4 ms·

God, I hope so. And glad the research suggests it. I've been downvoted a billion times for my opinion, but I hold steadfast. Nothing is meant to live forever

by axaxs 5y ago

God, I hope so. And glad the research suggests it. I've been downvoted a billion times for my opinion, but I hold steadfast. Nothing is meant to live forever. The one equalizer we all have is we all end up in a pine box(figure of speech). The last thing the world needs is a 500 year old Bezos.

joelbluminator 5y ago
Arguably even Bezos doesn't really need 500 years, unless some magic happy pills pop up I can't see how that won't turn into a miserable existence eventually.
axiom92 5y ago
>And glad the research suggests it. The article is actually arguing against aging being inevitable (in the article, "My answer may be right or wrong" and below). The author also links to a blog titled "Age reduction breakthrough"~[1]. [1] https://joshmitteldorf.scienceblog.com/2020/05/11/age-reduction-breakthrough/ https://joshmitteldorf.scienceblog.com/2020/05/11/age-reduct...
- axaxs 5y ago
  He admits it's a minority opinion, though. It seems based on a little research and a lot of theory, for the time being. I actually like the entropy comment a lot. Cancer seems to be the great equalizer. The biggest things we can do today to extend life reliably are a) cure cancer, b) lab grow vital organs, and everything that goes along with that, and c) clear arteries. That would by far extend our lives, without looking to theories and such.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
CryptoPunk 5y ago
One day, death from aging will be as much of an anachronism as half of children dying before the age of five, as they did throughout human history until the 19th century, is today. In almost any case where someone is dying, both them, and their loved ones, are devastated by the unfolding tragedy, and go to incredible lengths to prevent that outcome. There is nothing more human than to work to prevent death, and no outcome more inevitable, if the human race can survive long enough, than to provide people with biological immortality. A 500 year old Musk or Bezos will be building out space colonies for us to live in and funding the development of ever more advanced and affordable spacecraft to help us get there. I also don't think biological immortality will lead to individuals remaining the wealthiest in the world for ever. In the rapidly evolving economy of the modern age, every generation will see new entrepreneurs disrupt the old guard and become the new top players. This has more to do with the advantage of having a fresh prespective, than aging making the previous generation feeble.
- axaxs 5y ago
  Without death, time has no value. Good luck peeing in bottles for 7 cents an hour to support these spacecraft.
  - CryptoPunk 5y ago
    The first smartphones, in 2007, cost $750 in inflation adjusted terms. Only 40 million people worlwide, almost exclusively living in the developed world, could afford one. Today, smartphones are in the hands of over 3.8 billion people (approaching 50% of the human population) [1], with the most affordable today going for $50, and with far more capabilities than the 2007 iPhone. [1] https://www.bankmycell.com/blog/how-many-phones-are-in-the-world https://www.bankmycell.com/blog/how-many-phones-are-in-the-w...
- anigbrowl 5y ago
  Pff, no thanks. 'Neverending story' is a concept for children, same as 'the song that never ends' and other cartoons of infinity. In reality I get as much enjoyment from finishing a book as starting it. I'm not rejecting the idea of technological progress, I'm rejecting the whole idea of wanting to live indefinitely. Shrinking from death misses the point of life.
  - CryptoPunk 5y ago
    There is nothing meaningful in death. It's a meaningless tragedy. If and when we can give humans the option of living forever, you're always free to not avail yourself of that option, if that is your preference.
    - anigbrowl 5y ago
      Sure there is, the fact of its apparent permanence provides and ordering criteria for a value system. Are you saying that there's nothing - nothing at all - for which you'd be willing to sacrifice your life?
      - 5y ago
BoxOfRain 5y ago
>Nothing is meant to live forever. And you, axaxs, are the righteous and true arbiter of who lives and who dies? I'd rather make that decision for myself thank you.
- blooalien 5y ago
  > I'd rather make that decision for myself thank you. Are you filthy rich? Because if you aren't, then you don't get that choice. If cures for aging become a reality, you don't think the filthy rich will hoard it for themselves and deny or ration everyone else's access, just as they do with so many other resources? The richest of the rich will decide who lives or dies even if such research yields any results.
  - BoxOfRain 5y ago
    Maybe in countries like the US where healthcare is run by predatory loan sharks, in the civilised world the economic advantages of keeping skilled workers with plenty of knowledge in the workforce longer will be obvious.

by axaxs 5y ago

joelbluminator 5y ago

Arguably even Bezos doesn't really need 500 years, unless some magic happy pills pop up I can't see how that won't turn into a miserable existence eventually.

axiom92 5y ago

>And glad the research suggests it. The article is actually arguing against aging being inevitable (in the article, "My answer may be right or wrong" and below). The author also links to a blog titled "Age reduction breakthrough"~[1]. [1] https://joshmitteldorf.scienceblog.com/2020/05/11/age-reduction-breakthrough/ https://joshmitteldorf.scienceblog.com/2020/05/11/age-reduct...

axaxs 5y ago
He admits it's a minority opinion, though. It seems based on a little research and a lot of theory, for the time being. I actually like the entropy comment a lot. Cancer seems to be the great equalizer. The biggest things we can do today to extend life reliably are a) cure cancer, b) lab grow vital organs, and everything that goes along with that, and c) clear arteries. That would by far extend our lives, without looking to theories and such.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

CryptoPunk 5y ago

One day, death from aging will be as much of an anachronism as half of children dying before the age of five, as they did throughout human history until the 19th century, is today. In almost any case where someone is dying, both them, and their loved ones, are devastated by the unfolding tragedy, and go to incredible lengths to prevent that outcome. There is nothing more human than to work to prevent death, and no outcome more inevitable, if the human race can survive long enough, than to provide people with biological immortality. A 500 year old Musk or Bezos will be building out space colonies for us to live in and funding the development of ever more advanced and affordable spacecraft to help us get there. I also don't think biological immortality will lead to individuals remaining the wealthiest in the world for ever. In the rapidly evolving economy of the modern age, every generation will see new entrepreneurs disrupt the old guard and become the new top players. This has more to do with the advantage of having a fresh prespective, than aging making the previous generation feeble.

axaxs 5y ago
Without death, time has no value. Good luck peeing in bottles for 7 cents an hour to support these spacecraft.
- CryptoPunk 5y ago
  The first smartphones, in 2007, cost $750 in inflation adjusted terms. Only 40 million people worlwide, almost exclusively living in the developed world, could afford one. Today, smartphones are in the hands of over 3.8 billion people (approaching 50% of the human population) [1], with the most affordable today going for $50, and with far more capabilities than the 2007 iPhone. [1] https://www.bankmycell.com/blog/how-many-phones-are-in-the-world https://www.bankmycell.com/blog/how-many-phones-are-in-the-w...
anigbrowl 5y ago
Pff, no thanks. 'Neverending story' is a concept for children, same as 'the song that never ends' and other cartoons of infinity. In reality I get as much enjoyment from finishing a book as starting it. I'm not rejecting the idea of technological progress, I'm rejecting the whole idea of wanting to live indefinitely. Shrinking from death misses the point of life.
- CryptoPunk 5y ago
  There is nothing meaningful in death. It's a meaningless tragedy. If and when we can give humans the option of living forever, you're always free to not avail yourself of that option, if that is your preference.
  - anigbrowl 5y ago
    Sure there is, the fact of its apparent permanence provides and ordering criteria for a value system. Are you saying that there's nothing - nothing at all - for which you'd be willing to sacrifice your life?
    - 5y ago

BoxOfRain 5y ago

>Nothing is meant to live forever. And you, axaxs, are the righteous and true arbiter of who lives and who dies? I'd rather make that decision for myself thank you.

blooalien 5y ago
> I'd rather make that decision for myself thank you. Are you filthy rich? Because if you aren't, then you don't get that choice. If cures for aging become a reality, you don't think the filthy rich will hoard it for themselves and deny or ration everyone else's access, just as they do with so many other resources? The richest of the rich will decide who lives or dies even if such research yields any results.
- BoxOfRain 5y ago
  Maybe in countries like the US where healthcare is run by predatory loan sharks, in the civilised world the economic advantages of keeping skilled workers with plenty of knowledge in the workforce longer will be obvious.