A doctor and medical ethicist argues life after 75 is not worth living

I generally agree that there exists a point where keeping someone alive is mostly just because we feel weird about letting them die; there are people kept artificially alive that aren't 'living' in any meaningful sense. But that's not how Emanuel is framing it:

"Older Americans live too long in a diminished state, raising the question of, as he put it, 'whether our consumption is worth our contribution.'"

What an absolutely despicable way of viewing people living into old age; the moment you aren't contributing, its time to get the axe.

I don't think its a coincidence that he's an American: we place an unhealthy amount of value on the labor someone does.

"These people who live a vigorous life to 70, 80, 90 years of age—when I look at what those people “do,” almost all of it is what I classify as play. It’s not meaningful work. They’re riding motorcycles; they’re hiking. Which can all have value—don’t get me wrong. But if it’s the main thing in your life? Ummm, that’s not probably a meaningful life."

Note that he's not talking about people who are ill and lying in bed; he's just talking about people who, after 50+ years of contributing their labor to society, get to enjoy "play". They get to see their grandkids grow up and get married, while not working for the final decades of their life. Claiming that those years don't constitute "a meaningful life" is so patronizing and presumptuous.

I sort of agree with this. Having been around hospitals a bit, I have watched quite a few people going through one procedure after another for years and years with no improvement in quality of life. Most of them just want to checkout, but either the family or the medical establishment drag it out just because the capability exists. It's sad to watch.

I think's hard to say what future you at want. At 75, the author might feel life is still worth living, even if they didn't have health of earlier years. One year could make the difference to see your grandchildren's graduation or marriage. Those things matter to people.

a doctor and medical ethicist who just happens to be well under 75 ...