AGING

Jenny Bowden: our attitude has an effect on our cells. Have a look at:

http://bigthink.com/series/50#!selected_item=4636

AGE and HAPPINESS

I read a most amazing article in the Economist a few days ago. Based on a research conducted by several institutions among which are America’s General Social Survey, Eurobarometer and Gallup, the conclusion is that the curve of happiness during a lifetime is an U-bend.
And that in advanced countries the nadir (eg the peak of unhappiness) is 46 years old.
How does this sound?
It seems that as people grow older they start appreciating things they didn't before and being less sensitive to other issues.
I quote:
"Enjoyment and happiness dip in middle age, then pick up; stress rises during the early 20s, then falls sharply; worry peaks in middle age, and falls sharply thereafter; anger declines throughout life; sadness rises slightly in middle age, and falls thereafter".
Listen also to what Dr. Laura Carstensen, professor of psychology at Stanford University,says:
"Because the old know they are closer to death (...) they grow better at living for the present. They come to focus on things that matter now—such as feelings—and less on long-term goals. When young people look at older people, they think how terrifying it must be to be nearing the end of your life. But older people know what matters most.”

The whole article is worth reading anyway. Go to: http://www.economist.com/node/17722567?Story_ID=17722567

IS THIS COUNTRY FOR OLD PEOPLE?

(photo credits: scrapetv)

I read recently in a Portuguese newspaper that according to a poll, Portuguese young people pointed to 51 years as the age when you're "old".
It also said that this number is much less than in other European country.
Such a surprising perception of when you become old made me wonder.
Puzzling, to say the least.
After much thought I came to the conclusion that maybe the parents are accountable for this extraordinary idea. And what do I mean with this? It may well be that after listening to parents, uncles, aunts etc etc complaining that retirement takes too long to come, young people decided that after 50 what you want most is to go home and not work anymore.
This is an issue in this country. Most people don't like what they do and keep complaining about it. And why is it?
I wish I knew. Poor work ethics? Demotivation? Poor bosses? Poor edicational choices? Lack of professional choices?