3 ms·

I predict a society where men, women, couples work until age 60-70 and then retire and have children (assuming medical advances).

tomp 12y ago
Why not have children when you're 25, then work from 45 until the end of your life?
- bratsche 12y ago
  So, live on debt until you're 45? No thanks.
- crpatino 12y ago
  Because that would imply that the grand parents are the bread winners in the family, instead of "enjoying their golden years".
  - tomp 12y ago
    Instead, we could make "the golden years" between 25 and 45.
    - crpatino 12y ago
      Try convincing the Baby Boomers that, aside from not having a retirement any time soon, and aside from having their kids moving back home, they will be moving back with their significant other and get their own families started on Boomer's dime. It's like that pop-psi tale about the guy who never knew what chicken breast tasted like. When being a child, his mother reserved the breast for the father because "he's the one who keeps us fed and clothed". Later when he was a grown up, his wife reserved the breast for the children because "they deserve the very best".
      - russgray 12y ago
        The irony being that the breast is the least-flavourful, blandest part of the chicken, and all those years he was actually dining on the best bits without knowing?
        crpatino 12y ago
        You are so right, sir! On so many levels...
mikestew 12y ago
Unless your hypothetical medical advances include more energy and physical flexibility, I'm guessing you're either not anywhere close to sixty or don't have kids. My wife and I (who don't have kids) have discussed that we don't even want a puppy (in contrast to adopting an adult dog) when we're sixty, let alone a kid. Our last puppy was six years ago, and we've sworn off them since. :-)
r00fus 12y ago
Sure, frozen embryos, frozen sperm and something like the "uterine replicator" from the Vorkosigan Saga (Bujold) [1] may allow this to happen. I really doubt 60 or 70 year old women will gestate their babies [2]. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorkosigan_Saga#Technology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorkosigan_Saga#Technology [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pregnancy_over_age_50 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pregnancy_over_age_50

tomp 12y ago

Why not have children when you're 25, then work from 45 until the end of your life?

bratsche 12y ago
So, live on debt until you're 45? No thanks.
crpatino 12y ago
Because that would imply that the grand parents are the bread winners in the family, instead of "enjoying their golden years".
- tomp 12y ago
  Instead, we could make "the golden years" between 25 and 45.
  - crpatino 12y ago
    Try convincing the Baby Boomers that, aside from not having a retirement any time soon, and aside from having their kids moving back home, they will be moving back with their significant other and get their own families started on Boomer's dime. It's like that pop-psi tale about the guy who never knew what chicken breast tasted like. When being a child, his mother reserved the breast for the father because "he's the one who keeps us fed and clothed". Later when he was a grown up, his wife reserved the breast for the children because "they deserve the very best".
    - russgray 12y ago
      The irony being that the breast is the least-flavourful, blandest part of the chicken, and all those years he was actually dining on the best bits without knowing?
      - crpatino 12y ago
        You are so right, sir! On so many levels...

mikestew 12y ago

Unless your hypothetical medical advances include more energy and physical flexibility, I'm guessing you're either not anywhere close to sixty or don't have kids. My wife and I (who don't have kids) have discussed that we don't even want a puppy (in contrast to adopting an adult dog) when we're sixty, let alone a kid. Our last puppy was six years ago, and we've sworn off them since. :-)

r00fus 12y ago

Sure, frozen embryos, frozen sperm and something like the "uterine replicator" from the Vorkosigan Saga (Bujold) [1] may allow this to happen. I really doubt 60 or 70 year old women will gestate their babies [2]. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorkosigan_Saga#Technology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorkosigan_Saga#Technology [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pregnancy_over_age_50 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pregnancy_over_age_50