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The people in this space talk a lot about not just life span, but health span. I don't know anyone who wants to suffer for a long time, of course we'd want to l

The people in this space talk a lot about not just life span, but health span. I don't know anyone who wants to suffer for a long time, of course we'd want to live well. I know for myself, I'd love to be around to watch my kids grow up. Even better if I can do that while being old-man jacked and physically capable enough to still enjoy life. I don't think this has to mean that you're putting off enjoying life in the current moment though. It seems like a funny question to ask who's "interested in living longer"? Taken to an extreme that's a pretty depression question.

a13n 2y ago
Survival instinct is deeply hard wired into all animals, including humans. It's natural to want to continue living. Anti-aging is picking up now because there's a growing belief that significantly extending the healthy human lifespan is within scientific/technological reach.
- logifail 2y ago
  > Survival instinct is deeply hard wired into all animals, including humans. Survive and reproduce... So if/when one has the reproduction bit out that of the way, the survival bit as such may not seem to be quite as vital. You know your genes are going to survive, meaning you don't personally have to. Which is the whole point of evolution, right?
  - inglor_cz 2y ago
    "Which is the whole point of evolution, right?" Pretty much the entire point of civilization is not to be at the mercy of natural forces, including evolution.
    - logifail 2y ago
      > Pretty much the entire point of civilization is not to be at the mercy of natural forces, including evolution The parent to my comment did bring up "survival instinct" (!)
      - inglor_cz 2y ago
        Sex, hunger, sleep are all instincts, but civilization tries to make their satisfaction nicer, safer, cheaper, more reliable.
  - a13n 2y ago
    I don't know that we have evidence that survival instinct goes away after reproduction. It's still valuable to our species to survive after reproduction in order to protect and nurture offspring, for example. There's no evolutionary reason that survival instinct would turn off after a certain age.
    - logifail 2y ago
      > There's no evolutionary reason that survival instinct would turn off after a certain age Umm, without wishing to get too clinical or morbid, it's clear that once your offspring have reached adulthood there will always come a point beyond which you rely on them more than they rely on you, right?
  - stickfigure 2y ago
    Evolution is not a motivational poster or a speech from your therapist. It's just the outcome of a physical and biological process. It just is. I personally would prefer to survive longer. If you don't, that's your business.
    - logifail 2y ago
      > I personally would prefer to survive longer. If you don't, that's your business. Ideally I'd die in my sleep 75-80 +/- a few years having seen some grandkids. Doing daft stuff now to push that number further out just seems pointless. The next generations will have enough problems to deal with without having one more cranky 90+ year-old constantly popping pills claiming he can live forever.
      - shermantanktop 2y ago
        And voting.
onemoresoop 2y ago
I'd trade length of lifespan for quality in a heartbeat. Getting old is not very pleasant. I'm already starting to feel the creaks and decline merely in my mid 40. I'd love to have more time now but do have to work and when/if I will be able to retire I will be too worn out and lacking the desire to do the things I'd do know with that time. I'd be content to live healthily till say 65-70. My mom who is at that age is saying that she used to say the same thing when she was young but she no longer things like that. I guess we all do have some survival instinct kicking in no matter what we rationalize prior.
- r00fus 2y ago
  Why does quality and lifespan have to be a dichotomy? In fact the more I think about it, living a quality lifestyle often leads to longer life (eating healthy, keeping fit, having meaningful friendships). Both my wife and I have signed the papers to decline extended life in a vegetative state and have confirmed our desires with our kids.
  - shermantanktop 2y ago
    The aging process will have the final word, but it’s a process. Nobody is healthy one day and in vegetative state the next. It’s a good idea to live a healthy life, but you are merely shifting the odds. Many a health nut has hit 60 and found themselves with new problems every year, and each one is a small thing, but it adds up.
- amanaplanacanal 2y ago
  I'm 67, and I'm sure as hell not ready to go yet. Of course, anybody could go at any time, so live while you can!

a13n 2y ago

Survival instinct is deeply hard wired into all animals, including humans. It's natural to want to continue living. Anti-aging is picking up now because there's a growing belief that significantly extending the healthy human lifespan is within scientific/technological reach.

logifail 2y ago
> Survival instinct is deeply hard wired into all animals, including humans. Survive and reproduce... So if/when one has the reproduction bit out that of the way, the survival bit as such may not seem to be quite as vital. You know your genes are going to survive, meaning you don't personally have to. Which is the whole point of evolution, right?
- inglor_cz 2y ago
  "Which is the whole point of evolution, right?" Pretty much the entire point of civilization is not to be at the mercy of natural forces, including evolution.
  - logifail 2y ago
    > Pretty much the entire point of civilization is not to be at the mercy of natural forces, including evolution The parent to my comment did bring up "survival instinct" (!)
    - inglor_cz 2y ago
      Sex, hunger, sleep are all instincts, but civilization tries to make their satisfaction nicer, safer, cheaper, more reliable.
- a13n 2y ago
  I don't know that we have evidence that survival instinct goes away after reproduction. It's still valuable to our species to survive after reproduction in order to protect and nurture offspring, for example. There's no evolutionary reason that survival instinct would turn off after a certain age.
  - logifail 2y ago
    > There's no evolutionary reason that survival instinct would turn off after a certain age Umm, without wishing to get too clinical or morbid, it's clear that once your offspring have reached adulthood there will always come a point beyond which you rely on them more than they rely on you, right?
- stickfigure 2y ago
  Evolution is not a motivational poster or a speech from your therapist. It's just the outcome of a physical and biological process. It just is. I personally would prefer to survive longer. If you don't, that's your business.
  - logifail 2y ago
    > I personally would prefer to survive longer. If you don't, that's your business. Ideally I'd die in my sleep 75-80 +/- a few years having seen some grandkids. Doing daft stuff now to push that number further out just seems pointless. The next generations will have enough problems to deal with without having one more cranky 90+ year-old constantly popping pills claiming he can live forever.
    - shermantanktop 2y ago
      And voting.

onemoresoop 2y ago

I'd trade length of lifespan for quality in a heartbeat. Getting old is not very pleasant. I'm already starting to feel the creaks and decline merely in my mid 40. I'd love to have more time now but do have to work and when/if I will be able to retire I will be too worn out and lacking the desire to do the things I'd do know with that time. I'd be content to live healthily till say 65-70. My mom who is at that age is saying that she used to say the same thing when she was young but she no longer things like that. I guess we all do have some survival instinct kicking in no matter what we rationalize prior.

r00fus 2y ago
Why does quality and lifespan have to be a dichotomy? In fact the more I think about it, living a quality lifestyle often leads to longer life (eating healthy, keeping fit, having meaningful friendships). Both my wife and I have signed the papers to decline extended life in a vegetative state and have confirmed our desires with our kids.
- shermantanktop 2y ago
  The aging process will have the final word, but it’s a process. Nobody is healthy one day and in vegetative state the next. It’s a good idea to live a healthy life, but you are merely shifting the odds. Many a health nut has hit 60 and found themselves with new problems every year, and each one is a small thing, but it adds up.
amanaplanacanal 2y ago
I'm 67, and I'm sure as hell not ready to go yet. Of course, anybody could go at any time, so live while you can!