New theory? Non-channeler aging

[TreeJoe]

Hi all,

 

Part-time lurker here. I'm not going to go to the effort of fleshing out a full theory, but I haven't seen this anywhere:

 

In Rand's trip back through his ancestor's eyes, one of his ancestor's says that he (paraphrasing) was, "in the prime of his life, just 60 years old".

 

That ancestor was a Da'shain Aiel, and therefore not a channeler. While perhaps the Dark One's touch could've shortened non-channelers lives, I haven't seen this anywhere. Nor have I seen a reference, anywhere else in the series, to non-channelers living shorter lives....plenty of talk about channelers limiting themselves via the three oaths of course.

 

So my theory is this, very barebones: a way will be found for non-channelers to live longer and more fruitfully, whether through:

 

1. Removing the Dark One from touching the pattern altogether (as it was before the Bore)

 

2. Growing lots of Chora trees (woo)

 

3. Finding the song again, and taking place in the singing

 

4. A channeler discovering a method to slow the aging effects of non-channelers (after all, Aes Sedai were once truly "Servants of All")

 

...

 

Let me know if this has already been proposed and, if not, feel free to tear it apart :)

 

Joe

[Demiandre]

Technology, maybe? ;D

Remember that the Age of Legenf didn't knew war, famine, and other nasty stuff. Few crime, due to the Binders. And as we live longer the better Health and Medecine improves, our lifespan improve as well.

 

The french average lifespan from 77 for woman and 74 for men is calcumated for a particular age (often the birth). As lot of person die in the first 30 years of life, this average lifespan is higher when calculated for 50 year old person (some 15 years I think). But we always remember birth life expectancy's age. And with this number, you'll be in the prime of your life dooner than however long you live in reality

 

So when you look at the AoL society, you could think they had quite a long life. Maybe as far as 120 years for all we know. Maybe more, it's my guess.

 

Or maybe the extended lifespan accorded by channeling is gentic and can affect sons, grandson, ... Which we can't guess in the present age because Aes Sedai seldom marry/bear children, and even Kinswoman are advised not to IIRC.

 

[TreeJoe]

I can understand the latter argument, but the former is not consistent with the real world (which it is compared against).

 

We are biologically limited to about 120 years of age, but the "prime of our lives" is between the ages of 20-30 and that does not change with medicine or societal advancements. That's simply the age at which our bodies grow the most muscle mass, the greatest bone density, resist disease the best, replicate cells with less likelihood of developing cancers the best, etc. etc. etc.

 

Our advancements in life expectancies have been, mainly, about putting off early death due to disease. 60+ is still "the golden years" :)

 

If i remember correctly, almost all of Rand's visions were people around the age of 20-35, with the exception of (Jonai?) who stated clearly and unequivocally that he was ~60 and in the prime of his life. That's a very specific way of stating that he was a young man.

 

To further reinforce this, Jordan is known for his historical/biblical references: old testament wise, 60 was a fairly "prime of life" age for many individuals until, gradually, the age at which death takes place commonly comes down to ~120.

[jemron]

Either I just assumed this or I read it in the BWB, but didn't people live longer in the AoL because there were so many Aes Sedai healers?

[Majsju]

During the AOL, the average life expectancy was 150-200 years.

[chuckievi]

I can understand the latter argument, but the former is not consistent with the real world (which it is compared against).

 

We are biologically limited to about 120 years of age, but the "prime of our lives" is between the ages of 20-30 and that does not change with medicine or societal advancements. That's simply the age at which our bodies grow the most muscle mass, the greatest bone density, resist disease the best, replicate cells with less likelihood of developing cancers the best, etc. etc. etc.

 

With a little genetic engineering this could be different however, and the AoL was a society that had the knowledge and technology to do so, i.e. the Trollocs and other shadow spawn genetically engineered.