The Secret to Life is 42

I've written alot about my ideas about age. I no longer buy into the concept of forced mortality. The two concepts we need to separate in Aging - are the progression of a set of physical diseases that kick in around age thirty - and the mental process of acquiring wisdom. These two things are what people mean,when they call someone 'old'. The derisive element of that refers to someone who either can't think straight - or who looks like they got hit in the face by a baseball bat.

Or so we would be led to believe. We really need to separate those two ideas and reference them differently. The mental side and physical side are separate. You can be in alot of pain, and still be able to think relatively clearly. You might get tired, but you'll be able to work. Then sleep.

Wisdom refers to the transformation of information to intelligence and eventually , until its object logic becomes complete and its references and pointers cast properly. This amounts to giving the person a power to see how everything fits together - but it comes at a cost of a certain amount of spontaneity. The generally more radical thinking that a less connected brain will be able to accomplish - carries a higher adaptability to new environments. However, it's important to remember the brain never degenerates and all of the powers of consciousness remain intact and clear throughout the life of the being. The idea that brain cells are dying is a myth. They regenerate. It is more likely that the self referential issues from physical issue overload are what causes trouble. Remember, a 90 year old guy (at current state of the art) is going to have to face himself every day with questions such as "Are you going to live?" and "What would happen if you died?". Many are sharp right until the day they die. The secret is, at some point, to notice that your body disintegrating, and to notice that you really don't care. (I'm looking forward to the day I can whistle and brush my teeth at the same time). Our thinking changes, and there are cultural differences (pre 30 and post 30) in how one thinks compared to how another might process things. But it's usually fun to find the new language that arises - it's never really an issue.

The processes that affect us physically are another matter altogether. Those beasts work really slow, and they are really destructive. Most if not all of the damage can be removed. And having a healthy body helps to have a healthy mind.

What if I told you that one of the women in the picture below - was 20, and the other was 42. Which one ?

The youngest is 42 years of age. The other is actually 52. Please forgive me if I am driving at a conclusion that the secret to life is 42. It's an oblique reference to a Douglas Adams novel. I'm not exactly sure what happens when I see a picture of a beautiful woman - but something inside of me sort of disintegrates and then comes back together again. Twenty year olds just aren't this hot.

Maybe it's just that hotness might really be a trigger somewhere in my happily male consciousness and mind - to health. Maybe being healthy is really what the essence of hotness is all about. But aging itself, as we see it - should be split into two parts. If things work out in the next twenty years - and we're able to regenerate - it will be incredibly confusing to some people to associate age with invalidity.

A person who successfully regenerates would be stronger, more attractive and wiser than a younger person. In the case of females, this translates for me, personally - as more desirable.