Question: What are the risks and benefits of curing aging?
Aubrey de Grey: It’s important to appreciate that there are big distinctions – big differences – in the reaction to my proposals from different communities. Let’s first of all take the wider world … people who are not biologists and who are just wondering about the consequences of success in these ventures … whether it would be a good idea to combat aging or to defeat aging. The predominant reaction is people are … have fear of the unknown. People appreciate that a post-aging world will be unbelievably different from the world that we know today. And in some ways they appreciate that, yes, there would be some good things. There would be much less suffering because, of course, aging doesn’t just kill. It kills people really horribly. People appreciate, you know, that it would be economically very valuable that … that people can carry on contributions to society rather than concealing … by virtue of medical care. That would be good. But on the other hand people are very scared about things like overpopulation or dictators living forever, boredom, or whatever it might be. Now these are legitimate concerns, but they’re overblown. People are essentially abandoning any semblance of sense of proportion when they make these suggestions, because ultimately we’re talking about saving lives here. We’re talking about the fact that 100,000 people die every single day in the world from aging . . . from causes that young people essentially never die of.
Discuss
Alexander Scholz on May 15, 2008, 8:39 AM
Like I answered to the "The End of Aging":
He said "let's do first things first" and let us stop aging instead of stopping the social problems. Who said that the social problems are not the first thing? Stopping aging is a pathetic means to avoid thinking about our fear about dying and death. Perhaps we should begin to discus the topic here.
If it was possible to stop aging in which age would we stop it? In the age of 6, 18, 25, 50 and who is the one to decide?
Why should be less violence in a world without aging? The opposite might be come true.
Is aging a disease? Since when? (Aging has history)
If we agree that our enlived body is an essential part of our experience – don't we lose an essential part of our self (the self) by stopping aging?
People die not of aging but of death – it seems absurd but it isn't.
Alexander Scholz on May 15, 2008, 12:39 PM
Like I answered to the “The End of Aging”:
He said “let’s do first things first” and let us stop aging instead of stopping the social problems. Who said that the social problems are not the first thing? Stopping aging is a pathetic means to avoid thinking about our fear about dying and death. Perhaps we should begin to discus the topic here.
If it was possible to stop aging in which age would we stop it? In the age of 6, 18, 25, 50 and who is the one to decide?
Why should be less violence in a world without aging? The opposite might be come true.
Is aging a disease? Since when? (Aging has history)
If we agree that our enlived body is an essential part of our experience – don’t we lose an essential part of our self (the self) by stopping aging?
People die not of aging but of death – it seems absurd but it isn’t.
Teresa Goodell on May 31, 2008, 5:55 PM
A desire to stop aging seems fueled by fear of death. Why on earth would anyone want to live indefinitely? Life is hard; frankly, I'm looking forward to seeing my dead father again when this life ends. I don't mind that aging has wrinkled me, made my joints ache occasionally and given me a set of unappealing jowls.
Aging should not be equated with disease and suffering. My 83-year-old mother would not trade the last several years of her life for anything, although she has a few chronic illnesses, fatigues easily, and is widowed. Old people, generally, are pleased with their place in life. For me, the personal growth that comes with an aging body is not something I'd give up willingly. My aging body has taught me that appearances are not really important. It has taught me that I can achieve, despite discomfort and fatigue. What's not to like about that?
Stop fighting and embrace the gifts of aging.
Teresa Goodell on May 31, 2008, 9:55 PM
A desire to stop aging seems fueled by fear of death. Why on earth would anyone want to live indefinitely? Life is hard; frankly, I’m looking forward to seeing my dead father again when this life ends. I don’t mind that aging has wrinkled me, made my joints ache occasionally and given me a set of unappealing jowls.
Aging should not be equated with disease and suffering. My 83-year-old mother would not trade the last several years of her life for anything, although she has a few chronic illnesses, fatigues easily, and is widowed. Old people, generally, are pleased with their place in life. For me, the personal growth that comes with an aging body is not something I’d give up willingly. My aging body has taught me that appearances are not really important. It has taught me that I can achieve, despite discomfort and fatigue. What’s not to like about that?
Stop fighting and embrace the gifts of aging.
John Johnson on October 3, 2008, 11:14 PM
The problem with this world is too far a % are living the lie of religion. I think that will be the death of us and the death of this project, at least for the next 5-10,000 years. However, if you’re ready to start testing this stuff, please sign me up as a trial patient, as I’m all for curing aging. There is no afterlife, there is no God, there is only life and now. What is the meaning of life? Nothing, there is no meaning, its completely pointless, so make the best of it, live long, gain knowledge, and explore the cosmos.
Daniel Piersee on April 27, 2009, 2:13 AM
I WANT TO LIVE FOREVER
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