Would you want to live to be 120?

A good friend told me the other day about doctors who are working on longevity.  As it has always been a topic near and dear to the hearts of man, I thought nothing of it until I heard that their target AVERAGE age was at least 120.  Seriously?!  120 years old?  Can you imagine the burden hundreds of millions of frail, dependent people could have on society?

I guess it come down to quality of life though.  50 is the new 40, 80 the new 60, or so I have been told.  So, if the individual's quality of life is high, I suppose I can understand it.  The problem is, I highly doubt that this will be the case.  You see, already we have more and more people living longer than humanly thought possible.  And while I am certain the vast majority of these people are at least not unhappy to still be alive, I begin to wonder about the sustainability of it all.

You see, more people equals more resources.  And, while we could take every human being on this earth and give them a third of an acre and all would fit within the borders of the US, what about resources outside of land?  Food, shelter, clothing, medical care, not to speak of the natural resources necessary to live and create all of this.

I wonder about all of this because a favorite topic of mine is the cycle of life.  You know, the definitive truth that, as we come into this world in diapers, needing someone to take care of us, we too shall leave the world in the same manner.  Thinking about this leads me to question who is going to take care of all of these people.

The problem with the topic of longevity is that most people think in idealistic terms.  They are going to be the ones who are active, alert and capable of living a life devoid of assistance until the very end.  And, while I envy their optimism, I wonder how many of us can think of more than one person over the age of 85 that we know fits into that category.

Think about any retirement community you have visited.  How many of the elderly were able to get through an entire day without the assistance of at least one nurse?  It seems that, unless we learn more about adamantium, the physical process of aging is always going to make the elderly dependent upon others.

Can you see the problem?

How are we going to afford it all?  You see, when people age, unless they are smart enough (wealthy enough) to invest in a long term health care plan, someone is going to have to pay for them.  Now, while I believe that individuals deserve to use whatever retirement money they have saved, I fear that using all of your wealth (or, God forbid, running out and expecting someone else to cover you) to persist for a few years of blended foods and television isn't worth the animosity.

So why are people so concerned with living longer and longer?  I believe that it comes down to a fear of death for the individual and a desire to play God for some doctors and families.

I get that death can be scary, the fear of something completely unknown can encompass even the most resolute of individual.  I can also understand the sadness of the end of a life, letting go of those we love is incredibly difficult for we know that, in letting go, we have to acknowledge that our lives will never be the same.

I guess I am just different than most.  Perhaps it is my belief that, though a death means that THIS life is over, our soul's journey does not end with this body.  Or perhaps it is just the belief I hold that a couple of months spent with a painful terminal illness or on a ventilator is not worth the extra cost, pain or suffering (for me or my loved ones).

Don't get me wrong, I am in favor of living as long as your life remains adventure filled and stimulating.  I just somehow doubt that will be past 90 for most people.