Life expectancy

If you are curious about such things, here is a interactive chart that shows changes in life expectancy over time.

I was born in the mid fifties, and this thing shows life expectancy in the USA at between 65 and 70 years.  It has been slowly increasing here, but increasing much more rapidly in other places.

The USA is not ahead of the rest of the world in this department.  What that says about this country is a subject that could be debated, but I suspect it isn't necessarily a shining example of American "exceptionalism".

Life expectancy was an appallingly low number even in relatively recent times.  There wasn't even any data in the USA until the 1870's.  People must have been dropping like flies.  Less than 40 years was common back then? 

It seems a bit low.  It depends on how you figure the numbers.  Different results may obtain depending upon methods used.  If a median is used, then half of people would live longer, and half would live shorter lifespans than the median.  An arithmetic average such as this may give a different result.  The quality of availability of health care may be a big factor in average life expectancy.

Is that good policy though?  It may be good for the individual.  That may be the only thing that matters politically.  Nobody wants to die young.