Dvorak Poll: If (When) Science Can Make You Live Forever, Would You Want To?

Published on November 29th, 2009

Posted by Uncle Dave in Research, religion, science

Researchers at the Maximum Life Foundation met recently to discuss their latest anti-aging findings. Their goal is to extend the human lifespan indefinitely by 2029… though it’s not yet clear how that’ll actually work.

The Huntington Beach-based Foundation held a Longevity Summit earlier this month, where biologists and geneticists shared their research into how humans might live longer — much longer. Futurist author Ray Kurzweil, speaking at the conference, put it thusly: “We are very close to the tipping point in human longevity… we are about fifteen years away from adding more than one year of longevity per year to remaining life expectancy.”

Among those in the business, this threshold is known as “longevity escape velocity,” and many of the Summit speakers seemed to think we’ll get there in the next twenty years.

The speakers came from different backgrounds and specialized in widely different fields, according to press coverage; they appear to have had little in common except a commitment to defeating the aging process. Some of the techniques up for review: organ cryopreservation; tissue replication via stem-cell therapy; chemical supplements to encourage telomere lengthening; and tinkering with cell structures in order to situate our mitochondria more favorably.

64 users responded in " Dvorak Poll: If (When) Science Can Make You Live Forever, Would You Want To? "

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# 1 brm said, on November 29th, 2009 at 6:48 am

Absolutely. I’m assuming that there’s no aging.

Bonus points if I have the power to will myself to death. I don’t want to get stuck being tortured while immortal.

# 2 Namxas said, on November 29th, 2009 at 6:59 am

The answer depends on many unknowns,
Would we continue to age and decay, joint pains, weakness in limbs, lack of balance, bone density loss….
or would we stay the same forever?
Would we just stop aging or would we be immortal? (i.e. unable to be killed by normal traumatic events like car accidents getting shot, stabbed, falling great distances, drowning…)

Would we have to continue working a drudging 9-5 for all of eternity or would there be a viable retirement option?

What about overcrowding? If people today think it’s bad imagine if the current rate of birth were to keep going but the rate of death slowed to include only accidents or murder, we would be be unbelievably overcrowded in just a few short birth cycles.

Without the answer to some of these important questions I can’t make an educated vote on this issue.

# 3 SparkyOne said, on November 29th, 2009 at 7:08 am

If forever is anything like the last 12 months then hell no.

# 4 Me-Mongo said, on November 29th, 2009 at 7:24 am

I still think we should go along with the film “Logan’s Run” and kill everyone when they turn 30 (I know the book says 21, but that’s just crazy talk).

# 5 Hugh Hofner said, on November 29th, 2009 at 7:29 am

If life is like viewed in the above pic? Then answer is YES..Yes..

# 6 TheCommodore said, on November 29th, 2009 at 7:52 am

Almost certainly, there is a maximum span in which the human psyche can withstand the rigors of living. In other words, even assuming a indefinite lifespan with the body of a 20 year old, the mind would likely, eventually, want to die.

The desire to procreate is certainly going to get in the way, or else you end up with an ever expanding population. And we know there are simply too many idiots who don’t know birth control (otherwise there wouldn’t be any abortion rights debates).

And, a growing world government would simply HAVE to intervene, eventually deciding that limits would have to be placed on who would receive this ‘elixir of extended life’. So you end up with lotteries, selective breeding and genocide, to address this. And who is going to be allowed to call those shots?

There calculus involved in an infinite lifespan is simply too complicated. Thankfully, its all BS. The best they’ll likely come up with is a longer lifespan, say into the 200 to 400 year range. Without a practical form of interstellar space travel (planet colonization), this stuff just ain’t happening.

# 7 Blashy said, on November 29th, 2009 at 7:53 am

Of course I would, if I got bored I would just commit suicide.

But getting the chance to live as long as “I” want to… anyday. Imagine all the history you get to see.

# 8 Paul Benjamin said, on November 29th, 2009 at 8:09 am

It would be great, do away with retirement and work till you drop. If you live forever most could never save enough to retire. A new source of cheap American labor people over 70 who were surprised when the pensions and social security were canceled.

This sounds more like hell, labor until you get hit by a bus or some other “accident”. No doubt the right to lifers would have a new cause throwing people in prison who had an “accident” but managed to live.

# 9 SN said, on November 29th, 2009 at 8:19 am

Asking if you’d want to live forever is meaningless because it’s too ambiguous. Live in a coma? Live in a wheelchair? Live even after the sun burns out? There are too many unknown variables.

A better question would be:

Under what circumstances would you want to die?

As long as the person is healthy, both in body and in mind, and if the person has something in their life which gives it a purpose, I don’t see many people choosing to die.

# 10 billabong3453 said, on November 29th, 2009 at 8:35 am

NO!

# 11 msbpodcast said, on November 29th, 2009 at 8:49 am

Not any more…

It would have been swell when I was younger and healthier.

Now? meh…

# 12 qb said, on November 29th, 2009 at 9:24 am

It’s the only way I could see the Cubs win the World Series.

# 13 Mikey Twit said, on November 29th, 2009 at 9:33 am

Or the Leafs win a Stanley Cup!

# 14 qb said, on November 29th, 2009 at 9:36 am

Mikey Twit, now that’s just crazy talk.

# 15 joaoPT said, on November 29th, 2009 at 9:46 am

Let’s put it this way:
I don’t want to live forever, but the idea of switching off makes me sad. Having the option of either I think I’d eventually get to a point that out of sheer boredom or desperation I’d do it…

# 16 themacleod said, on November 29th, 2009 at 9:56 am

There can be only ONE!!!!

# 17 Jägermeister said, on November 29th, 2009 at 10:28 am

Wouldn’t that be great? You could see first hand what your visits to Walmart brought to your offspring.

# 18 Howard Beale said, on November 29th, 2009 at 10:40 am

That will leave taxes as the only sure thing

woo woo!

# 19 Sister Mary Hand Grenade of Quiet Reflection said, on November 29th, 2009 at 10:42 am

But if we live forever we won’t get to go see Jeebus! Also, I’m looking forward to all of these assholes to leave during the resurrection. And some of you need to donate your bodies to science – fiction.

# 20 soundwash said, on November 29th, 2009 at 10:52 am

Definitely not.

Just pursing this end shows that that science has no clue about how anything works.

As energy is never destroyed, only transformed or transmuted, and we are made of energy, you are effectively immortal already. (duh) -so whats the point?

“Fear” of death is just a meme the religious control freaks cooked up to get you to kiss their ring a few times a week and pick your pocket at the same time.

I look forward to seeing what the next stage after of death. -but not until my “time” is up.

(having been dead three times already for longer than 2 minutes each, i guess i am meant to be here for some good reason)

Besides, eternal life would not work in this current iteration of humanity’s “mindset”

We have been/are too corrupted and greedy. it would only serve as another wedge to drive class warfare and divide the people.

Currently, the only people that would be allowed to have this ability would be the eugenics crowd. -no thanks.

Just for starters, you would have to erase the whole idea of politics, the monetary system, consumerism, religion and war from the “global mind” to even come close to having a planet full of immortal humans that would not accelerate the current rate of destruction 10x fold.

Something with the mindset of the original ancient American and Mayan Indians (actually, American Indians are descendants of the Mayans) might be able to pull it off. -live in harmony with the planet and all that.

The current people could never do it. Guaranteed, those with the “oldest knowledge” would exploit the new ones indefinitely. -and you would have indefinite resource wars unless the lid it taken off of free energy tech for starters.

(and you would definitely have to ban politicians from ever getting near the stuff)

Never work. -sounds like a scam to relive dumb rich elites of their money, -that’s all.

Death is but a small part of a continuous cycle.

The energy that makes up and drives you soul will never “die” -just transform. -count on it.

Never fear death.

-s

# 21 ECA said, on November 29th, 2009 at 10:59 am

The young wish to live forever.
Those that have been here awhile, Understand what that means.
Insted of 30-40 years of work, 60 years of work, before you get retirement, and THEN you die??

In this society, its as bad as the OLD days.
BUSINESS wishes your labor, and AFTER, they dont want to PAY for you.
The only ones that will be able to afford this, are the RICH. and you ARENT THEM.

Being OLD sucks some times.
You dont have the energy to get it up..
You dont have the Durability to take a hit.

# 22 right said, on November 29th, 2009 at 10:59 am

Compound interest.

# 23 Dr Dodd said, on November 29th, 2009 at 11:06 am

#19=SMHGoQR-leave during the resurrection…

Could that be the Rapture to which you refer?

Some people are ill equipped to do insult comedy. Maybe you should leave it to the professionals.

# 24 soundwash said, on November 29th, 2009 at 11:14 am

ROFL…told ya..straight up scam.

He’s a professional insurance salesman and money changer that hooked up with a Pro bean counter (read:books cooker) and provides the Illusion of Doctor with a Doctorate in Psychology.

Lol.. No Science here, just a couple of get rich guys..

From the About Us page in the linked website in the article from the ceo:

Mr. Kekich holds a B.S. from Penn State in Business Management. He founded the country’s largest life insurance master general agency, co-founded the world’s biggest private stock loan company, sold and developed real estate and arranged venture capital funding for 16 private companies. He is a recognized expert on private investing and authored the venture capital handbook “How The Rich Get Richer With Quiet Private Investments”.

Professional Scammer, plain and simple.

“Caveat Emptor” applies..

-s

# 25 wirelessg said, on November 29th, 2009 at 11:35 am

I have a young child with autism that will need lifelong care. My atheist butt still prays that I can live as long as he does so I can be there for him. After that, I would hope to die as I will be more exhausted than I already am.

# 26 Cursor_ said, on November 29th, 2009 at 11:48 am

No way.

The mere thought of living forever is like being in prison.

Anyway I don’t think anyone wants to see my comments for eternity.

Cursor_

# 27 GF said, on November 29th, 2009 at 11:49 am

If anyone can get it done it’s Kurzweil. It would have been nice to have Einstein and Newton around a bit longer. Many who thirst for scientific knowledge will never grow board with life. My guess is that if science gets to the point of extending life indefinitely the means to solve many physical problems will be solved too. Wouldn’t it be great to see your child not suffer the ailments they have now.

# 28 AdmFubar said, on November 29th, 2009 at 11:55 am

i guess the death do us part clause in marriage vows would no longer be needed.. ???

# 29 GF said, on November 29th, 2009 at 11:56 am

opps, bored not board, geez

# 30 soundwash said, on November 29th, 2009 at 12:24 pm

#25

-can’t find parents like you anymore. My Heart goes out to you.

——————————–

I *may* have to retract my scam statement.. it seems Ray Kurzweil is on the advisory board.

Now we know how they’re going to do it: Download your consciousness into a machine. -I imagine something along the lines of Terminator-like frame.

(me being stuck in a chair definatly would eye the idea, but still, not for an eternity.)

While that would be fun, -and make interstellar space travel and colonization possible -and much, much easier, we would still need be purged of the current “idiocracy” mindset the runs the majority of the planet.

Basically reinvent ourselves.

(which is supposed to start happening shortly anyway)

Otherwise, a planet full of immortal humans near the strength and durability of a Terminator style body with the current mindset would be a whole new nightmare to be sure.

(hmm…i wonder how “cheap” labour would be effected..lol)

Time will tell..

-s

# 31 Olo Baggins of Bywater said, on November 29th, 2009 at 12:28 pm

Only if we have life panels.

# 32 rectagon said, on November 29th, 2009 at 1:07 pm

Just for the record. The Bible has been mocked for talking about folks living to be 800 years old. Science is just uncovering the genetic/environmental switches that were turned off. Go figure. Living forever…. not gonna happen. Living way too long… yep. Possible.

# 33 RTaylor said, on November 29th, 2009 at 1:26 pm

Not in this fragile form. If consciousness could be transferred to a free energy state and you could roam the Universe, that would be nice for a couple of billion years.

# 34 Gasbag said, on November 29th, 2009 at 1:55 pm

All I got to say is HA HA HA HA. Living forever I put this in the someplace as the dumb idea of the flying car. It is not going to happen in the next 10 years.

# 35 JimR said, on November 29th, 2009 at 2:09 pm

Re: #20 soundwash said,… “As energy is never destroyed, only transformed or transmuted, and we are made of energy, you are effectively immortal already. (duh) -so whats the point?”

Carbon and minerals are made of energy. So you must still consider the possibility that we will simply revert to our basic elements and exist (not live) forever that way

“Fear” of death is just a meme the religious control freaks cooked up to get you to kiss their ring a few times a week and pick your pocket at the same time.”

Actually that is partly incorrect. The ‘fear’ of death is a WEAKNESS inherent in humans. The ‘religious control freaks’ you refer to, capitalize on that weakness by providing an escape from reality… that we will somehow go to a place far better than out earthly existence and continue on forever in blissful contentment. of course, it’s all man made bullshit… and has been proven beyond a REASONABLE doubt as such, but tell that to the billions who can’t face reality.

To the helplessly religious I would ask, “What’s so bad about reverting to our natural elements in the cycle of life? You are oblivious to it… like a dreamless sleep.”

# 36 Cephus said, on November 29th, 2009 at 2:13 pm

I have no interest in living forever, nor even in living significantly longer than man lives today. I have no fear of death, nor any desire to see the future beyond my years.

When I die, I die. That’s the way life goes.

# 37 sam said, on November 29th, 2009 at 2:16 pm

I want the indigenous people of Europe to live forever. I love my gt. grandparents and my gt. grandchildren.

# 38 Sister Mary Hand Grenade of Quiet Reflection said, on November 29th, 2009 at 2:18 pm

#23 – Yes, “Dr” the Rapture, too much sacramental wine today. And if I were a guy I’d have to tell you to blow me!

# 39 JimR said, on November 29th, 2009 at 2:35 pm

#32, rectagon… as if you haven’t heard this before…. the Bible is man made, from cover to cover, from idea to idea. You can trace the evolution of stories within it… how they changed or modified to fit the various societies values and aspirations, back through time 5000 years or so. They could easily go back farther if we had the means to decipher more ancient text.

How can you ignore this? … Because it’s that fantastical alternative that just too darned appealing…. the kind of fantasy you can easily lose yourself in.

It’s time for mankind to grow up. Religion retards growth and creates turmoil. Dy definition, the religious are retarded (look it up). So much time WASTED on the SHIT of religion, especially Christianity and Islam, when we could have been developing new energy sources, having better run sensible governments, or fixing the underprivileged areas of the world to self sustainability!

# 40 audion said, on November 29th, 2009 at 2:37 pm

Forever is a very long time.

I think not. If, however, I could be restored to, say, 30 years old, I might reconsider.

Forty-five is a little to far past my peak to want to be here… forever.

# 41 Tom said, on November 29th, 2009 at 2:38 pm

All depends on the taste of Soylent Green.

# 42 deowll said, on November 29th, 2009 at 3:16 pm

Even if they defeat aging you can still choke to death on a hot dog, die in a fire, or be killed in a car wreck, or of disease.

You aren’t going to live forever.

# 43 wrhamblen said, on November 29th, 2009 at 3:21 pm

What about Tithonus?

# 44 Eric said, on November 29th, 2009 at 4:03 pm

I’ll live forever if my generation is the first one to do so.

The bigger question is “would you live forever if you had to always be younger than the oldest generation?” After all, they’re likely to have a head start over everyone else and will insure themselves to be the ruling/privileged class forever. Just look at the hangers on of the “forgotten generation” between the greatest gen and boomers. Many of them are still working, most elected officials show no signs of retirement, and are happy to trade in the old wife for a new one and a Viagra prescription. And don’t get me started on the boomers…

# 45 Thinker said, on November 29th, 2009 at 4:45 pm

Only when I go to Heaven…
Only when I go to Heaven.

# 46 MikeN said, on November 29th, 2009 at 5:01 pm

Not if living forever comes at a cost of being lectured about global warming.

# 47 gal416 said, on November 29th, 2009 at 6:12 pm

I already do.

# 48 Greg Allen said, on November 29th, 2009 at 7:51 pm

The first ten or twenty billion years might be OK but after that it could get a little tedious.

# 49 locomotivebreath1901 said, on November 29th, 2009 at 7:56 pm

I think Jesus Christ already took care of this concern.

~nuff said.

# 50 Animby said, on November 29th, 2009 at 8:23 pm

Depends on how hard it will be to learn Chinese.

In general, I’d vote “YES” for me and “NO” for everyone else.

# 51 r_and_om said, on November 29th, 2009 at 8:24 pm

IMHO~
there are going to have to be laws.
if you choose to do such a thing you must also choose not to have children in exchange. other wise we’d over populate the earth (EVEN MORE) in 10 years and kill us ALL sooner haha

nobody who is alive really WANTS to die. (although it is inevitable), even if we make eternal our bodies, the universe is finite, it began and will end as each of us do, as we are in it, we are microcosms of it.
so personally i’d rather perpetuate my life the old fashioned (and rather fun ) way as opposed to the selfish,short sighted, and ultimately futile one.

# 52 chuck said, on November 29th, 2009 at 8:56 pm

My theory is that we actually achieved the “singularity” that Kurzweil thinks is imminent. It happened about 4,000 years ago. And one of us, as a practical joke, used their infinite knowledge and power to create this planet and trick us into believing in them. He calls it World of Earthcraft. His account is scheduled to be shut down on Dec 21, 2012.

# 53 Glenn E. said, on November 30th, 2009 at 1:44 am

I rather have the option to live in near perfect health, for about the average lifespan. And then drop dead totally unexpectedly. Like the way light bulbs often burn out. Flash, you’re gone. The only thing modern medicine has come up with, so far is, a prolonged life suffering with various ills and failings. We’re managing to live longer, with less things working right in our bodies. But the world isn’t handing us an easier ride for still being around. They still want the youngest and the brightest, on the job. And to hell with the older and more experienced.

And yet the deficit spending is ever reducing the monetary value of our retirement savings. By driving the cost of everything upward. But only the US Congress gets a cost of living adjustment, so they won’t suffer. While the rest of non-corporate America doesn’t. So how on earth could to possibly live forever? If you have to survive seeing almost everything you worked for, and believed in, turning into dust and ashes? Maybe they science should concentrate on making jobs, savings, investments, and the economy, survive for much longer. And the rest will take care of itself.

# 54 Glenn E. said, on November 30th, 2009 at 1:50 am

So far, the only thing that exhibits any substantial longevity, is the longevity research itself. And the grant money it brings in. Which is very likely going to be how it is, for a very long time. And continue to outlive all the scientists researching it. Nice to have such job security, until you die.

# 55 amodedoma said, on November 30th, 2009 at 2:38 am

Lazarus Long was nearly dead before Ira Weatherall found him. He was ready to die, out of sheer boredom. That for me would probably be the biggest problem with immortality. Still I think I’d like to have the chance to exsist until I do get bored with it.

# 56 Awake said, on November 30th, 2009 at 2:49 am

Life extension without known limits is increasingly theoretically possible, and really not very unlikely.

Suppose it takes 5 years to find treatments that add 15 years of healthy life. In those 15 extra years there would be time to develop life extension technologies adding yet another 45 years, during which time further technologies would be developed adding exponentially more time. If certain problems are solves such as brain aging, there is no reason why it can’t go on forever.

With genetic manipulation there is no reason for this not to happen.

It may be that the first person to live “forever” has already been born.

The people that are screwed are people like JCD, that were born just one generation too late and will miss the train of extended life, dying instead as old grouches. If you are over 40, you may be part of the last generation that actually is condemned to die while the younger generation gets to live healthily forever. Talk about bad timing.

# 57 Uncle Patso said, on November 30th, 2009 at 3:34 am

This is not immortality as it has been portrayed in fiction, it’s just life extension. We would still become old and sick; we’d probably mostly live in doctors’ offices and hospitals once we reach 70 or so, and definitely after 100. There will likely be very few who survive past about 115 years. The BIG question is whether this is covered by insurance, Medicare, etc. This will likely be pretty expensive, especially at first. Social security retirement age will likely keep going up for a while.

Still, I wouldn’t mind being a burden on those younger than me for another couple of decades, as long as I can still type and see/read the screen!

# 58 amodedoma said, on November 30th, 2009 at 6:03 am

#56 wake up

I wouldn’t count on it. Research is something you do when things are going well, and just in case you missed it, things are not going well. In fact I’ve got it from very good sources that things are going to get a lot worse before they even begin to get better.

# 59 Sea Lawyer said, on November 30th, 2009 at 6:29 am

So does forced castration come with immortality, or are we supposed to just keep cramming more and more of us into our little planet here?

# 60 The Monster's Lawyer said, on November 30th, 2009 at 6:38 am

The longer I live the longer I can submit to this blog. Viva JCD Uncensored! Long live his holiness.

# 61 Improbus said, on November 30th, 2009 at 7:06 am

I will reconsider living forever once I have a few hundred years under my belt. Why not take immortality for a test drive to see if you like it?

# 62 Floyd said, on November 30th, 2009 at 4:33 pm

I have a feeling that true immortality would get pretty boring after awhile. Maybe that’s why we there isn’t anything going on that requires divine intervention or magic. The Immortals got tired of immortality and went with Plan B. Hence the Death of God article(s) written in 1966…

# 63 First Man Standing said, on November 30th, 2009 at 4:41 pm

Think #44 had it right-ish, though that still assumes seniority is the only descriminator. I’ve always liked the ‘problem’ that everyone dies, because it’s the only way the planet regularly gets rid of the most destructive people that, through their money and power, have immunized themselves against all other corrective processes. Can you imagine how much life would suck if every infamous dictator, corrupt tycoon, criminal kingpin and cult leader in history were still with us? Not balanced by immortal Inspirational figures and deep thinkers of course, because the above baddies would have still killed them, as they have always done.

# 64 Animby said, on December 1st, 2009 at 8:25 am

# 53 Glenn E. said, “…then drop dead totally unexpectedly. Like the way light bulbs often burn out. Flash, you’re gone.”

Not me! I want a couple of hour’s warning. Enough time to erase a particular partition on my hard drive…

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