I would love to see the Times do a piece on "Why won't septuagenarians just die already?" But since older folks are the Times' main audience, it's more profitable to look at those damned lazy kids these days and pretend that societal changes are totally localized to their generation.
While it's true that the life expectancy has risen for older people, this isn't because longevity itself is much greater, it's because there are fewer infant mortalities dragging down the mean.
Upon safely reaching mid-life, the life expectancy has been around 80 for decades.
exactly. The way I see it, as the average life span of a human increases the pace of life will slow to a more leisurely elven type speed. Things are a lot more complex and there is a great deal more to know than say a century or even half a century ago, it takes a bit longer now to come up to speed.
Yes, and I don't think it's easy for women to have children at 60 or 10, however it's still possible. Biologically it's probably optimal to have children in the 16 - 22, socially 25 - 35 is probably ideal. However, I was simply pointing out that the limits of biology are well outside the shift in optimal range we are talking about.
Why are so many people in their 70's not dead?