Health Vs Wealth

[edd_jedi]

I had an interesting discussion with a couple of people today. We were trying to figure out how much of our good health (eg age) we would forfeit to be absolutely loaded (eg 20 million+, enough to live the celebrity lifestyle.)

I'm 31, and I reckon the maximum of my life I would give up for that money would be 19 years, taking me to 50. At 50 I think you're still just about young enough to have kids, and able enough to enjoy the money (eg cars, yacht, women etc!)

I personally would not give up any more than that. What use is money when you're too old to enjoy it. Some of the other guys had different opinions, some would sacrifice more and one guy nothing at all.

What do you guys think?

 

[monkey_roo]

Interesting, I guess it also depends on what you class as health.

There is the classic Marlowe take on this with Faustus and his 30 years of wealth/power/influence in return for his sole, I think that took the protagonist into his 50's as well and then he had to give it up to the devil, but with the nature of that arrangement there is a fair bit of regret, but that's the point.

Then there is the general health issue, and on that score (speaking as someone who has just spent the last 18 months dealing with a major issue) I would rather have my health than any amount of wealth, as long as you can pay the bills and treat your kids to a toy or two...

Personally I wouldn't give up any time or heath for money, rather philosophically, we don't have much time anyway, why give it up?

 

[itfciain]

I can say that having a child certainly makes a difference in this decision.

Previously, I am sure that I have uttered sentences along the lines of "I don't want to get old" or "I don't want to live past 60" and at that time if you'd offered me a large sum of money then I would have definitely taken it over long life

However, with the arrival of my daughter then I can now see why people want to hang on to life for so long - the chance to see her grow up and make something of her life far outweighs any money that you could offer me

 

[Frunkstar]

Has to be health all the way for me as health is wealth TBH, I had a severe RTA when I was 19, till then i was super fit & well, loved climbing running & the great outdoors was as good as my home, took me over a year to be able to walk again & a hell of a lot longer before I tried to run again, there in no amount of cash that can replace even that single year in your prime IME, to those that consider money over health I can only say this - perspective, it changes!

 

[Grant]

Crazy topic Ed. I'd give up nothing. I'd rather be poor and healthy than minted and dead. 8)

 

[Michael Sith]

Perception of wealth and the age of the person in question are key factors.

There are people who have debilitating diseases, terminal conditions, who fight for every second to be amongst their loved ones and friends, to be able to see the stars at night, the sun shine, to hear the sound of rain on the window, I can go on..... Life is precious no matter the time given I think it was Marcus Aurelius that said something like the shortest lived man and the longest lived man both lose the same thing
You should live life to the full and try to see the best rather than the worst. Money helps I agree, but there are emotions and feelings that you cannot put a price on, when you hold your child for the very first time for example.

For most of my life I have never had money, but I have the best family in my wife and kids that I could ever have dreamed of, and that feeling stays day by day, so I would not trade a second of that for all the riches in the world.

So really it's down to what you value most Money ...or Life


I would quote Lord Byron....Tis very certain the desire of life Prolongs it.

Plus I am 50 in 4 months :!:

 

[PGowdy]

Giving up 19 years of an already short life for 20mil is insane. That's WAY too young to go. I could see that if you were living in utter misery but i quite like my life so i wouldn't give up a quarter of it for some money. Which i'm sure would not be as fun to have in reality as it is when you imagine it.
I plan to be independently wealthy and afford all the things i want in life but whether that means being rich or just having a decent income and a job i enjoy is neither here nor there for me. Probably rather take the decent income and job i love. I know people who are filthy rich and own £10million houses and country retreats and tho it's all very nice life's not that much more fun for them than the average guy. Not saying i'd turn it down i just don't think it's an immediate answer to happiness either. If you're unhappy without money you'll be unhappy with it.

 

[Richard_H]

I wouldn't give anything of my life for money unless I was going to have a very poor quality of life healthwise. 20 million is meaningless for me (and there's been many times when 20p meant a lot!) when you talking about taking years off your life. I know many people in their late 50s/early 60s who are fit as **** and could run, row, etc me into the ground.

 

[timbo72]

Health all the way for me. Coming from someone who has had a chronic disease since the age of 12 and also works for the nhs. As long as i can pay the mortgage/bills etc and have just a little left over for the family im happy.

 

[edd_jedi]

Maybe I should have worded it differently - obviously nobody (or at least not many people) would want money in exchange for being seriously ill. The assumption is that however many years you give up, you will live for a 'normal' length of tim after that (eg from 50, probably 30 years left.)

It's an interesting proposition IMO - live for 50 years normally, or 30 years with loads of money and all the things that go with it. There are obviously pros and cons to both.

 

[Michael Sith]

I gave up smoking 13 months ago....so I'm trying to get some back and add some on :!:

Get what your saying Edd, but still for me were not here long enough and money can't buy the real things in life

Although I still do the lottery :wink:

Me and the mrs are pass it on types, as long as we are payin the bills...happy days, if we ever have anything the kids get it, it does feel good

It's a concept that drives human nature, for some it's money, for others the highest mountain, the fastest speed, MR Browning said that well;
Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?"

That's why it's so great to be here....so many colourful people...just look at this forum :!:

 

[CRAZYHAZY]

Health Health Health.......all the way I want to live as long as i bloody can. We live on a beautiful planet , yeah surE there is a lot of badness in the world caused by the ****ing human race....but i still think the good outways the bad.
I keep fit and eat well so it will hopefully prepare me for old age and i will be as strong and fit as i possibly can in old age.

A POOR AND CONTENT MAN IS A RICHER MAN STILL!!!!

 

[Grant]

Maybe I should have worded it differently - obviously nobody (or at least not many people) would want money in exchange for being seriously ill. The assumption is that however many years you give up, you will live for a 'normal' length of tim after that (eg from 50, probably 30 years left.)

It's an interesting proposition IMO - live for 50 years normally, or 30 years with loads of money and all the things that go with it. There are obviously pros and cons to both.

Money just isnt important I dont think especially when you measure it up to life at all. I understood what you were trying to say right at the top of the thread. I probably just worded my response wrong. Anyway I wouldnt trade a month for a million quid. Im sure we all lost people close to us and I for one would give everything I have in the world just to get another day with them. Heck I'd even trade of some of my life just to see them or hear their voice again.

Regards

Grant.

PS Its different for everyone tho im sure. 8)

 

[itfciain]

Heck I'd even trade of some of my life just to see them or hear their voice again

Probably a bit of a morbid path to take, but suppose it wasn't wealth but something like this that you could give up periods of your life for ?

What would you happily trade ? Time with a loved one, millions of pounds, an Uzay Headman or something else ?

 

[Michael Sith]

With you all the way Grant

 

[tundra9]

I've been ill for the past 6 years, and just now I've started to get the sensation back in my toes, and I'm able to stretch them and move them
a little, not much, but considering they've been "dead" for the past 6 years, it's a BIG win imo, so I can honestly say I wouldn't trade my health in
for cash, no matter how big the figure is.
But then again, if I didn't have the illness, or was asked this before I got ill, I might have replied otherwise...

 

[Frunkstar]

Off topic I know, but following on from what Iain said, I would trade a month or more for even a fleeting moment with my father or mother again.

& I too understood your question in full Edd, but like others have said, there is no trade in cash terms for life IMO

 

[x-pack]

If i were poor then i might look at this differently, but there's no way i would give my health, or trade my soul, for anything. I can imagine some of these vapid drones who idolise the cult of celebrity would trade years for money/things.

 

[jabbawokkie]

a rich mans not one who has everything but a man who need nothing.

 

[Richard_H]

You must need something to post a post like that