56 "2013-02-18T15:19:41Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > So… because life sucks for some you extrapolate that to all? > > Try not to make this a self-fulfilling prophecy. Myself, I have every intention to living into the triple digits. Well, I was exaggerating, of course. I don’t intend to hasten my own demise, but given the choice of 75 vibrant and physically intact years versus 100 in failing health and dependency, I’d pick the former. I don’t get why that’s so controversial or hard to believe. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/57 "2013-02-18T15:43:32Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > So… because life sucks for some you extrapolate that to all? So… because some remain strong and vibrant, you extrapolate that to all? I gotta tell you, the strong and vibrant 76 year olds are not the statistical majority. They’re the ones we feature in feel good segments on the news \*because \*they’re so unusual. So hope for that, sure. But please get your paperwork in order and your funeral arranged long before that, just in case you’re normal. > [@blindboyard](#): > > And none of that is going to happen while we have a female dominated society where the first response when a male problem is mentioned is “Oh, another “We poor men have it so rough” thread.” or “blame men”. None of that is going to happen when you read the first response and don’t finish the post. Y’know, that part about “And then let’s stop blaming and try to fix it, okay?” “Blame” is a tongue in cheek word. Yes, it’s important to identify where public health could be doing better. It’s important to figure out where the problems lie so that we can make a plan to fix them. Call it “causative factors” if you’re writing a research paper or grant proposal. “Blame” is a perfectly cromulent word for the same thing if you’re communicating informally on a message board. And the fact remains that \*most \*of the identified causative factors in men’s shortened lifespan can be traced back to biology or to their own actions - not as a group, but as individuals with statistically significant shared behavioral patterns which shorten their lifespan. Should we address that, try to educate about better lifestyle choices, increase workplace safety, make suicidal thoughts not-taboo, make doctor’s offices not so scary for men and make health care more accessible? Absolutely. But those are all interventions which address the causative factors - men’s choices and actions. Closing a Women’s Health Clinic will increase health care for men how? ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/58 "2013-02-18T15:51:16Z")
> [@blindboyard](#): > > [Cancer mortality statistics | Cancer Research UK](http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/mortality/) > And none of that is going to happen while we have a female dominated society where the first response when a male problem is mentioned is “Oh, another “We poor men have it so rough” thread.” or “blame men”. AHahahahahah… Oh look. One trick pony is one-trick-ponying again. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/59 "2013-02-18T16:10:38Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I think we’re conflating two seperate but important factors here. These things often confuse longevity discussion. > > There’s “what’s the average lifespan of X” and there’s “what’s your likely lifespan if you survive until Y age”, whch can be entirely different. I had the same thought. I found this link to a Social Security Admin. page that answers that question ( [Social Security History](http://www.ssa.gov/history/lifeexpect.html) ). In 1990 (the latest data on the chart, whay does the SSA data always lag so far behind?) a male who reached the age of 65 could expect to live another 15.3 years. A female could expect another 19.6 years of life - roughly 25% longer. That’s substantial. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597/60 "2013-02-18T18:06:56Z")
There is a lot of youthful ignorance in this thread. Saying you’d rather die than exceed the average life expectancy is like how people say they’d rather die than lose their legs or go blind or get fat. But, after the same person loses their legs or goes blind or gets fat, they keep wanting to live. What’s up with that!??! The survival instinct is far more powerful than you can even begin to imagine. So kindly stop with the foolish pronouncements. > [@Doggo](#): > > Who cares about the mental faculties? It’s the physical faculties that concern me, and having had to look after aged people in hospital, I long ago decided that I’d rather commit sideways than exist like that. Skewed sample, much? Not everybody spends their dotage hospitalized or rotting in a nursing home. And, as unfortunate as the people you looked after may have been, their every waking moment wasn’t filled with nothing but agony and despair. The vast majority of people get more content with life the older they become, because they acquire the wisdom that ONLY comes through life experience. Young people, necessarily lacking in life experience, are the \*least \*equipped to make statements about how they’d rather be dead than old. But hey, don’t take my word for it. Why not conduct a poll of 75+ year olds in various stages of mental and physical health and ask them if they’d rather be dead? After they laugh in your face (ew! old people breath! :o), I’m sure there will be a resounding chorus of NO!s. Why? Welp, by that point in life, a person has survived a great deal of death, pain, and loss. But instead of being crippled by those experiences, MOST people realize how fortunate a gift life is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-live-longer-than-men-why-is-this-life-expectancy-gap-not-scandalous-why-is-it-not-a-big-deal/650597.md?page=4)