Why I dread to live for 150 years

Is Aging Reversible?

Recently, I watched David Sinclair’s TED talk titled ‘Is Aging Reversible?’  Yes, he declared, citing dramatic advancements in recent biological research. He is from Harvard Medical School, and explained the exciting science behind longevity and reverse aging. He also claimed that the person who would live for 150 years has already been born five years ago (Year of Birth: 2017, Expected Year of Demise: 2167)!

Longevity and Reverse Aging look alike but are different. We can buy new body parts and increase longevity. We can also be in our given body but reduce our biological age, as compared to our chronological age, by scientific and healthy living.  By boosting our body’s three natural defense systems – MTOR, AMPK, and sirtuins. Now, go figure that out! But David makes it easy for us to understand; MTOR is activated when we fast, AMPK when our body-sugar level is low, and sirtuin is a group of genes that can be manipulated. If our body is a CD, he explains, Aging makes scratches on the CD which can now be repaired to make us young again. 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 

However, reverse aging has consequences, as the 2008 Hollywood film ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ shows. The film, loosely based on the 1922 short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald, features Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, and won 3 Oscars.

Age reversal is no longer a fantasy; it is doable, if you have the dough! Here are my own thoughts on a long, long life.

Why I dread to live for 150 years?

Upon thoughtful consideration,

I dread the proposition;

Reasons are many,

But here is a brief summary.

What-if sarkar stops my pension

Upon Sahasra Chandrodaya darshan

(Eighty-two years and 50 days, for your information)?

Our Shastras provide enough justification!

Inflation is certain to outrun pension revision,

Remember the hare-tortoise competition?

But tortoise now lags, as it is designed to, and

Hare is fast, and full of ambition.

Our children, now working adults,

Are in the private sector,

Decent jobs, but no pension cover,

What-if they need parental support

After corporate superannuation?

The house we live in, we built decades ago,

Soon it will be fit for demolition,

After buying new body parts,

Can we still afford the astronomical cost of construction?

Last, but not the least,

An old mind in a young body,

Would be a perverse oddity,

Friends and peers long dead and gone,

Life would be awfully forlorn.

When I open my mouth, I would speak ancient history,

For the New-Gen, a total mystery;

Folks will whisper with amusement,

There walks a historical monument;

Best to put him up for a Show,

For people to know,

The stupidity of living too long,

Like a fading, yet lingering, evening shadow.

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TED Talk on Life & Death

Recently, I watched and liked 'How I made friends with reality: a TED Talk by Emily Levine.' The link is at:

https://youtu.be/ARb2UfDgSHQ

If you prefer to skip the preface, fast forward to 7th minute of the video.

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