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What happened to grumpy old men?

• inovica 17y ago
  Well, I suspect they're happy in their grumpiness. I know a few old (and grumpy people) like my father in law. He loves being grumpy :)
  • deleted 17y ago
    [deleted]
• Alex3917 17y ago
  People tend to vastly underestimate the effect that emotions have on physical health. Chronic depression, anger, and stress are basically the equivalent of an all bacon diet. Probably far worse for your health than being morbidly obese. The reason there are no angry or stressed old people is that they're all dead. There is a bunch of scientific research about this in Emotional Intelligence, if you're looking for cites. (And Malcolm Gladwell opens his newest book talking about this as well.)
  • nostrademons 17y ago
    "The reason there are no angry or stressed old people is that they're all dead." I'm not so sure of this. My grandmother lived to the ripe old age of 92, yet for the last 25ish years of her life was depressed, lethargic, and generally a drain on everyone around her. Similarly, my dad is now 70 and has been sure that the world is about to end for the last 15 years. Makes me a little depressed to think that genetically speaking, I'll probably live a long and unhappy life. :-) I think it's more that depressed old people tend not to get off the couch, i.e. you won't see them at senior centers, they don't participate in studies, and you will generally have little cause to interact with them.
• timcederman 17y ago
  That bit is caused by the increasing loss of self-control for politeness. Wish I could find the reference to the New Scientist article which discusses it...