Risk-taking vs. Age

I was reminded of this aspect of human behaviour when this news item about a 95-year old skydiver appeared. Ever notice how typical it is that young people take risks and as we age we tend to reduce our risk-taking activity. There are of course good genetic reasons for risk-taking among the young, especially that of males. There are also good genetic reasons for dying after reproduction of disease, predation and so forth, yet we are no longer constrained by that thanks to civilization and science.

There is an argument to be made that risk-taking should tend to increase as we age. After all, the old have the least to lose since they are closer to death by natural causes. At 20, you risk 60 or more years of life, or a high-quality of life. You also need the time to reproduce and raise your offspring, and you need stability in lifestyle and income to do so successfully. Somewhat more speculatively, imagine if we were to become (near-)immortal due to advances in medical science. As Carl Sagan said using the voice of the character Hadden in his novel Contact, regarding the perppective of a hypothetical immortal race: "Something you think is dead cinch safe, they'll consider an unacceptable risk." The immortal, in other words, are always very young.

At 70, you have perhaps 15 years of life expectancy, more or less. If you had kids, they have long since flown the coop, and you may have a nest egg to get by one for the remainder of your life, or at least a pension, even a poor one, to fall back on. Further, one of the greatest benefits you can now deliver to others is your posterity. That is, die and leave your worldly goods to your children or your favourite causes.

Therefore a youth should avoid risk and a senior citizen should not shy away from embracing it. You don't have to jump from an airplane. You can become an entrepreneur, train for a marathon, risk arrest by protesting for a cause you believe in, or ... just use your imagination.