A recent interview in Discover Magazine with Cynthia Kenyon makes me think that a real, serious anti-aging drug is 8-12 years from the marketplace. Lab mice are living six to eight times as long with the application of this particular gene therapy. It if works in mice, I suspect that it will work in cats, dogs and humans.
Six times my current life expectancy is 480 years. I could conceivably expect to live to see 2457.
I can hardly wait. I’m really excited by this possibility.
Re: Ugh.
$2000 is beyond most people in the world.
So is $50.
I won’t be taking it.
Re: Ugh.
Except that if what she’s looking into actually works, this could be a procedure that costs less than $2000.
Maybe even $50.
Depends, ultimately, on how much it has to be tailored to an individual. If it doesn’t have to be tailored that much… mass produce retroviruses, give kids a treatment at age 10, there you go.
The vain hope for youth may be shallow, but it’s not really that new. And really, it goes beyond beauty. It’s _health_.
I would be quite happy with 100 years, or even 60, if I could be as healthy as I was at 20 for the rest of my life.
Ugh.
I can’t think of anything less appealing than such a long lifespan.
If I die tomorrow, I will die knowing that I’ve completed my journey as appointed to me. That’s enough. My job is to be prepared to die each moment as if my life is not only done, but complete.
The vain and vainglorious struggle for permanent life and youth and beauty in our society is among the great horrific spectacles of our time,at least in part because of its shallowness.
At any rate, I’m positive only the rich and the West will get access to this. Such advances come only at a cost to someone.
I’m not comfortable asking someone to pay that cost for me.
Ugh.
I can’t think of anything less appealing than such a long lifespan.
If I die tomorrow, I will die knowing that I’ve completed my journey as appointed to me. That’s enough. My job is to be prepared to die each moment as if my life is not only done, but complete.
The vain and vainglorious struggle for permanent life and youth and beauty in our society is among the great horrific spectacles of our time,at least in part because of its shallowness.
At any rate, I’m positive only the rich and the West will get access to this. Such advances come only at a cost to someone.
I’m not comfortable asking someone to pay that cost for me.
Re: Ugh.
Except that if what she’s looking into actually works, this could be a procedure that costs less than $2000.
Maybe even $50.
Depends, ultimately, on how much it has to be tailored to an individual. If it doesn’t have to be tailored that much… mass produce retroviruses, give kids a treatment at age 10, there you go.
The vain hope for youth may be shallow, but it’s not really that new. And really, it goes beyond beauty. It’s _health_.
I would be quite happy with 100 years, or even 60, if I could be as healthy as I was at 20 for the rest of my life.
Re: Ugh.
$2000 is beyond most people in the world.
So is $50.
I won’t be taking it.
The cynic in me doubts that such a transformative change could happen.
The ascendant in me points out that change is rarely predictable, and trembles with the idea.
Of course, there are a few downsides to the idea, beyond the usual longevity issues. You can still die in accidents. You can still get sick and die. You can still have genetic problems.
But… damn.
The cynic in me doubts that such a transformative change could happen.
The ascendant in me points out that change is rarely predictable, and trembles with the idea.
Of course, there are a few downsides to the idea, beyond the usual longevity issues. You can still die in accidents. You can still get sick and die. You can still have genetic problems.
But… damn.
I saw the same article. I worry that narrow-minded “socially concerned” idiots will try to slow or restrict access to such therapies. However, I have hopes that the desire not to die will win. As soon as they prove save (and possibly before) I will be first in line. 1,000 years has always seemed like a good absolute minimum lifespan (and 10,000 sounds even better). With luck and science I will see at least the first.
I saw the same article. I worry that narrow-minded “socially concerned” idiots will try to slow or restrict access to such therapies. However, I have hopes that the desire not to die will win. As soon as they prove save (and possibly before) I will be first in line. 1,000 years has always seemed like a good absolute minimum lifespan (and 10,000 sounds even better). With luck and science I will see at least the first.