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March 04, 2006
Longevity is beneficial to humanity
Richard Tomkins’ Why immortality would be a dead loss for humanity (FT, February 28) makes the erroneous assumption of equating longevity with stagnation.
A theme in literature is of a society where a cure for ageing has been discovered and everybody dies of ennui. In a society dominated by ageism it might be true, where otherwise healthy elderly are excluded from society.
The author F. Scott Fitzgerald pointed out that "the problem with the American dream is that it does not have second act". Old age has traditionally been connected to passivity and infirmity. Now, through science and technology it not only possible to live longer, but also healthier, enabling people to live more active lives with second acts.
Generational attitudes of the elderly are less static than before. Some elderly adapt to change better than some youth. The combination of a sharp mind, youthful body with maturity and experience might open for more radical reinvention of society, careers and identity. A long life opens up for new phases in life, where study, retirement and work could be alternated.
Mr. Tomkins states that he would not mind himself an expanded lifespan of decades in order to follow his grandchildren’s and society’s developments. It is this curiosity and desire for virtuous actions that drives most people wish for lengthening their life span.
Instead of hoping for finite goals for longevity research we need to develop more options to express the creativity inherent in humanity.
Posted by Waldemar at March 4, 2006 04:11 PM