I can never bring myself to play cruelly. Whenever I play, I play to the absolute best, and basically make my Sims never know hunger or pain. I don't like seeing my Sims perish, so I tend to turn ageing off.
Everything about this. I don't understand people who let their sims drown like sociopaths just for the trouts & giggles ? They've got to be doing their best, staying healthy and staying alive and having cute children and grandchildren !