Submitted by Jesse M. (not verified) on Fri, 02/19/2010 - 17:25.
The first thing that comes to mind when I read something like this is the products potential availability. I have the small impulse to label this 'immoral' because this will most certainly be a luxury. It will be the magic tonic of the upper classes.
Hyperlongevity becomes a serious problem when it is selectively 'distributed'. One can argue that it can allow for great leaps in human understanding and technology, but not everyone who would take the pill/get the shot/drink the kool-aid would be an altruistic genius. One would have compromised politicians and self-serving execs lining up for this right off the bat (excuse this harsh generalization, of course :) . ) while the lower and middle class worker is doomed to suffer an early death.
One can't justify hyperlongevity by arguing that it would be the individual's choice because not everyone would have the luxury of choice (this is all assuming that hyperlongevity would be available at a price, a very high one at that).
This gets even more complicated when one implicates international relations into the issue. How 'right' would it be to have the United States teeming with 1000 year olds while good 'ol Canada up north and Mexico down south have only the rare centenerian every once in a while?
This article reminds of Vonnegut's "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow". It deals with hyperlongevity. EXTREME hyperlongevity. Read it! :D
Availability
The first thing that comes to mind when I read something like this is the products potential availability. I have the small impulse to label this 'immoral' because this will most certainly be a luxury. It will be the magic tonic of the upper classes.
Hyperlongevity becomes a serious problem when it is selectively 'distributed'. One can argue that it can allow for great leaps in human understanding and technology, but not everyone who would take the pill/get the shot/drink the kool-aid would be an altruistic genius. One would have compromised politicians and self-serving execs lining up for this right off the bat (excuse this harsh generalization, of course :) . ) while the lower and middle class worker is doomed to suffer an early death.
One can't justify hyperlongevity by arguing that it would be the individual's choice because not everyone would have the luxury of choice (this is all assuming that hyperlongevity would be available at a price, a very high one at that).
This gets even more complicated when one implicates international relations into the issue. How 'right' would it be to have the United States teeming with 1000 year olds while good 'ol Canada up north and Mexico down south have only the rare centenerian every once in a while?
This article reminds of Vonnegut's "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow". It deals with hyperlongevity. EXTREME hyperlongevity. Read it! :D