this post was submitted on 20 May 2024
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[–] teawrecks@sopuli.xyz 0 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

No, because that's literally agism.

I understand that it's tempting to think that old age necessarily means degraded mental faculties, but there is no scientific link between the two. There are people who develop Alzheimer's in their 30s, and others who remain lucid into their 100s. Tomorrow there could be a scientific breakthrough that doubles the average lifespan of every human on earth, and we'd be sitting here with an irrelevant age limit on the books like simpletons. The abilities of the person are what matters, the number itself is a red herring (in the same way that the color of their skin should not be used to infer anything).

If the issue is term length, then put a term limit on the position. Otherwise, democracy means the people will elect the wrong people sometimes. We're in a unique situation where the baby boomer generation has more voting power than the rest of the population, but this issue will resolve itself.

Edit: the AARP's position on the matter

[–] MonkderDritte@feddit.de 0 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Tomorrow there could be a scientific breakthrough that doubles the average lifespan of every human on earth

Genetic max age in humans is 120 years (+-5 years).

[–] noobdoomguy8658@feddit.de 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Recommend anything to read on the matter? Sounds very interesting, but I'm afraid I may find some dubious material before striking anything good.

[–] MonkderDritte@feddit.de 0 points 5 months ago

Puh, i think this was from some science journal years ago. I think mainly due to telomeres?

Now that you mention it, this may be obsolete already. Someone knows?

[–] lemmefixdat4u@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Based on telomere degradation. Recent developments may result in human telomere repair in the near future.

[–] MonkderDritte@feddit.de 0 points 5 months ago

Which still leaves genetic degradation and a few more to solve. Aside from living standards, since most don't reach even 100. But maybe those cases who reach 120 without doing anything special are similiar cases to the super-healers of lung tissue, which never get cancer even with 2 packs cigare / day?

[–] BurningTurtle@lemmy.burningturtle.win 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Absolutely. Being senile is a big liability.

[–] GiddyGap@lemm.ee 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I support a mandatory retirement age, but being more than 75 years doesn't necessarily mean you're senile.

[–] Ballistic_86@lemmy.world 0 points 5 months ago

It’s more about having β€œskin in the game” It appears that many representatives/senators are creating or upholding laws that immediately benefit them, the companies that support them, and their industries on the whole.

If someone was closer to middle-age, they have enough experience to make good choices while also being young enough for the negative consequences to happen while they are still alive.

[–] heavyboots@lemmy.ml 0 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Let's do it slightly differently, let's make the mandatory retirement age for political office the median life expectancy age for the entire country. If the politicians, etc can manage to make everyone live longer, they can hold office longer.

Similarly, take away their separate and different medical coverage and put them on the same Medicare system everyone else in the country has to use.

[–] billgamesh@lemmy.ml 0 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I think they should also be paid using their state's disability/unemployment system and get food through their state's EBT system.

[–] Wes4Humanity@lemm.ee 1 points 5 months ago

And have to live in section 8 housing while in DC

[–] fukurthumz420@lemmy.world -1 points 5 months ago

no. bernie is a great example of why age is no restriction to being a good politician. you people have to stop trying to use goose and gander legislation to stop conservatives. you stop conservatives by STOPPING CONSERVATIVES.