[MR] About that "They die Young" myth

[Velsthe1 at aol.com]

We can all agree that the 'average' age in period is low for various reason. This rolls into the 'They died Young' myth...but I like to think of the 'Why we have this myth' side (which I always like on the History Channel, don't you?). 

Arrogance. 'People in the middle ages all died young becuase they didn't have the medical care that we, of a superior society do.' 
Nice half-truth, don't you think. That all even kinda slips by and makes sense.
Looking at the raw numbers, not the average, though, points that the maximum survivable age then and now is about the same. 
Pretty amazing considering our current diet is worse(in general), we are less athletically inclined (in general), and our mental state is more likely to be unhealthier (more and differant stresses, and less functional outlets). 

The line should read 'Thanks to modern medicine we can still live to be as old as the eldest among people living in Period, but in greater numbers."


Vels