Forever young

The lyrics in Alphaville’s ‘ageist’ song ‘Forever Young’ depress me a bit even though I like the tune. The song has been following me around the house as the kids listen to ‘video hits’ shows. The videoclip itself is here.

What do you think? Is it such a bad thing to age? Are young people so much happier? Given the magic elixir I'd subtract 20 years without having to think too hard about it but 30 years I'am not so sure about. Some studies suggests happiness may increase with age. Suppose lifespan was fixed and, at your current age, you could choose the age at which you would live the rest of your days? What age would you choose? The choice is certainly path-dependent and probably time-inconsistent - your choices at younger ages would differ from those at older ages. It is idle speculation but bears on the issue of our attitudes to aging and, indeed, the aged.

Forever Young

Let's dance in style, let's dance for a while
Heaven can wait, we're only watching the skies
Hoping for the best but expecting the worst
Are you going to drop the bomb or not

Let us die young or let us live forever
We don't have the power but we never say never
Sitting in a sandpit, life is a short trip
The music's for the sad men

Can you imagine when this race is won
Turn our golden faces into the sun
Praising our leaders, we're getting in tune
The music's played by the madmen

(chorus) Forever young, I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever
Forever - and ever

Some are like water, some are like the heat
Some are a melody and some are the beat
Sooner or later, they all will be gone
Why don't they stay young?

It's so hard to get old without a cause
I don't want to perish like a fading horse
Youth's like diamonds in the sun
And diamonds are forever

So many adventures couldn't happen today
So many songs we forgot to play
So many dreams swinging out of the blue
We'll let them come true

(chorus) Forever young, I want to be forever young
Do you really want to live forever
Forever - and ever