Aging

I’m sure someone has said that “Science is stranger than fiction”. We’ve all seen those MOVIES where people go to extremes to stave off aging and death. Well, the day we actually CAN do that may not be so far off. Scientists and drug companies are working away, hoping to find the gene or the drug or both that will significantly extend life.

But is it really a good idea?

Imagine that living to 120 becomes the norm. Sounds good right? But, can you afford to live that long? Will your savings and retirement funds or pension hold out for so many years?

You might respond “well if I’m going to live to 120, I guess I’ll just work until I’m 80 or 90”. But - assuming even that you can keep your job that long what about the two new generations that will be born in that time? If all jobs are filled for 70 year stretches, what opportunities will there be for young people? Or, conversely, will your company want to be staffed with a bunch of 80 year olds when they could hire 25 year olds for half the salary?

Will the Social Security plan be able to support people so long? And what about the healthcare system? Will it be able to handle the needs of elderly citizens when being “elderly” lasts 50 years instead of 25? The repercussions are endless.

I suspect that only the wealthy will be able to take advantage of whatever life-extending technologies are created. If only because whatever drugs or methods are developed, are certain to be expensive. So, you’d only be allowed to extend your life if you have the means to be self-supporting for the rest of your life, AND you can pay for the undoubtedly-expensive medications that will be required. By the way, isn’t that great for the pharmaceutical companies? You will take a drug that lets you live another 25 years, but you will have to continue paying for it for years to come. Cha-ching!

Yes I know that things like means tests for the right to live a longer life, sounds like 1984. I mean the novel, not the year. But overpopulation, fuel shortages, food shortages, job shortages, housing shortages, medical costs and social security costs these will all be issues that we will have to confront with a population that lives to be well over a hundred.

Messing with nature always has consequences. I don’t know about you, but I hope I won’t be around to confront these issues. Can you imagine the size of the Thanksgiving turkey I would need to have a family dinner with my children, my grandchildren, my great grandchildren and my great great grandchildren?