3 ms·
Which of these two lived a more comfortable, longer and healthier life?
by bruce343434 3y ago
Which of these two lived a more comfortable, longer and healthier life?
- achenet 3y agovery good question to ask. I recall reading that higher status was associated with longer life in 19th/20th civil servants in the UK or the US, it's possible that this was true in mesopotamia as well. In theory, the trappings of what the article called "prestige" status should confer a happier life - if many people like you, you'll have easier access to resources, better social relationships, and perhaps even more meaning/sense of purpose in your life, all of which I believe are correlated with longevity and health.
- akomtu 3y agoDoes it matter who felt more comfortable for a short span of 60-80 years a few thousand years ago?
- bruce343434 3y agoHow I interpreted the grandparent comment is that status doesn't matter because we all die. My implied counterpoint is that it makes no sense to focus on what we will be after death (similar piles of bones). Rather, we should focus on having the nicest life now that we can still experience it. And I tried to imply the point that someone with high status probably enjoys a nicer life than someone of low status. Yes, we all die. No, nothing we do will matter a few thousand years later. Should we just immediately give up then to skip to the inevitable? If so, why haven't you killed yourself already?