Monday, March 14, 2011

I Knew It: Cheerfulness Kills!

At least, that's what the writers of The Longevity Project think:
"Bright-eyed, optimistic children were more likely to be highly social, and "went to more parties where they smoke and drank, craving the buzz," [...] "They died from accidents." Or they remained happy when things were going their way, then crashed when confronted with the difficulties of life.
Other findings? Nose-to-the-grindstone types who don't cut corners outlive the slapdash, happy-go-lucky folks; and people who have a high-stress, rewarding job tend to outlive those with duller, less stressful employment. --Oh, and don't retire, either, if you want to live a long, long time.

...Like all such studies, it's only "true" for some majority of a large group; your personal mileage is liable to vary. Me, I'm gonna keep on smiling even if fortune favors the sourpuss -- 'cos what's the point in hangin' around only to be miserable?

13 comments:

Robb Allen said...

I don't want to live longer. I want to live better. Who wants to be on their death bed dying of nothing?

No, for me it's better to hit the grave earlier having had a grand old time rather than later and hating every minute before it.

Now, I'm happy go lucky, but I'm partially anti-social and a realist. So, life can't really surprise me as I don't expect anything but misery and tough times. I also have a low stress job that I love.

So, according to those standards, I'll live a long time, but spontaneously combust for an unknown reason.

North said...

Roberta - I'll take on your burden for the day and walk around with an angry scowl on my face. Just for you.

:-)

oops.

:-(

Alan said...

They don't really live longer, it just seems that way.

Ken said...

Well, I agree with the "don't retire" part, anyway. I'm doing a mid-career change so that I'll have a job from which I don't want to retire.

Stranger said...

No "straw death" for me, thank you.

While that once meant coughing your lungs out because of the TB that was rampant, today's equivalent is a lounger, a television, and a tray of snacks. Today's version is quieter, but no less deadly.

I think I will go climb the tower. Because I really do want to live to be 150. And be shot to death by a jealous husband.

Slainte! To a long life and a quick end.

Stranger

Fuzzy Curmudgeon said...

I've certainly known plenty of cheerful people that I wanted to kill, just on general principle.

Typically they were the left-wing air-headed variant, though.

Keads said...

On Monday mornings around here, it most certainly does!

Anonymous said...

Oh, and don't retire, either, if you want to live a long, long time.

Wanna bet this sort of result gets more and more widely publicized as people start to realize that we can't get away without social security and medicare cuts?

Anonymous said...

Lets stomp all the damn cheerfull Smurfs! Lefty statists all.
I don't care if people like me as long as they fear me. I prefer to leave people guessing if I'm angry, then when I'm quiet and polite, it fools them even more!

Bruce
crankyoldmanwithgun@yahoo.com

Robin said...

I'm gonna live foreever then.

Roberta X said...

Bluntobject: So what? I'm of the opinion that retirement is not everything it is cracked up to be.

Drang said...

Cranky old farts are smarter, too. I have that article saved somewhere...

Chuck Pergiel said...

How can I be happy if I don't have anything to complain about?