Can people out live their use?

Don't you have grandchildren? There's always a direction a person of able mind and/or body can expend their energy. As you mentioned, you can pass on what you know, great stories that others will remember and enjoy, love, etc.

This was an example that came to mind. It isn't nice to think of someone as "useless" but this is essentially an example of what I meant by the question (not that I think such a person would be "useless"). I was just curious as to hear others' opinions on what constitutes "use".

I agree. To be honest I don't necessarily believe in purpose or use, I was just asking the question because I was curious to hear others' thoughts on it. However, we're a part of nature, and I don't think that anything in nature is without purpose or use, it's all part of something much bigger; the sum of its parts.

I'd imagine most would feel quite shitty about it. Again though, I wasn't expressing the idea that I believe people can outlive their use, I was just asking the question.

My brother is studying to become a nurse. He's currently doing an "application" aspect of his course, working in the palliative care/end of life care unit of a hospital. A part of his class studies is how to approach the subject of a patient's self image during the end of life period. Many feel useless, ashamed to be taken care of physically (cleaned, bathed, etc.) and part of a nurse's job is to deal with a patient's outlook and mental well being.

My brother shares with me some of his experiences with patients (conversation) and how he approaches the subject if and when a patient brings it up.

So I was just curious as to what others thought of the subject. Also, when I asked the question, I was hoping people would respond with their own definition of "use", not mine or anyone else's.

 

I'm rapidly approaching that point where what I do have to contribute is going to be something I am no longer interested in doing. Options after that are going to be limited by circumstances I have little control over. I have developed some exit stategies that will be clean and simple. My preference would be to simply vanish leaving no fuss or bother, no loose ends to create hassles. My definition of use or value is very much a personal decision. I have no intention of being a venerated elder like some object placed on a shelf to be looked at.

 

No matter what age we are there are always others who can benifit from our thoughts.. stories...or wisdom and if that isn't enough they can benifit from our organs when we die at which point our usefulness out lives us!!!

 

Pretty selfish thing to do if you ask me. You might feel like youre on top at some point but youre gonna leave everyone you know in a world of shit.

 

That's a great point, which goes to show that nature is not without purpose or use.

 

I encounter many useless people on a daily basis so a BIG YES!

 

I was probably never of much use to begin with.

 

seriously? of course. think about philosophers from x amount of years ago, inventors and other innovators, and others who dared to be different, etc. building or creating something beyond your own lifespan is outliving one's use. the consequence of daring to be different often creates something eternal. the fact that anyone of us can read aquinas, feuerbach, plato, and socrates and interject ourselves into ancient conversations and debates that have been considered for thousands of years proves that

 

Totally true. In my experience older people have a lifetime of wisdom to teach. A lot more than a person my age. It seems our society doesn't recognize this.

 

I've never been of any use, so I outlived my use the moment I was concieved...

 

i've known several people that had outlived their use by about 20.