I don't doubt your facts.  People who didn't have to endanger themselves
in order to make a living (upper class) have always had an advantage in
terms of life expectancy.  Such classes have existed for up to 10,000
years, so I wouldn't balk at a story of someone living to 100 even 6000
years ago.  But it wasn't common.  In todays modern world, we are all
upper class (thanks to the magic of capitalism), and so we are all
living longer.  Very few people have to chase wild deer.  Now we herd
them and slaughter them.

Skeletal remains show that most paleolithic people died quite young.
Life was hard back then.  There was no neosporin, no penicillin.  One of
the reigning theories is that most death came from infections, for which
we have great cures today (thanks to the magic of science, medicine, and
capitalism) and today our hygiene is much better, and yes, at some
measurable expense such as perhaps many allergies, stomach upset
(imbalance in intestinal flora), etc.

I like to take a balanced approach.  I try to learn what is best from
the ancient world, and what is best from the modern world, and then take
the best of both, instead of believing that one is completely wrong and
the other completely right.

-Mike

sean mcbride wrote:

>  Die at 22 like they all did.
>
>Mike
>
>This is common thinking but pretty suspect.  I was reading a book the other
>day about a bunch of early "natural" food people from the turn of the
>19th/20th century.  I also read that average life expectancy then was about
>30.  The book listed the birth and death date for everyone who was
>mentioned.  Most of them were living from 60-80 years with a few to their
>90's.  So much for average life expectancy.  Were these people particularly
>special - no.  If you read roman, or Islamic history that mentions ages it
>is not unusual for people to be in their 80's and beyond.
>
>sean
>
>