Death is overrated.
If you assume an average life expectancy of 75 years which is 27,375 days, your odds to die on any given day is 1:27,375.
So why are you afraid of death? You should worry more about suffering an accidental injury from a firearm discharge (1:6,000), or being struck by lightening (1:10,000).
Even getting hurt from fireworks (1:19,556), getting injured by a chainsaw (1:4,464), or cutting yourself shaving (1:6,585) is much more likely at any given day, than dying.
Being considered possessed by Satan (1:7,000) is nearly four times more likely to happen at any given day, than dying.
And we don’t even want to talk about being audited by the IRS (1:175), having your identity stolen (1:200), or getting hemorrhoids (1:25), all of which will be from 136 to 1095 times more likely than dying that day.
Just think, the chance that the earth will experience a catastrophic collision with an asteroid in the next 100 years is 1:5,000 which means it is more than five times more likely to happen at any given day than you dying.
This, I think, puts death into perspective. If it is five times more likely to be hit by an asteroid tomorrow than to die, then worrying about dying does not make any sense. If you need to worry about something, worry about asteroids.
If you are over 75 years old, each day the odds of dying increase by one. At 80 years old your odds are 1:29,200, and at 82.2 years old you pass the 1:30,000 mark. So, the older you get, the higher the odds!
This is just great, and should be an occasion to celebrate life, instead of worrying about death!
And keep in mind that tomorrow you will be 2737.5 times more likely to catch the flu (1:10) than having to say goodbye to this beautiful life!
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Author:
Alfred Peyer (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: February 28th, 2018 15:50
- Comment from author about the poem: Just some fun with figures!
- Category: Short story
- Views: 74
- Users favorite of this poem: Accidental Poet, Laura🌻, Strain, Jhe, Joseph M Marion
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Comments12
Think I'd better take some vitamin C - super write this one Fred - I feel a lot better now.
Woke up this morning dying for the loo so I knew I am okay for another day and another posting.
Thanks Michael, that vitamin C sounds like a good idea. I usually also take some fish oil (Omega 3), but then screw it all up again by drinking too much coffee! (No tea for me!). And yes, if your bowel movements work, everything is ok!
I actually get Vitamin D tablets on free prescription from the Doctor (we are so blessed to have a free health service) which I take in the winter months to compensate for lack of exposure to the sun but as for Vitamin C I actually eat plenty of fresh fruit so should be okay BUT, like you, I drink barrels of coffee so probably back to square one !
A very informative write. I've already had the flu, so I guess it's time to celebrate life!! Thanks for sharing these great statistics!
Thanks Christina, statistics can be fun, it all depends on how you look at them!
My fears are not of dying itself, but of not accomplishing all that I want to do before I die. But even then, once I'm gone, I'm gone and all that won't matter anymore. What waits on the other side will be the new joy of life. Great write Fred.
Thanks AP, I hear you! We are all in the same boat. The older I get, the faster time seems to move.
Fred,
A great write! Love all your statistics! Never thought about death...statistically! As my mom says, “We’re here whenever it comes! It doesn’t need an invitation!”
Let’s enjoy what we have left!
~Laura~
Thanks Laura, and as somebody famous (can't remember) once said: I am not afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when he comes.
Touché...my friend!
Good write Fred, each day is wonderful as I rise from my bed, as I did an hour ago 05:50 UK time.
Thanks Goldie, that is exactly what I ask for, to get up each morning. Once that is accomplished, everything else falls into place!
Death sounds far and away the best choice after these others!
Thanks Lorna, ahhw, come-on, getting hit by an asteroid sounds much more exciting! 🙂
A fine write Fred. Erm, I tried not breathing for 24 hours one day. It didn't work out very well. Hmm, strange that! heehee.
Thanks orchi, I know KP took your breath away, but 24 hours is kinda long!
Love it. That is why math is so important, it will give you a clear view. Even though the chance to die is less but once it happened, it is permanent and irreversible.
Thanks so much m&m! Yes, math is important and the fun part with statistics is that you can turn them around any which way you want. But who says death is permanent and irreversible. Maybe for the body we have now, but I do believe that my soul will be back, maybe as a woman, who knows! 🙂
Great write Fred! I have never looked at death from this perspective before
Thank you skye! There is always a first, isn't there?
this was really interesting / had some amazing facts
and was funny too ☆
thanks for sharing / caring!
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