Do you want to live forever?

On 60 Minutes last night, Morley Safer interviewed Dr. Aubrey de Grey and discussed with other luminaries of the scientific community how it might be possible for today’s baby boomers to enjoy radically longer healthy lives, eventually rolling back the clock to regain youthfulness. It was a fascinating discussion, going into the details of the aging process, what causes it and how it may be reversed with new scientific discoveries. Nothing makes me feel quite as alive as scientific stuff discussed in laymen’s terms!

Anyway, the idea of saving 100,000 lives per day through such rejuvenating technologies raises a whole new set of problems. Mankind is already seriously depleting the earth’s resources as it is, can you imagine 100,000 more lives per day being added into the pot?! And wouldn’t that be limiting the evolution of man’s whole development to the lower plane of mortality?

Very likely, were I to have the choice between normal aging and extended longevity complimented with the health of my youth, I’d likely jump all over it, but would that really be a ‘good’ thing? Immortality is one thing, but that wouldn’t really BE immortality, that would be simply EXTENDED mortality. And I just can’t see man’s present mortal existence as being the highest thing to be reached for. Or, on the other hand, would extending mortality eventually LEAD to true immortality and the ultimate union of mortality and IMmortality? Yet, all that said, I confess I’d be amongst the first to reach for it, if I deemed it to be within my grasp…regardless of WHAT it might lead to. I’m sort of rambling here aren’t I?

Good LORD, such heavy thoughts of mortality and immortality, life and death, the longevity of the earth. You know, if we’re going to go this route, there should be research of equal intensity in the area of increasing the longevity of the EARTH we live on…or in finding another suitable planet for us immortal baby boomers to move to once we’ve drained the earth of ITS sustenance.

Read about de Grey’s research and other related topics here. Do YOU want to live forever? As for me at this insanely early hour in the morning for a day off, just a bit more coffee and I’ll be able to solve this complex dilemna…