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> That experience is, of course, self selected for folks who have stuff that they will do with younger folks like me... mostly playing music. But I believe that

> That experience is, of course, self selected for folks who have stuff that they will do with younger folks like me... mostly playing music. But I believe that folks that age are capable of a whole damn lot, assuming that they didn't do a shit-ton of coke or something in their 30s. I don't understand why you disregard selection bias as insignificant. That factor deserves more than an offhand, brushed-off aside. The reality is, the old people who you regularly interact with are XYZ. We can't conclude anything about old people in general based on your personal experiences.

ridgeguy 7y ago
For me, his data that the old people he interacts with are XYZ are both comforting and a motivational existence proof.
- gambiting 7y ago
  Sure, but it really does depend on who you interact with. My aunt runs a care home, and I had this discussion with her once - she said something like "oh I dread getting old, you can't do anything anymore, your memory goes, you can't go to the toilet by yourself, you can't dress yourself, moving anywhere can kill you....being old is horrible!", to which I replied that you know, you probably feel that way because 100% of old people you interact with on the daily basis are like this. Those who are well just don't go into care homes when they are old, so you never see them, but they are definitely out there.
scarecrowbob 7y ago
"The reality is, the old people who you regularly interact with are XYZ. We can't conclude anything about old people in general based on your personal experiences. " True. Hence why I state that there is a bias to begin with. The point of my comment is that other people are possibly engaged the same process but without realizing their bias, and thereby making an unwarranted conclusion about all older folks in general.
traderjane 7y ago
> As my grandmother's Parkinson's progressed, she had to give up knitting. > My point is that the elderly aren't necessarily hypocrites. They have a very different lifestyle than you do. The challenges they face are different, what they're capable of is different. IMO the thread continued at the level of intensity from where it started.

ridgeguy 7y ago

For me, his data that the old people he interacts with are XYZ are both comforting and a motivational existence proof.

gambiting 7y ago
Sure, but it really does depend on who you interact with. My aunt runs a care home, and I had this discussion with her once - she said something like "oh I dread getting old, you can't do anything anymore, your memory goes, you can't go to the toilet by yourself, you can't dress yourself, moving anywhere can kill you....being old is horrible!", to which I replied that you know, you probably feel that way because 100% of old people you interact with on the daily basis are like this. Those who are well just don't go into care homes when they are old, so you never see them, but they are definitely out there.

scarecrowbob 7y ago

"The reality is, the old people who you regularly interact with are XYZ. We can't conclude anything about old people in general based on your personal experiences. " True. Hence why I state that there is a bias to begin with. The point of my comment is that other people are possibly engaged the same process but without realizing their bias, and thereby making an unwarranted conclusion about all older folks in general.

traderjane 7y ago

> As my grandmother's Parkinson's progressed, she had to give up knitting. > My point is that the elderly aren't necessarily hypocrites. They have a very different lifestyle than you do. The challenges they face are different, what they're capable of is different. IMO the thread continued at the level of intensity from where it started.